Thursday, July 7, 2011

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! :)

15 comments:

  1. Free shipping on $150 or more with BEACHY thru Sun, July 10.

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  2. I need help with the Bluestone Plaid Perfect Shirt. I bought it because I thought it was a nice, classic, versatile plaid. I tried it with khaki shorts and I looked like Farmer Jane!

    How would you style it, and with which bottoms and colors?

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  3. Hi ruffles,

    I love the bluestone plaid-

    With an item that leans pretty far into a style, it's nice to counterbalance it with complimentary extremes.

    In this case, the khaki would indeed be to "basic" and the result is Farmer Jane. Try refined fabrics (like the with a sheen & bow shown on the J. Crew Item Page. You can extend that idea into pants & skirts. Metallic accessories also work great to counterbalance the casualness.

    HTH?

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  4. I would love shoe suggestions for the black and white blouson striped dress. I'm wearing it this evening to a birthday party my sister in law is throwing for her father at a nice restaurant. I'm wearing it styled almost exactly as it was on the front of the catalog it was featured on. I think just plain pumps would be too dowdy and not summery enough. But I can't wear anything that's too casual. Help!! TIA!

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  5. Jruby18,

    I'd definitely go with some strappy heels- my favorite would be something like the Lucca or the Devaux, but you could almost go with any thing with straps/heels. A black color makes it more dressy, but brown, ivory suede, or a pop of color can work as well without making it too casual.

    Cute dress! Have fun.

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  6. ruffles -- how about a pencil skirt in a 'linen' or off white colour?

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  7. I recently wore the black and white striped blouson dress to my dad's wedding with an opera length pearl neckalce and red suede slingback pumps and received a lot of compliments. Also, I tried the dress on in store with a turqoise flower pin and loved the combo of colors. Try these Kate Spade shoes for a simliar look which you could wear again with a navy or purple dress: http://www.katespade.com/karolina/S841709P,default,pd.html?dwvar_S841709P_color=442&start=24&cgid=shoes-heels

    Kate Spade has some other fun colors too if you are going that route. I'm sure you'll look beautiful whatever you choose!

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  8. Crew Cricket and Rose, thank you! You are right ... the casualness of the Bluestone Plaid needs to be balanced with more refined bottoms and accessories. I tried it with the Mica Mini in my closet, gold sandals, and the sleeves rolled "J. Crew style" and it looks great.

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  9. Jruby18,
    What about peep-toe espadrilles? Is that too casual?

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  10. I need some advice on appropriatness of shoes at work. I wear my coddingtons to work, but only with long pants so that no one can really see them. I recently purchased a few of the new cafe capri's and would like the wear my dark green coddingtons with them. Has anyone done this at their office? I work with a whole bunch of men and people that don't really dress up, but I love to dress up for work. Please help :)

    Also, as a side question. What do you think the maximum height should be for a work shoe?

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  11. Stene, my own personal rule of thumb for work shoes in a corporate setting is 3 in heels max, and that the toes OR heels must be covered (peep-toes OR slingbacks are okay). If the style is very high or bare or dressy, or if the show will be very visible as when wearing capris, I stick to conservative colors like black or taupe. If the style is more basic or conservative like a straightforward pump, I will wear more fashion-forward colors like red or green.

    I have Coddlingtons and I think they are fine.

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  12. Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I ended up wearing the Alecia heels from last summer in the nude color and it worked out great. Thanks to you all, you pointed me in the right direction. Btw, I got tons of compliments on the dress.

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