J. Crew: If It Came Back Today, Would You Wear It? (Holiday 2002 Edition.)

Whoosh.  Whoosh.  Whoosh.

That is the sound of me walking down the hall at the school I was teaching at during the winter of 2002.  I blame J. Crew. 

Check out these lovely outfits.

Woah.  Those jeans are low slung on the hips and super long AND bell bottomed.  Hoo boy.  And of course she isn't wearing high heels or anything to help her legs.  Nope.  Just a pair of cute socks.

Overall, the outfit just borders on boring, but I couldn't let this outfit go at just boring. 

Do you all remember the jeans that were so long and yet every single woman wore them with flip-flops and/or flat shoes of some sort?  And then the hems (especially in the back) got so ragged and unkempt and dirty?  And yet somehow, someway, this was considered kind of cool?

I admit to doing that.  I know, ugh.  That whoosh, whoosh, whoosh sound lasted for far too long...probably from 1997 till 2005.  Eep.

(Having said all that, this model is beyond adorable!  Love her cute look, wish they would bring her back!)

Oh, look, the same basic outfit!  How inventive!  No wait!  They added a scarf and some kind of pair of loafers! 

You just know that those pants hems are so gross, right?  Even the walk from the model trailer to the location spot probably gathered some awful dust and germs. 

(And her crotch.  Why did they do that to her?  Mean.)

Yeah, the shoe selection in the early 2000s was kind of horrible.  My aging hippy momma wears these with pride today.  But since she is an aging hippy momma, she would never spend more than $10 for a pair of clogs, mules, or loafers from the local Goodwill.  These would be far too rich for her blood.

I admit to having mules, clogs, and loafers!  In many shades of brown!  They were probably all from J. Crew.  Just kidding.  I couldn't even go there.  Back then Parade of Shoes existed and they satisfied all my boring shoes needs.  Living large was Aerosoles.

To make it worse, I wouldn't wear the mules or clogs with the jeans because the back of the hem always got caught in the heel of the clogs and mules, so I settled on wearing the longer jeans with tennis shoes or loafers.  My ragged hems were horrid.  (I need to drag out a pair of jeans I kept from this era specifically for doing chores in...and photograph the evidence.  Yikes.)

Quick memory that I am reminded of from this shot: Back in the mid-90s I was on a softball team at work and I was flirting with one of the other guys on the team and he totally flirted back and somehow, at the end of the flirting, he picked me up just like this model (Marisa something?) is being picked up.  I was floored.  Not that I was all huge or anything, but I am not exactly tiny, either.  I still kind of think of that guy like he is superman. 

BTW, the most color in this catalog is on Marisa in this shot.  That pink sweater is about it.  LOL.

So tell me...did you enjoy this look?  Would you still wear it today if J. Crew reissued it???

Talk soon!

Boden: Glamour Appearance.

Hi, all. Happy Mardi Gras! I am spending the day home, recovering. (Because of my wild, wild, wild night out last night.) Yeah, right. If you can call this a wild, wild, wild night:

Me: I am dying here. I can barely breathe, I ache everywhere, I can't talk above a hoarse-y whisper, I can't sleep, and my husband has decided you all had better do something because he can take my whining any longer.

Dr.: Well, see, you're pregnant, so you really are very limited in what is going to help you.

Me: (Almost in tears.) Um, well, I tried both Tylenol and a decongestant and while they sort of helped, it didn't do as much as I hoped.

Dr.: And based on my new knowledge of your use of a decongestant, it is no wonder your heart rate and blood pressure is elevated. So now you need to give that one up, too.

Me: (Inward SCREAM of OMG NO!) Well, okay, that makes sense...

Dr.: Good, I am glad you came in, even if that is all we can do for you today.

Me: (Dying slowly on the inside but baring as brave a face as possible...) Well, when I had this same exact thing as this when I was pregnant with my daughter, the other urgent care gave me some antibiotics, and within a couple of hours of using it, I was feeling a whole lot better.

Dr.: Oh, well, okay, then, let me go see what they have for pregnant women...

Me: (Thanking the Lord that my grasping at straws worked.) Okay, thanks! Smile!

I did get a very mild antibiotic, and well, whadyaknow? It is working. I still have a whisper voice instead of a real voice, but none of you all care about that, I am sure. :) I am super grateful that there are a few items in the pharmacy that those of us with baby can take. So while I may not spend Mardi Gras in any sort of real party mood, know that I am starting Lent off in the right frame of mind...thanking God!


Onto the real meat of today's post...

In the February issue of Glamour, there was a brief appearance of a Boden dress...which almost never happens. I will catch an item here or there, but it is usually relegated to the back pages of People Style or some such...but this month, the dress was in the middle of the magazine as part of a feature on prints (no surprise there)!

Mentioned in the very first row of dresses, the Flower Burst Shift, is part of the "If you're into graphic prints" section.  I would say that this pattern is for sure a graphic pattern as it is a repeated and structural...that said, it has the floral feel unlike the other three.

I am clearly a fan of printed fabrics, and I kind of fell in love with a lot of these dresses mentioned.  I also found the advice to be helpful, especially if you tend towards solid pieces in your wardrobe, and this is your first foray into this type of clothing.  This "trend" of printed dresses technically never goes out of style (Milly wouldn't exist if it did, lol), but I gather all the designers had presented pieces like this in the spring 2012 runway shows, so it became a "trend."  (I just made a side eye, fwiw.)

Anyhow, have any of you tried this dress?  It is certainly a beauty, and fairly restrained for Boden.  I do like that is made from heavy, textured cotton fabric that will wear well, especially if you have an office job.  Unfortunately it does not come in petites, but it does have longs for the taller ladies.


Flower Burst Shift. The brown colorway is proving to be the most popular (many sizes are in deep backorder), but that was the color featured in Glamour. It also comes in a blue/green and red/grey colorway.


Textured Cotton Skirt. This skirt also has the this pattern in the brown flowerburst and the blue flowerburst. I cannot recommend this skirt without first reminding you of the fit issues on this skirt. Check out my review #1 of this skirt and review #2 (which has the correct size for me).

For those of you on a mobile device, I am attaching a link that will get you 15% off and free shipping and returns (regular computer users, you can use my sidebar link):
Save 15% at Bodenusa.com with Free Delivery and Returns!

Later today I will be doing another post in my series of "If It Came Back Today."  And later this week, once I have taken photos, I will do another Boden appearance, this time in Marie Claire (March 2012).

Have a great day.  :)  And remember, Urgent Care can be your friend.  Grasp at straws, though, especially if you are pregnant. 

The Game Was Worth the Change of Clothing...

Hey, all...before I begin, if you are fan of Boden, I want to let you know that the Boden outerwear sale that I posted about on Friday is set to expire tonight at 11:59 pm, so if you were interested in a piece or two, know that this sale is fairly short-lived.

Okay, onto the subject of the post...

Yesterday I braved my burgeoning sinus infection (yay for twenty day colds!) to go out to George Mason's final home game (men's basketball, but of course).  I had picked out my version of team spirit wear (the colors are green and gold) that I could also wear over my Gus belly, but upon arriving, all four of us were "gifted" HUGE men's tee shirts that we were expected to wear whilst at the game.  Laughingly the only person the large male tee shirt fit well was yours truly.  It was an exact right fit!  Yay beer, er, I mean baby belly.

I started off with the cardigan and the top as there is no better version of "gold" than this J. Crew cardigan from 2008 and this tee from Liz Lange Maternity.

I also added a pair of the heirloom flora earrings and gardenia bracelet for flair.

The bottom half was neither here nor there, but these Duo maternity cords and J. Crew suede flats fit the outfit fine without being offensive (yeah, that's me, offensive).  LOL.

But because I am a sucker for school pride, I totally gave into the madness and put this oh so flattering tee on instead.  I even put the beautiful merino wave print cardigan in my purse, worn for a grand total of an hour.  (Don't worry, I will wear it again soon...what a great match it is for my maternity tee!)

I think all four of us have plans to wear the tee as nightshirts.  Yeah, baby.  Nightshirts.  Living on the edge here in Northern Virginia. :)

By the way, we won the game.  Go MASON!

Worn for One Hour. by dinagideon featuring j crew jewelry

Above is the polyvore of the original outfit.  I don't believe the lovely gifted tee will be clipped at any point by me for my polyvore account.

How far have you gone for school spirit?  Worn a color that looks terrible on you?  Dressed as a mascot?  Done yourself up as a teletubbie (no joke, there was one in the crowd yesterday)?

Talk later.  My U.S. friends, enjoy your President's Day Holiday if you have it off!

Boden: Weather Beaters??? 25% Off Selected Outerwear from Boden!

Want the Leather Biker for 25% off?  This post has the info on the deal-ee-oh, if interested!

UPDATE #2 (4:00 pm): Just saw that Boden has its Summer 2012 Preview up.  Wow.  This is quite a day in Boden land.  Ha.  Anyhow, for those of you (me included) who want to check it out, go here (use code PRUS in the shopping bag at that site for 20% off and free ship/returns)! (I will likely do a post tomorrow morning.)

UPDATE: Just received a DIRECT link to the sale from my affiliate program. :) It will be below this paragraph, but I will also place it in my sidebar. DEFINITELY READ THE POST, THOUGH! There are some restrictions to this sale, and it benefits you to know them before you shop!
Save 25% on selected outerwear products at Bodenusa.com. Shop Now!

Great news if you are in the market for outerwear this spring. Boden has a promo out right now to receive an additional 25% off select outerwear for women, men, children, and teens.

(P.S. No word yet on the Boden Preview for Summer 2012, but the moment I hear or read about it, I will let you know!) See update #2 (above) for more info on that!

To receive the additional 25% off click on any of the stock photo links to the outerwear (provided below) and then put the code WOW2 in the shopping bag page when done. Please note that any additional % off codes you may have (like the one running in my sidebar) CANNOT be used in conjunction with the 25% off. So if you want to get additional items that are not part of this outerwear promo, please do your shopping for the additional items separately so you can get the extra % off on the non-outerwear items.

Not all outerwear is on sale, but the ones that are seem to be great choices for a lot of lifestyles. If I have a link to a review, I will let you know by including that link after the item.


Uplifting Mac. This year's version looks similar to the one I bought last year, I did a review of that one here.


Waxed Biker. Looks an awful lot like J. Crew's downtown field jacket.


Quilted Jacket. Poppy's Style did a review of this one (written) at this post.


Pea Coat. Very traditional, classic, and apparently can be worn with shorts. ;)


Leather Biker. Definitely the highest priced of all the items in the promo, but if this is on your radar, the extra 25% off makes it a much more palatable price.


Crochet Button Cardigan. If you work in a cold office, I could see this being your go-to when the AC gets too strong.


Cosmopolitan Cardigan. Reminds me of the above cardi, just shorter.


Original Mac. If you are in the market for your man, this looks like a winner.


Harrington Jacket. Not only is the male model adorable, I love this jacket on him.


Snowboard Jacket. If your winter isn't done (I think ours is), this is a good call for your little guy.


Padded Gilet. If your winter is done, or nearing it, this is a good option for chilly mornings.


Padded Jacket. Another padded option for the boys.


Quilted Jacket. Just like mom's, but boy sized. :)


Jersey Lined Anorak. Rex did a "review" of this one here (bottom of post).


Lined Teddy Zip Through. This looks as cozy as wearing your favorite soft stuffed animal. That sounds terrible, doesn't it? LOL.


Jersey Lined Anorak. CW did a "review" of hers here (bottom of post).


Reversible Teddy Zip Through. Love the pattern on the one in the stock photo.


Denim Jacket. Cute, cute, cute!


Teddy Button-Though. What do you all think? I might bite for just this one, Gus would look pretty darling in it!


Gilet. Teen boy at home? This is a good option for what must be the hardest age group to dress.


Waxed Jacket. This is a great choice if you live in a rainy area.


Waxed Lined Jacket. This is a teen girl option on promo, but if you wear a size US 0-10 in women's wear, you could look at this one, as well.

Okay, that's it! Remember, click through the stock photos...to receive the additional 25% off and free ship and returns, put the code WOW2 in the shopping bag page (the box that says promo code).

Anyone have any thoughts on this promo or any of the choices?