Saturday, August 22, 2009

Anyone Interested in Some Reviews?

First...I wanted to let you know that I have commented back on this post and this post. I am still trying to find the time to comment back on this post, but I knew you all would prefer these reviews first!!!

To make my life simpler, I have compiled all the info on these items in a polyvore, so if you want to find them on-line, click on the polyvore, and then from there, the items should be easy enough to find at their respective homes (jcrew.com, banana republic, and ann taylor loft). Hope this is okay by you all..


Above is the polyvore. (And yes, I know it is kind of dorky, but I had a lot of fun creating it!)


This jacket is from Ann Taylor Loft. I saw this in the store about a month ago and fell in LOVE. I tried it on and saw that a small fit PERFECTLY. I didn't have enough money at the time to buy it, but as always, timing is everything, and a couple of weeks ago, the Loft was having a great sale (20 or 25% off), so I bit the bullet on this item. Like the downtown field jacket by J. Crew, I feel very saucy in this jacket...in a good way. Momma's going bad, girls. :) Just kidding...

Anyhow, this jacket is made of a lightweight, brushed cotton...very comfy and perfect for a early fall day (when the temps top out in the low 60s).


This is the ribbon-floral tee by J. Crew. It is a bit expensive at 45 dollars, but with my educator discount, it became a much more reasonable price.

Others have reviewed this (and if you have, can you mention it in the comments), and many have not liked it, especially in this color. I like this top and I like this color. I have almost NO tops in this color, so I have a definite need to have it, especially to wear as a base to jackets, etc.

I bought this in a small, and it is a nice fit...it stretched a bit through the day, but not too badly. The ribbon trim is very pretty, by the way, and secured very well onto the tee...no shoddy workmanship here.


The Eden blazer has also been reviewed a lot (please let us know if you have reviewed it), and here is my fit. I bought a PETITE 8, not regular. To me, this is perfect. This blazer has a very high-waisted fit, and I really appreciate them having the petites available, because this high waist actually fits me at my high waist. Phew! If it had been any lower, it would have fallen very poorly.

This is the copper color, which is very brick-like. I have very little in this color, so I am glad to own it...with many of my liberty print and boden outfits, this will be my go-to blazer. :) I am happy with this purchase.


Here it is, all open. I just thought you all would like to see this...


So I have always wanted to own a trench coat. Banana Republic had a FANTASTIC sale last week in which they offered a 25% off all items (even the sale items), and I saw this trench in the new arrivals and salivated. GORGEOUS. I also saw the Old Navy one that Gigiofca wore here last week, and well, suffice it to say, I now own a trench for the rain (Banana Republic) and one for the crisp, clear days of autumn (Old Navy--I will review it later).

Here is the trench all open, but belted. I really like the detailing. I think overall this jacket makes me look all classic...a bit of Casablanca, if you all don't mind the comparison.

I bought this in a small. I have noticed I have to size down in BR, as they are very GENEROUS in their sizing. :)


Here is the same jacket all buttoned-up. The jacket is made from cotton, but is one of those treated cottons that do very well in the bad weather. (In other words, perfect for VA in November.)


Oh, my love, the Camino coat in Dusty Blossom. SO pretty in the lookbook. And in real life, the double-cloth wool is so luxurious and soft and tightly-woven...bliss. I always feel so special when I wear my double-cloth coats.

I bought this in an 8. It does not come in petites or talls.

The double-breasted look is a tough one to pull off...but I think I am big enough that it doesn't look like I am wearing a football player's jacket.

This is what the coat looks like all buttoned-up. I love the buttons, and so everyone knows, the coat is made VERY well...there are no defects, holes, etc. I wish J. Crew could get their coat-maker to make everything they sell...


I also like the jacket buttoned-up but with the top buttons undone.


I should mention that there is a lot of room to layer under this coat...I could easily wear a thick sweater and a tee, no problem.

I cannot wait to actually wear it for real, and not just to review...I bet I can create some really pretty looks around this jacket.

Have such a very lovely weekend. I hope if you get to your local mall this weekend, that these reviews may have helped you a little bit!

31 comments:

jmpb said...

You look so pretty in all of your goodies! Love your hair down in the second photo with the grey ribbon floral tee! I think the tee looks great under the copper eden blazer. Love the trench coat! But my most faaaaaaavorite is the Camino coat! To die for! Makes me wish I lived somewhere cold! Love the color and you look so pretty and happy in it! Thanks for the reviews!

kater said...

Dina! you look so great in the eden! it looks made for you! I tried it and it was waayyyy poopy on me - I am very jealous!

also - how much do you love the camino coat???? I got it to in that exact color and CAN NOT wait to wear it. I want to sleep in it I love it that much. Love love love love love!

Great picks!

Kristin said...

All of your looks are great, but like jmpb already mentioned, you look especially radiant in the picture of you wearing the grey ribbon tee. And so tiny! Fabulous picture of you.

(oh, and I am so lusting after the Camino coat! I think I'd want the blue. Thanks for sharing your review!)

Petunia said...

I love the ribbon top in grey on you! If I were to get it I would choose this color. I also love the Eden jacket on you, and the Camino in Blossom is TO DIE FOR! So pretty!!

Unknown said...

You are so radiant in the swirling flowers tee pic. Beautiful!

jcmama said...

I love the Camino coat on you! You really look great in that pink and in fact you look great in many beautiful J.Crew colors.

Thank you so much for the great reviews. I might have to check out the BR trench and the Camino coat. :-)

sparrowsandsparkles said...

Great reviews! Thank you Dina! :)

Anonymous said...

Thank-you for your wonderful reviews. Love the Trench and the pink coat on you, very flattering. I like the swirling tee on you, I am still debating about ordering this tee in the long sleeve version for Fall.

HeidiG said...

dang, lady, you are right - you are all over the pastel/neutral territory - I would go as far to say that the Eden blazer is almost pastel/neutral since it appears to be such a muted color.

ok, kidding aside - major scores for you! The fit of the Eden is perfect - love the color on you. The gray ribbon tee is gorgeous on you - can't wait to see you wearing it with some citron, as I adore gray & yellow together. The BR trench is amaaaaazing. I need a new trench this year, so I will have to check out that one. ATL jacket is way cute - I remember seeing that one in the store and thinking it would be a fun early fall piece.

And...the camino coat...{drops to floor, clutches chest}...'I DIE'. love love love that one.

See you shortly!!

Unknown said...

Great reviews! I love the Camino coat, but I know it will be too long in the arms and that would be an expensive alteration so I'm going to skip it. I have that grey flower tee too and I love it. It looks great on you.

ashley said...

thanks for the reviews!!! i'll have to check out that flower tee. not sure why people don't like that color but i like that color on you! and oooh that eden blazer looks great on you too! i like the look opened and unbuttoned. and i can't wait to order the camino coat!!! i just cant decide what color to get yet!!!

A said...

All of your new pieces look just lovely on you Dina...and the Camino coat is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the reviews and your pictures. :)

Pamela said...

That Eden Blazer looks GREAT on you!!! The fit is spot on. And that color! There are so many reviews of it out there and it just goes to show how different things work for different people. You have inspired me to check it out when I "crews" through the store in an effort to spend my rewards card!

GingerSnap said...

I just got the Eden blazer in the same color! I can't wait for it to get here - after seeing your review, I know I'm going to love it! I also am happy it comes in petites - score!

math teacher said...

All of your items look good on you, but I LOVE the trench! What a beautiful coat! :) I like the swirling flowers tee, but I have enough gray tees in my life. I would buy the blue if I get one.

Question for you - you pre-ordered some items, including the silk tiered cami. Have you recieved any shipping notice? I pre-ordered one 2 weeks ago, tried it on yesterday, and am wondering when it will arrive. Of course, since it's a pre-order, there's no info on my account on JC. Should I call? Or just trust that it will arrive? Thanks! :)

dinagideon said...

hey all...I will answer all questions and comments tomorrow...

Math Teacher: I did receive the order confirmation for the tiered cami in papaya and the liberty top. I think I will get them this week.

I wish we could have gotten them first because we ordered so early, but sigh, I guess not! ;)

Good luck...hope you get it soon!

fidele said...

The Camino coat looks great on you. The color and fit are fantastic.

Cloggsy said...

You look fabulous in your BR trench! And the Camino coat, urgh, I have been drooling over that coat...

Anonymous said...

Oh the coats are so pretty! Nothing is better than a classic trench. The pink is the prettiest coat I have seen in years! Love all your choices!

Marietta said...

Dina, you look wonderful and radiant in all of your outfits! I love the Eden on you, and the copper color is gorgeous next to your skin tone. I purchased the Iris, but am eyeing the copper if/when it goes on sale. The BR trench is so classic, you will get a ton of use out of it. I have a short trench in grass green and a long trench in navy from BR, and I use them all the time. :-) Congrats on all of your purchases!

Anonymous said...

Dina, you always look fabulous, but I am wondering (and this is of course something I can't really tell from the pics/a matter of personal style and feeling) but are you really absolutely sure you should be buying tops in petite? I thought the sage cami from the other day and the copper Eden look a bit short on you. You are absolutely stunning without makeup, BTW! Enjoy your new things!

dinagideon said...

Hi Anon:

You betcha...it is okay that you asked that question! I know...I would have NEVER EVER considered petites until I took a long, hard look at my body (warts and all). I am very large on bottom. I am your classic pear shape...it stinks, too, because the most ideal look nowadays seems to be straight up and down. Sigh.

I have a very small waist and bustline, and my belly button actually sits at my waist, which is about 5 inches from the bottom of my bust...I am a classic short-waist...

Because of this, almost all J. Crew tops have a waistline that falls WAY too low for me, which means that it is cut much too narrow in that part of the shirt (because a jcrew waistline actually falls at my upper hip). Their petite tops have a waistline that falls perfectly...right at my waist...which means that it fits perfectly, no upper hip placement at all...

You are not incorrect, the eden and frances are a bit shorter on me than they would be on some 5'3", but I like the "layered" look and very rarely am I tucking tops in anyhow...all a matter of personal taste. And no one can ever guess I bought a petite until I tell them...I just share more info with you all!

That said, if the top has enough volume through the waist and upper hip, then I absolutely will buy the regular size...as the placement of the waist won't matter nearly as much.

Their tees, btw, are so nice and stretchy, that I need not worry as much.

I have never, and would NEVER buy petite pants. My goodness...that would be AWFUL. I am a definite regular or tall in pants.

I sometimes tell people that if my top 1/3 matched my bottom 2/3rds, I would either be a stick insect or a very well-developed amazon woman.

Hope that info is useful, and for all of you ladies that suffer from what I have (major disporportion in measurements), please don't hesitate to try what is best for your body. I have some petite friends who have to buy long-waisted swimsuits because their top 1/2 is significantly bigger than their bottom half.

Also, if your body shape is similar to mine, look at Boden...they tend to make their regular sizes so the waist is a bit higher and they also give extra inches in the hips...something like 70% of women are pears and I wish J. Crew and other retailers realized this...Boden definitely appreciates the pear shape!

It sucks sometimes to be a pear, but that is the way we were made...

Oh, and so you know, the regular 8 eden did have extra length, but the shoulders were too big, and the waist hit too low, and that just looked bad. Yuck.

Everyone else who has a question, I will get back to you...promise...felt like you all might be wondering the same thing as anon, so I thought I would answer this first! ;)

HeidiG said...

Dear Pear,

Still love ya!

xoxo,
Brick

:)

Cleo said...

All great looks on you. I really like the camino coat on you, so cheerful, and it looks as if it was tailor-made for you.

I really like the swirling flowers tee, too, so much that i got it three colors -- guava, pink, and white. I even got this tee in the long sleeves version. I had to size down in these tees though. The slate color looks nice on you.

Thanks for the reviews! In what color did you get the downtown field jacket?

Jenny K. said...

Pretty, pretty, pretty coat! I am going to exchange my Wool Ruffle Front Coat for the Camino in Dusty Blossom, but could you tell me - is the color definitely pink and not beige? You know how Buff Pink looks more like beige? Well, I want this coat to be pink... :)

Thank you for your help.

dinagideon said...

Cleo26: Hey! I got the downtown field jacket in mossy green (or whatever the green color is called). :)

Jenny K.: No beige at all in this coat...I would look awful in this color if it were beige! Definitely a pink...order away! HTH! :)

Jenny K. said...

Oh, thank you, Dina! I am soooo looking forward to this coat arriving on my doorstep!

MC said...

I love the pale pink jacket so much! It's such a great color on you!

dinagideon said...

Hi, all! I am so sorry I took a few days off and I am just now (sunday, 8/30/09) getting to my responses back. It has been a great week, just incredibly busy between playing outside with the kids to working out to hanging with the awesome DC JCAs...so while we had fun my blog suffered.

Everyone who left a response: THANK YOU! I am so glad you all love the Eden and Camino so much. I think J. Crew really makes their jackets and coats very nicely and I am always suckered into one or two a year. ;)

If you have anymore specific questions on any of these items, go ahead and e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com. :) Hope this helps some of you...

Oh, and I look forward to showing you all some more of the J. Crew goodies I have been lucky enough to find in my size!

Phyllis Bourne said...

That blush, double-breasted coat looks fantastic on you. It's been in my shopping cart for weeks, so thanks for the review!

dinagideon said...

Hi, Phyllis Bourne: My pleasure to do the review. :) I adore the coat...I hope to wear it many times this fall and winter. What a gorgeous color for the cold! Thanks for stopping on by...it is good to hear from you!