Flummoxed on Friday by the Factory.

Oh, my dear friends, please do take a moment from your very taxing (or easy) day and help me with my conundrum.  Recently I have acquired two very lovely pieces of finery from the J. Crew factory but cannot identify their origin pieces... (As we all know by this point, the factory stores will re-issue pieces and prints that were popular at J. Crew the prior year, see the post I did on the Cherry Blossom print dress for an example of them doing just that.)

The two pieces I own were purchased at the consignment store and on ebay, and while I fell madly in love with them, and have actually seen pieces that are similar to them in pictures on ebay, I cannot (even with my awesome research skills googling fingers) identify the originating print and/or design.

I so loved this first piece that I actually wore it two days after purchasing it (I had bought it from Mint Condition on Tuesday and wore it on Thursday):

I call this the ultimate summer-time SAHM outfit.  It is comfortable, casual, colorful, and put-together enough that you can see the mailman if he knocks at your door.

The top is what has me all flummoxed.  Best I can tell is that it is a copy of a piece and/or pattern from Summer 2007 (the interior tag in this top says SU08, which in J. Crew language is Summer 2008--meaning it was issued at the factories during the summer season 2008, and copying retail J. Crew Summer 2007).  I did see a piece in the July 2007 catalog called the Alissa Jumper Dress which has similar detailing at the top but is a dress and not a top.  (The nultiple buttons and pleated neckline are exactly the same on both my top and the dress.)  But that's it.

The shorts are Ann Taylor Loft and I love the crisp white with the red and navy of the top, very patriotic (well, if you are a US citizen, anyhow, lol).  The flip-flops are the J. Crew two tone skinny flip-flops (currently available and on sale).  The earrings are a gift from a friend.  :)

The top is a bit blousy, but paired with the shorter shorts it makes for a nice silhouette, and people, it has POCKETS.  This top would be mad money today at J. Crew, what with the pleating detail and nice fabric and pockets.  You would think the pockets would be superfluous (teehee), but they were oh, so, very necessary.  I had my hands in them the whole day.  I am not saying every top I own has to have them, but I really liked having that option!

BTW, the bit of darkness at the hem is from when I was washing my hands and some of the water from the sink's edge got on the top.  Does that happen to anyone else or is it just me?

Close-up of the details that I was surprised to see on a factory item.

Photo of mystery top on ebay.

I also found this one, which is a size 6, a numeric size, which means it is probably a retail piece as the one I have is a size small, non-numeric sized.  Hmm.  Maybe this seller knows what it is called?  Probably not.  LOL.

It also looks a bit like the Tahiti Trapeze Dress, which was on the page before the Alissa Jumper Dress in the July 2007 catalog, minus about a thousand inches and a crazy (yet appealing) print.

Oh, I am not done.  I still need help with this ebay find of mine:

Just received this in the mail, and you all, it is GORGEOUS.  Cotton sweater dress with the most lady-like print.  The style is FA08, which means it is a copy of a style/print from FA07 retail.  I can tell right away it is the same shape as my Chain Print Merino Sweater Dress, but the print has me lost. 

I did see this on ebay, but calling it a floral sweater isn't exactly giving me huge clues:

It seems a touch expensive at $120, but besides the dress I own from the factory, this is the only one like it on ebay, so maybe the seller knows it is rare?  Do any of you recognize this one?  UPDATE: Lynn told me the print is vintage violet and it is!  Score, you rock, Lynn.  Find the info and pic here.

And lastly, what about this dress?  (I know I said two items, but I forgot about this one...it certainly is Friday, isn't it?)  It is from Spring 2009, so you would think I would know it (I started this blog back then), but I haven't a clue:

This is the back, btw, and because of the distinctive buttons, I thought maybe some of you might recognize it better that way.  This *is* a retail piece, not factory, if that helps any.

Well, thank you all for indulging me.  I look forward to tapping into the great brains that come and visit my blog!  :)