Thursday, January 28, 2016

JCA "Help Style Me!" Weekly Post

This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this post) says it best, "You know, that thing you bought because you love it and you keep pulling it out and then putting it away without wearing it?"

Please share your J.Crew item (either that you own or are thinking about getting) that you would love help creating an outfit with.

Also, please help out by offering your styling advice. Feel free to include links to your blog (where you incorporated that piece) or to Polyvore (where you showcased an outfit with that piece). Thanks in advance! :)

26 comments:

  1. I love LOVED my outfit yesterday & received multiple (real-life!) comments on it throughout the day so I thought I'd share! I wore: a mauvey-blush (or, as my MIL calls it "moh-ve") Banana Republic crepe boyfriend blazer, a burgundy drapey tank from Tarjay, the Martie pants in cotton in the ivory colorway (can't recall official name), and Circa Joan & David burguny suede pointy-toed pumps. I also threw on a multi-layered necklace with stones in varying shades of cream & blush. It was super matchy-match but I LOVED it. The proportions were spot-on & it was comfy to boot! I love the Martie. I am 5'7" & the regular length hits me in just the right spot. I hope that style sticks around for a while!

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    1. ...adding that today I am super-prepping it in mostly JC-wear as well. Factory navy & bright pink windowpane wool Charley sweater over the Factory white & navy dot popover (sleeves cuffed, naturally) + the Lookout jeans in Resin wash (also cuffed!) + a Baublebar clear crystal necklace + navy Cole Haan loafers. We have to attend middle school orientation for my oldest son this evening so I thought I'd pay homage to my super-preppy junior high school days. (Jeans are not tight-rolled, however. Let's leave that back in the early 90s.) My husband & I went to the same middle school (it has since been renovated) but this is going to be strange, to say the least, to be back there for the first time in over 20 years! :)

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    2. That sounds so nice (both, but especially the dressier outfit)! Hope orientation wasn't too disorienting! :)

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    3. Great oufits! Ah, the junior high days - a turtleneck under a button-down with pegged light-wash jeans (100% cotton, of course!), slouch socks and penny loafers. Curled and crunchy bangs sprayed high to the sky... one girl in my junior high had bangs so high they were cut off in her yearbook photo!

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    4. ha! I love the bangs visual, silver_lining! That's awesome.

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  2. Had to run out the door in a major hurry this morning (luggage emergency to get to my husband who was leaving to go out of town) so I had to wear my same dirty pants from yesterday and some random Madewell sweater with shoes that don't match. I cannot wait to get home and get this stuff off. It is amazing how much clothes affect my mood. When I feel like I look good, I feel good. I just had to literally grad the first things I saw in order to make it.

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    1. Doodle Dachshund: I feel exactly the same way! If I love what I am wearing (and it is almost always J Crew) I feel sort of "flawless and go to hell" no matter what the day may bring my way! Lol.

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  3. Style inspiration via J.Crew with my own personal twist for a less spendy option of the look here: J.Crew Looks We Love... Shop It: The Real Deal or The Real Steal.

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  4. Long post but bear with me!
    Posted a pic on my Instagram @wearthislikethis with the Collectiom Calf hair ankle boots that I found in my store. Love the boots but I always have issues with pant length and ankle boots. Skinny jeans are an easy choice but I've been getting away from that silhouette a bit. I am wearing the Point Sur denim in Dawrin wash, which is kind of cropped, but I need to cuff them to hit the boots at the right spot. These jeans are another issue...they are my regular size and too loose if I wear them high waisted, more of a slim boyfriend fit worn on my hips. I'm not sure how they were meant to be worn! They still need to be broken in more for me to love them.
    Back to the boots...I tried on a whole bunch of different jeans and my favorite look is with a pair of 13 year old 7 for all mankind boot cut jeans that are almost shredded to death...except for the bottom between cuff (part of which is shredded) and calf. I was thinking of cutting them to just above the ankle, which is kind of a shape we are seeing more of now (skinny fit with a cropped flare cuff, almost like the teddie pants but denim). DO I DO IT? I rarely wear them, I think maybe this would give them new life until they literally fall apart. Help!

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    1. I'm glad you asked this, because I've been trying to buy a pair of jeans with a slight flare with that unfinished hem. Most recently I tried the Madewell Cali Demi Boot Jeans in Essex Wash, but they didn't fit me well. I tried a similar pair at Banana Republic last fall, but they didn't fit me right either.

      I've been thinking about cutting off some old GAP jeans to see if I can get the effect. I don't know if I can get the hem finish to look right, though. A straight cut across the denim might look odd if it doesn't fray in the wash. If I do it, I'll let you know how it goes! I think the key is to do this to a pair of jeans that you don't care about or which you can cut off into shorts, in case it doesn't work out.

      Your leopard booties are fun! I would have no idea how to wear them, though. I thought they looked good with the jeans you had on with them.

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    2. I think the secret to the frayed hem is time! Usually I cut into the straight edge a little bit and soak in hot water, then throw in the dryer.

      The jeans I'm talking about above, the 7 for all mankind, are the ones with the pink stitching on the A pocket design, (they were pretty popular in the early 2000s!). Low rise and skinny fit until they flare out below the knee. Since they are almost shredded I think it will work. (I cuffed them under to try with the boots and a pair of ballerina flats, and they looked good with both.) I have one other pair of full length dark flare jeans which I've worn once over the past few years, but they look fabulous with heels. The 7s are so beat up, I think I might take the plunge.
      I wasn't sure at first but I do think I like that flared hem with the cropped jean. Late to the party I guess! ;)

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    3. I think Ema got those Madewell jeans.

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    4. Please post if you do it! I'd love to see how they come out. I'm not familiar with that 7 style. I definitely like that flared hem/cropped look on me. I think that's why I like the new Teddie pants, they've got a similar silhouette, but I want it in denim! I remember Ema bought the Madewell jeans and they looked great on her. Objectively, they looked fine on me, but they were so stiff and had no give, I couldn't wait to get them off. The very high rise didn't work on me either. I tried a size up but it wasn't any better. Just the wrong pair for me, I guess.

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    5. I also tried Madewell's Cruiser Straight Crop Jeans. They were pretty good, actually, but didn't have any flare/kick at the bottom. They were kind of roomy in the seat/thigh, when viewed from the side. No give in these either, but the fit was pretty good. But really, they were so similar to the Boyjeans/any boyfriend fit jeans that I didn't need them.

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    6. Did it! They are in the washing machine now! Also, I got the point sur teddy buckle back jeans which I love, but the legs were two different lengths. I decided to unstitch the hem and leave them with a raw edge, similar to those Rachel Comey jeans. Those are in the wash now too. cant wait to see how both turn out.

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    7. Will look for your update! Hope they both turn out great!

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    8. Done! Both came out great! The 7s actually look really cute. I probably don't have too many more washings out of them but the rough edge came out pretty even a d hits the boot in the right place. Of course. They shrunk up a bit but wearing them once will loosen them back up.
      The point sur teddy buckle back look like they were meant to be like this. The unfinished hem works well with the style of the jeans. Super cute!

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    9. @SuzHas, pls post pictures on your instagram.. Looking forward to it.

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    10. Awesome, glad it worked!!

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    11. @nan and @cate, posted the pics with the 7 jeans on IG.
      Keep in mind they just came out of the dryer!!!
      I was already wearing the oversized turtleneck (sized down to XXS) so I went with the black and ivory graphic and threw on the factory houndstooth blazer. Oddly enough, I think it all works. (If I was wearing it for real I'd put on a scarf or belt or something too.

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    12. They look fantastic! The raw hem looks really good. I'm inspired to try it! Thanks for posting the follow-up pictures.

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    13. They turned out perfect! True.. what is old is new again:)
      Inspired to do the same with some oldies..
      Thanks for posting it .



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    14. Here's the post on my blog, with all the details!
      http://wearthislikethis.blogspot.com/2016/01/january-30-new-boots-inspire-old-jeans.html

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    15. Hi ladies, I didn't buy the Cali demi boot jeans, I only tried them in store. I don't know if I can take another pair of super-high-waisted jeans, as I have already the cropped flares. Especially thinking of summer (aka no jacket to cover the waist and bum) I would prefer a low-rise. The leg and the kick was perfect though so maybe on sale.
      Off to see your post. I had those 7!

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    16. Thanks Ema! I remembered you had a pair of cropped flares with a high waist, just confused which ones (I love your instagram but I don't have an account so I've never commented there). I really want a pair of these with a mid rise and I don't know why they're so hard to find. I thought I had a pair of bootcuts to cut off, but turns out they're straight leg.

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Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

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