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! :)
Does anyone have any suggestions on wearing non-matching suiting separates? Meaning different in either color, style/material, or both.
ReplyDeleteI love the golden burgundy No. 2 pencil skirt, but what blazer would you wear with it?
Phoebe - What about the
Delete* navy tweed blazer
* shrunken plaid blazer
I wear my pencil skirts casually, so I would tuck in a tee or top w/a belt or tie a shirt at the waist.
I have a light pink blazer that I have worn with it and I (personally) think looks pretty good.
DeleteI think a camel or kaki blazer would look very classic - and it's not a blazer but I just bought the tippi cardigan in leopard to wear with the same skirt.
DeleteLuxette- I ordered the leopard tippi cardigan to wear with this skirt too : )
DeleteI often belt my cardigans with a skinny belt at the smallest part of my waist ( button from the bottom up to the belt). I think the belt helps make the outfit look more polished
Hi! I'm planning on wearing my skirt with my hacking and Lexington serge jackets in acorn(w/navy polka dot cami), turqouise (denim or beige cami underneath), spiced gold, black, grey, and a navy schoolboy I have. I really think that color is versatile. I also plan to pair it with just about all the different colored cashmere sweaters I have as well as the leopard tippi. Have fun!
DeleteI second wearing a camel blazer with it. Although, I always feel weird wearing a blazer with my double serge wool pencil skirts. It feels old ladyish, or something. I just never do it. But that is a pretty color and it will look very rich with camel on top!
DeleteI unfortunately have to wear a blazer with it...a cardigan will be too business casual and not enough business formal. But I despise matching suits, hence the separates.
DeleteThanks for all the suggestions everyone!
Every Friday is a non suit day for me so I wear separates. I plan on wearing the burgundy no 2 pencil with the prince of whales schoolboy or the Navy schoolboy. I wear my vibrant flame no 2 with my heather acorn hacking jacket from last year.
DeleteAnyone want to help me shop with colors? :P
ReplyDeleteI need some winter/fall clothes... there's a couple of things I was looking at not sure on the colors but will post the links to them if anyone wants to help out. :)
http://www.jcrew.com/boys_category/sweaters/cottoncashmere/PRDOVR~99587/99587.jsp
http://www.jcrew.com/boys_category/sweaters/cottoncashmere/PRDOVR~28327/28327.jsp
http://www.jcrew.com/boys_category/sweaters/cotton/PRDOVR~92820/92820.jsp (maybe not sure)
http://www.jcrew.com/boys_category/outerwear/wool/PRDOVR~49443/49443.jsp
http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/FactoryBrowse/Factory_Shop_By_Category/Boys/bestfall/PRDOVR~24124/99102432305/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~15~~205+18+73~15~~~~~~~/24124.jsp (red, white and blue maybe??)
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sweaters to go with my khakis and dark blue jeans. Coat for work.
anyone?
DeleteHi Wintertree! I'm going to use your links for tomorrow's Fashion Friday post on my blog, http://everydaymusingsetm.blogspot.com/
DeleteHope you'll stop by!
I like the first two a lot, especially the cardigan. The rest, I'm not as crazy about. It's awesome that you can fit into little boys, but the last three look super boxy, and not in a flattering way.
DeleteWintertree - I agree with Phoebe. Have you tried on before and are sure of your sizing/the fit? The last 3 do look rather boxy.
DeleteI really like the cotton-cashmere sweatshirt in lagoon blue, heather emerald and heather dark plum. HTH
Hey! Yep these fit me just fine as I actually am a guy and size 14s seem to fit me a lot better than an adult XS or S in men's!
Deletesorry for the confusion so, of you have any suggestions for colors in those for a GUY that would be greatly appreciated! :-)
wintertree - Thanks for clearing that up. Without knowing your coloring or vibe of your work environment, here are my picks:
Deletecotton-cashmere sweatshirt - lagoon blue, heather dark plum
cotton cashmere cardi - heather grey, navy will be close to black I think, the grey should work over a few of the Factory shirts
rollneck sweater - cute, get that, it will look so good w/the grey peacoat, your next choice
peacoat - get it, that's nice and will go well over everything you're considering here
Factory shirt - red/white/blue is nice, I also like the navy gingham & baltic white. If you don't have them, gingham & stripes are classics.
All of this will mix and match. I.e. the red/white/blue factory shirt will look good under the heather dark plum sweatshirt. The cardigan will go over the factory shirts as well.
Have fun!
New blog post with cafe capris styling:
ReplyDeletehttp://handbagaficionado.blogspot.com/2012/08/rocker-chic-and-crazy-pants.html
I Purchased the Allie dress in aqua floral yesterday. I am thinking about styling with black tights and shoes, but does anyone else have suggestions to make it more fall/winter??
ReplyDeleteThis was a gamble purchase for me, I haven't seen the pattern in person but it is just so pretty online. It looks like there are some red or burgundy tones, perhaps I could play those up? Does anyone have the dress or skirt to confirm my eyes aren't playing tricks on me? Thanks a bunch!!
Oh, that's a gorgeous print! I would be tempted if I didn't already know that the Allie dress is a terrible fit on my body. I'd pair it with any blue-toned red or burgundy, even/especially if there's no red in the print. Also forest green, red-toned purples (e.g. aubergine--sadly JC isn't doing any really nice purples this year)... maybe even with retro jade for an aqua/teal tonal combination.
DeleteHere's a mental trick you can use for patterns: pick one dominant color from the pattern and ONLY match/complement that color. I use it for pattern mixing, too, if you're bold enough (my personal style tends to lean more Anthro than J.Crew). So pretend that the Allie dress is all solid aqua, and style it with other colors as if that were true.
Great suggestions! Thank you !!
DeleteI'd love some suggestions for what to wear with my new snakeskin print skirt . Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt depends on which direction you want to take it. I think a more conservative option is to pair with a cashmere sweater or silk blouse in a dark chocolate brown or dark wine/burgundy., A more racy option is to pair with a fitted, cropped leather jacket (dark brown or black) but it would have to be toned down with classic pumps to keep it from looking like an 80s rock star cliché.
DeleteGreat ideas, thanks, Louise!
DeleteI think you and I stand alone as the fans of this skirt, fred. lol.
DeleteI'll share some ideas as I have them -- mine just arrived yesterday and if it were not considered bizarre to do so, I would kiss it and hug it! I'm so in love with it it's not even funny.
I don't think I'll be able to wait until fall to wear it! The lightweight feel of the fabric surprised me since it's silk & wool, but it will work better for me that way, since it so rarely gets freezinweezin cold here.
You're not alone, Elaine and WFF! I too love the snakeskin print skirt, but I'm waiting for a bigger markdown.
DeleteI think it will definitely drop more, Rayna, since ppl in general don't seem to like the print ... if it goes way down, like under $50 after discount, I will probably buy a second one to keep as a backup in case some trouble should befall the first one! :P
Deletenot a bad idea, E, since it's very light-colored.
DeleteWFF - See the peri Jackie w/the snakeskin skirt on WMM.
DeleteThis skirt is really versatile. I think it goes well with almost any solid colour top, in my opinion. I know, that's not much help.
DeleteI reviewed this skirt a while back on my blog.
I need some suggestions on how/when/where to wear my crystal necklaces I bought in early summer on sale.
ReplyDeleteI have the
Jumbo brulee necklace in turquoise
and the
Double crystal brulee necklace in clear and navy (really more cobalt)
They're too flashy for work and for my casual weekend lifestyle. I thought about wearing one with a strapless dress to a wedding I attended, but instead opted for a more classy looking diamond solitaire.
Maybe I just shouldn't have bought these, given my lifestyle.
Does anyone here wear these necklaces or ones like them regularly?
I don't have these necklaces in particular, but would it work to do a 180 and dress them down with jeans and a t-shirt?
DeleteThat was my first thought, too. I'd also wear the colored ones as a statement necklace with a contrasting outfit, e.g. the turquoise jumbo brulee necklace with the burgundy polka dot tippi.
DeleteThere was a JCA (huge apologies that I can't remember who it was -- please take credit if it was you!) who had a picture of the turquoise jumbo brulee necklace with the Tippi in snake pint -- it looked amazing together. Because there wasn't really any color contrast between the two, the necklace looked more casual than it otherwise does, imho. So I think anything shirt in the same color family might work.
DeleteAre you thinking of Gigi?
DeleteThanks for the suggestions so far - I'm really loving them. Keep them coming!
DeleteSometimes styling what you already have can be so much more fun than shopping for new things.
Hi Cate O, I have the jumbo brulee necklace in yellow and the double strand in navy. I think the jumbo brulee in turquoise would look nice with red (that's how they styled it in the catalog). I would probably wear it with a white button down, red toothpicks, and viv printed flats. I'm wearing my navy crystal brulee necklace with the boyshirt in snowcat layered with rugby shirt in black/white. HTH! There are outfits on my polyvore with a lot of brulee necklaces, if you would like to check them out!
Delete@Janet - That's me. Thank you :)
Delete@Cate O - Click here for a pic of the brulee w/the snake Tippi. Once I saw that combo, it convinced me to keep the necklace. However, as I've been saying, hissssss is not for me, so I've been looking for something else in retro jade. I can't seem to do the full color at my face, so the solid scarf & solid Tippi were a pass for me. I will try the Jackie cardi at some point since I can wear that open and have white or another color dominate. I may also try one of the pencil skirts in the retro jade.
I have the brulee and the jumbo brulee. To take the bling down a notch I usually wear them inside a Perfect Shirt, peeking out (i.e. not over the collar). I've received lots of compliments on them.
DeleteIt's more subtle w a shirt in the same color family, and draws the eye more if the shirt is white or a contrasting color.
I struggled with my orbit necklace. When wearing a very classic outfit I substitute the necklace for pearls. Makes the classics look younger & hipper IMO. Also looks nice peeking out from cardigan or button down, not necessarily front & center.
DeleteThe Sterling Skirts arrived today (2 sizes), and just to make this appropriate for the Help Style Me post, I have no idea how I would style it. I tried it with riding boots and that didn't look good. I didn't try anything else yet, because this skirt didn't give me the feeling. It may have been I didn't like the color (Crimson Maple), which is a cross between burgundy and henna. I guess it's a nice color, but it's not a personal favorite. You never know what you're going to get, though, when the web site colors are sometimes so different from the real colors. "Crimson Maple" is probably a good name for the color, though, and I think most people are going to like the color.
ReplyDeleteI don't own last year's Sterling Skirt because it didn't fit me right. I tried it and sent it back. I'm an apple shape and on the short-ish and it didn't do me any favors. This year's Sterling Skirt was a better fit on me, but probably because it is closer in shape and length to the pencil skirts. I'd say the main difference from the pencil skirt is that the bottom back doesn't come in so close. The Sterling is less body-hugging. And it has the cute front pockets, which I have to say I like a lot.
This year's Sterling skirt hit me right at the knees, not below like last year's. Anything below the knee on me looks frumpy (I'm 5'4"). So the length was good in theory, but it didn't look right with tall boots. Maybe it would be cute with short boots, or tights with any other kind of shoe. This year's Sterling didn't flair as much as last year's and there seems to be less volume overall. I think it could work on different body types.
I am going to send these back, because I don't care for the color, but I think I will re-order it in a different color if I can figure out some ways to style it. Any ideas for styling it? If you have last year's Sterling, how did you style it? Thanks!
Cate I love my Sterling Skirts from last year. I typically paired them with a fitted top to balance the fullness (like a merino turtleneck) and tights/boots or tights/heels.
DeleteThank you ruffles! Good idea on the fitted top, I hadn't thought about that. I hope to see some pictures of this year's Sterling skirt with boots... I like the shorter length, but it seems awkward with my boots, with the hem ending an inch or two above the top of the boots. Maybe I'm just trying the wrong kind of boots.
DeleteI am having movie-induced 'style anxiety' moment reflected on my blog today. I think I own too many pencil skirts in all colors of the rainbow. And yet I ordered more to try, why? Feedback appreciated :)
ReplyDeleteHi! I found that I was buying their pencil skirts in almost every color that came out. Recently I went through my closet and realized that I probably went a bit over board. Skirts are easy to buy because JC comes out with so many nice colors and prints. I am trying to be über-careful of how many I buy now. I only need 1-2 blue ones... Not 10! LOL!
DeleteHi there! Can anyone comment on the color of the Dark Saffron Wool Cafe Capris? Are they yellowish irl? Mustard? Camel? I think I want them but I don't want them to be a yucky color irl.
ReplyDeleteThanks to anyone that can help!
There are a few in-store price differences. I've noted them in this post.
ReplyDeleteHelp needed! I recently bought the Pia calf hair pumps at the NYC sample sale - actually wearing them today with the Teddie dress in the flame color - and every time I walk around in these shoes the right one makes what can only be described as a farting noise. Anyone know how to fix this? Could it be that the inner sole needs to be better affixed? That's the only thing I can think of that would be cause this embarrassing sound. If anyone has experienced this issue, I would be extremely grateful for any suggestions.
ReplyDeletemaybe add a foam insole so there's less sliding around room in the shoe?
DeleteThanks, Cass, I'll try that! Going to look around for a thin one since I don't have a whole lot of extra room in the shoes, but hopefully that will do the trick! So embarrassing walking around my otherwise quiet office making all this noise ;)
DeleteDara, you and every JCA needs the Band Aid friction blocker. Worth every penny. Your foot will slide more in the shoe, not get stuck., That, plus the insole should fix it.
DeleteI second that, gigi! I have several of them stashed in my car, purse, house. They last forever, too! I have had one for about 5 years and it has not dried out or anything.
DeleteEmergency fix - baby powder. Sprinkle it inside the shoe and knock it around the inside like you're flouring a cake pan (but don't use that much!). I'm very familiar with the shoe fart noise you're describing. It is so embarrassing!
DeleteI just used mine because my non leather lined Juliets are rubbing the crap out of my foot. I was thinking, couldn't I just buy a 99 cent chap stick and it would do the same thing? (I was assuming the band aid one was probably made of petroleum). But no. I just looked up the ingredients on drugstore.com... the band aid stick is made of hydrogenated vegetable oil. Aka, CRISCO. So we are all essentially rubbing crisco on our feet. If you don't want to spend $5.99 on the stick, just put some crisco in a little travel container and you're good to go, lol!
DeleteThanks, gigiofca and J.CrewJD! Great suggestion. I've found myself checking out that product on several occasions but I've never purchased it, so I'm excited to try it out!
ReplyDeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteLong-time reader of this blog, first time posting! I just bought the Tippi Heart Me in Pink Peacock yesterday, thinking it would be a perfect piece to transition from summer to fall. I would love some suggestions of fun pairings, both casual and office-appropriate. I'm not afraid to mix colors, prints, etc. Thanks so much!
Any ideas for what to wear with the wool foundry pants from last winter?
ReplyDelete