She's Alive...and in a Silk Cargo Dress, Too!

I'm ALIVE! :)

1. Went shopping and had fun with Drewablank on Saturday, right after I posted the "new" arrivals here at My Superfluities. You can see Drewablank and CW in the first photo.

2. The next day, yours truly gets a virus and cannot do anything. Headache is so bad I stay in bed the WHOLE. DAY.

3. Talk to Drewablank on Monday, and she says she is putting on a brave face, but that yes, she, too, is suffering. Hmmm...

4. Backlog of things to get done...therefore blogs suffer.

5. CW now has the "fever." Really? Dear Lord, you know it is May, right??? She'll be fine, but ooh, it just makes me hurt feeling how hot she is!

Onto my post:


Here are Drewablank and I at J. Crew in Pentagon City. I had an insane amount of returns to do. (See this post for more info!) So you know, I did re-order the ruched v-neck dress in abyss blue, and yep, the hem is all wonky again, curses!!!

You all are gonna love this--I walked out of that J. Crew having returned everything and only spending 60 dollars on the outfit you will see in the bottom photo. Yay for restraint. :) (Gotta love a sale, too!) I even have money on a J. Crew gift card!

I am wearing the Silk Cargo dress in this photo, and it is love.

Sizes:
Dress: Size 6. I got the measurements directly from my PS for the 6 and the 8 and here they are for you:
Size 6:
Chest – 40
Waist – 38 7/8
Sweep - 43 ½
Size 8:
Chest – 41
Waist – 39 7/8
Sweep – 44 ½
The 6 is perfect. I would say that you could even size down further if you wanted. :) I love the easy elegance of a cargo dress done in silk. As you can tell, I went dressy casual with the Fenton Fallon necklace and Gladiator sandals, but you can really pump up the volume for a date or be very casual for pre-school or the dog park. Great news--it is machine washable--score! Check it out on the model in the tan color in the June catalog over at Slastena's blog.
Shoes: Size 9.5. I confess, I bought these Circa Joan & David Lalia gladiator sandals right before we went to J. Crew. I am heading to NYC soon and wanted a pair of sturdy sandals that were kind of hip yet comfortable so that I could walk miles in them. These definitely fit the bill. I had a coupon and a gift card, so I got them for nearly half of the asking price. Wilson at Macy's really liked the shoes with the outfit, he was very excited. I love customer service like that! :)
Necklace: Fenton Fallon for J. Crew Tassel Necklace. I bought this during the BIRTHDAY promo because I fell in love with it on Suzy, aka Bichonluvr. It does not disappoint. It may be a bit much for some of you, but well, that's cool, to each their own and all.


Shot of dress, sandals, and necklace in the dressing room. The dress crumples up from when you sit in it, but I don't hear or see the word "cargo" and think State Dinner, so I am okay with that. :) (Remember, I was an archaeology major, so this dress sort of brings me back to the time in my life where getting dirty on a dig was an amazing day!)

Silk Cargo Dress for Day! by dinagideon featuring J Crew bags

And above is a polyvore for all you PV addicts. :)


So what did I get for 60 dollars? Well, the two above pieces. Since there is a SUMMER promo on right now, I thought I would show off these two items to you as they are lovely and fit very well.

Sizes:
Tank: Size X-small. I have this tank in two other colors, the moroccan spice (rust red) and the natural (ivory), but while at J. Crew I decided to get the tissue ruffle tank in the heather stone color. I returned the paris pink a while back because it had issues with seaming (what is it with me and J. Crew's seams--am I just that picky or is this happening to you all, too?). I think I prefer the stone color, as I know it will be a great layering piece in the fall with cardigans and jackets. Still full price, by the way, but the 20% takes some of the sting away. Oh, just so you know, this color is super-soft, which is weird. The others are soft, but the stone feels like butter...
Pants: Size 6. These are the faded denim minnie pants. I love these for the unusual detailing on the legs, nothing at all like what I have in my closet right now. Best part besides being super-comfortable and perfect for my SAHM lifestyle? At the store they were on sale for $39.99! They are $59.99 still at jcrew.com, but if you don't live anywhere near a store, and/or your store doesn't have them, the 20% off could help you feel a bit better about the cost difference. So you all know, I wore them on Tuesday with my Dauphine jacket and the spray art tee in chartreuse. I would say that would mean they are a keeper. (BTW, eventually you will see that outfit. Sigh, I am so slow!)

Have a nice day. Enjoy the weather, I hope! :)

Olive Green and Neon Pink!

Hi! We are back from vacation, and it was amazing, of course. :) Thank you all for your sweet comments and e-mails over the last week. I may have been out of touch...Disney will do that to you...but it was nice to come back and see such pleasant things in my inbox!

I am going to make this short and sweet today. You know how it goes when you get back from travel, lots of unpacking (ugh), cleaning (double ugh), and structure-setting (triple ugh) to do. Plus, CW's bday is soon (SATURDAY!) and I am preparing for her birthday party AND a Stella & Dot Children's Jewelry party I am having for her (I will give you all info on that soon--you all can help get her some fab jewelry if you purchase some for yourself), so I am a teeny bit over-extended. (Plus, add Arbonne to the mix, and all of a sudden I have two full-time jobs...lol.)

Olive Green and Neon Pink! by dinagideon featuring j crew handbags

I went out with my bloggie-friend Rachel today to Pentagon City (she is my local Stella and Dot rep) and we both needed to peek into J. Crew, me for a return, and she for the 20% off sweaters deal they are running now. I needed to feel dressed up, but not so much that I couldn't wrangle my rugrats. Above is what I wore...


Sizes:
Dress: Silk Cargo Dress, J. Crew, Size 6. Yummy. I am glad I got to wear it again before summer is gone.
Shirt: Stripe Sequin Boatneck Tee, J. Crew Collection, Size Extra-Small. I bought this early on and I am finally wearing it. I say size down if you can...it runs large. I like it layered with the cargo dress, very pretty preppy meets downtown. I think they did this combo in the May catalog with the tan version of the dress. It appealed to me then...and in real life, it is appealing, too.
Shoes: Piera Ballet Flats, J. Crew Collection, Size 10. I normally wear a 9.5, but chanced the 10. They are a *squidge* too wide in the heel, but not anything that bothers me. I LOVE the neon pink trim. So very cool. I definitely think I will get a lot of wear from these. :)


Couldn't resist showing CW off. She snuck into the pic as she wanted to pose too. :)

Have a lovely afternoon, all!

Mommy Style Monday #6--Girls' Night Out!

A little over a week ago, a good blog friend named Carrie wrote to me and asked me for some ideas for an outfit to wear for going out with a good friend on a proverbial "Girls' _____ Out." In Carrie's case, it was a daytime event, but often girls go out at night (hence the post's title)! :) I loved that I was able to give Carrie some ideas, as she already has a fab closet full of great items from our very favorite retailer, J. Crew.

Armed with her desires (specifically which items she wanted to wear the most), I created two separate polyvores for her Girls' Day Out.

Untitled by dinagideon featuring Tory Burch shoes

Above is the polyvore that shows off a great option if you are going out with the girls and it will be fairly warm. The silk cargo dress, which you saw on me here, is a fab option when the temperature is very high, as the silk dress is airy and lightweight. I like that this option will be effortlessly chic, especially if you pull your hair back in a ponytail and just "go." :)

Untitled by dinagideon featuring J Crew

The next polyvore I created for a day out when it isn't super-warm, but still spring or summer. The zebra-print cardigan can be taken off if it gets warmer during the day, but often, especially in the summer in movie theaters, the AC is on super-high and all of a sudden, the cardigan is a great item to have stashed in your purse (especially if it is a big one like the Andie bag--what mom doesn't have a ridiculously oversized purse). Plus the pops of color are a lot of fun, and will really help you stand out on your "day out."

Now, I didn't go into Carrie's conundrum without some insight to it myself. In fact I have recently started FORCING myself to go out with the ladies more often. I love my kids (clearly) but I started to feel like my socializing skills were atrophying, and that is just kind of uncool. Do I expect to turn into the 22-year old I was, partying with my friends until 2 am, drinking a lot of alcohol, sleeping it off at some one's house in the city? No, and frankly, I have zero desire to go back to that (hangovers are a B****).

That said, I have a closet full of incredible clothes that I DO try to wear out regardless of whether or not I am with the kids (you all know I love a bit of sparkle for my preschool runs), but I can't 100% get all glammed up with the kids. For one, is it really practical to have a full face of makeup, a lot of jewelry, sequins, and some kick-a** heels while toting CW to the coffee shop and Rex to McDonald's? Even I have to admit "probably not." ;)

Okay, so I had planned two separate girls' night out, and here is my attempt at giving it my all, sans kids. I think I did just fine. Maybe not 22-year old clubbing fine, but for my nights out, it was just what I needed.

anthro look recreated with some j. crew... by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Above is the insanely popular polyvore I created about a month or so back that was based on an Anthropologie catalog look. I love this shot, and I thought my "copy" did it justice. Definitely not as many frills (but really, who outside a few Anthropologie models can get away with that many ruffles), but still pretty awesome, regardless. I knew in the back of my mind that if the top came in good shape and it worked with my skin tone that I would definitely be trying this look out.

I got the opportunity when the ever-awesome drewablank and kater invited me to chill with them in Friendship Heights (upper DC, almost MD--I know, I went almost to MD, I think I really love these gals--haha, just kidding, Maryland). It was a simple night of shopping and dinner, but to me it was like feasting on the forbidden garden's fruit, so very tasty, and a bit criminal (how dare I have this much fun)!


Sizes:
Cardigan: Size small. From J. Crew last summer.
Top: Size 4. Definitely sized down and it is perfect. Love this color, too, like a precious honey that costs a lot more than the honey in a bear. ;)
Pants: Size Tall 6. Umm, these freaking denim leggings from J. Crew are so amazingly comfortable. I had tried them in a size regular 8 and they were all wrong--too short everywhere and just not the right ones for me. A tall 6? Plenty of length everywhere and plenty of support, too. I bought them in black, too.
Shoes: Size 9.5. These Alecias are getting more and more comfortable the more I wear them. I am almost at 4 hours now!

The necklace is by Fiona Paxton. Anthropologie sold it as the "Aerial View Necklace." I had been salivating over it for months and months. Then I sucked it up when Bloomingdale's had a sale and got it for 20% off. But then I felt guilty and returned it (so sad). But then, I saw it on ebay for nearly 100 dollars off, and I jumped at the chance to grab it...and have not looked back. (BTW, I would think this kind of necklace would be very hard to replicate, it is intricate! I am in no way worried about it being a fake.)

And, yes, baby looks happy for me, so that made it easier to face the red line on Metro. (However, as anyone in DC can attest, that doesn't mean that the red line is at all friendly or comfortable or even worthy of any other label than "a special circle of hell.")


Close-up of the Oscillating Folds Top and the Aerial View necklace (called the Sylvia on other websites). Cannot say I will be wearing this necklace with the kids, I think it may be for adults only nights! Can you blame me?

I again had the opportunity to go out with just the girls thanks to drewablank last Wednesday night as she invited me to hang with her beautiful friends for drinks at a local watering hole, and I am so glad I did. Obviously I loved wearing extra-special clothing, but I really loved being able to just chill...and that is all...just chill (doesn't that sound NICE?).


Sizes:
Top: Size 6. This is the Sequined Starland Tank, and I believe Michelle Obama wore this a few weeks ago with a red pants-suit. I definitely took it down a notch, but still a neat top. The 6 was the right size as the length of the top is long and I needed to accommodate my hips (it runs narrow through there) but I believe a 4 would have fit better through the bust. That said, I love the way it looks on so I guess I did right!
Pants: Size 8. I love these pants, regardless of popping buttons. LOL. I think Jenna Lyons would like the way I paired the more manly capri pants with a very girly blouse. (Maybe?)
Shoes: Size 41, which I believe works out to a size 9.5. These are the Boden snake-print sandals and I cannot say enough nice things about them. I find that these adjustable type sandals make for happy feet...even when you have a narrow foot, the buckles allow you to tailor the width to what you desire. Again, Johnnie Boden, SWAK!

Look at how lovely drewablank looks. So pretty!!! Love the belt!

And CW? Umm, hello, even holding Fritos the girl looks super-feminine! :)


Close-up of the tank. LOVE IT!

On that note, let's review! I have a list of four things to remember on your next night off from being a mommy:

1. STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. I am already comfortable with sequins, obviously, but mixing accessories with sequins, and make-up, and special shoes is a whole new world for me. Being willing to take the whole look on rush-hour metro is definitely worthy of "out of my element!" For some of you, stepping out of your comfort zone may translate to wearing a sundress and sandals and straightening your hair. And that is great...try it and find what your new "zone" might bring you!

2. BUT NOT TOO MUCH. You know, I couldn't have added a newsboy cap and 15 necklaces to my sequined starland tank outfit, and here is why...I would have felt conspicuous. I like people to look at me, but if I have people staring, I immediately would think, "it's the hat, right, it's too much, right?" LOL. Each mommy has their own comfort zone, so some of you could rock the newsboy/15 necklaces/sequined harem pants, but others of you would find that even my outfits take you too far. You DO NOT want to spend your night off thinking about some minor part of your outfit that by you choosing to wear it has turned into something major. If you only have a few hours a month to enjoy yourself, make that your VERY FIRST PRIORITY, not looking edgy/chic/whatever. ;)

3. WEAR THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT KID-FRIENDLY. Don't really have to explain this one, do I? Hahahahaha.

4. MAKEUP IS FOR MOMMIES, TOO. I normally wear a bit of lip gloss, some powder, and maybe mascara. You can tell that I wore a lot more than I usually do in the Anthropologie-inspired look. I wanted to. It felt weird at first, and I thought it might be too much, but at the end of the evening, when just a touch was left, I just had a nice glow. And really, isn't that the goal of the girls' ____ out? To get that feeling and that look?

You all have a great night! BTW, don't be shy! I loved hearing from Carrie, and would love to hear from more of you!

You Are Going Back...Well, Not All of You!!!

I will, 100%, choose the giveaway winner tonight. I need Mr. Dina home, though, as I would like to have a bit more concentration time, and my darlings are a bit needy right now. I can write a review or two, but actually commenting back and putting real thoughts together? Even Super-Mom can't handle that! (Laughs...)

Buh-Bye! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Items in this set:
Women's dresses - knit dresses - Shirred racerback gown - J.Crew, $78
Ruched V Neck Dress Abyss Blue J. Crew, $60
J.Crew - Paisley poem blazer petal, $230
Women's pants - suiting - Tailored linen Curator pant - J.Crew, $120
Silky linen slouchy pant - J.Crew (Beechwood), $70

I was completely surprised by what I decided to keep from a recent monster order (all of these were bought with some discount or another--educator or birthday). I was 100% certain that the ones that appear in the above polyvore set WERE going to stay and that other items (which you will see me in later with actual in real life photos) would be the ones I was saying "buh-bye" to. Huh. Goes to show and all...

To see the items on the jcrew.com website, click on either the polyvore OR the item list at the bottom of the polyvore.

I will be doing this set of mini-reviews in order, and with pros and cons listed for each one.

1) Top Row, Far Left: Tailored Linen Curator Pant. I ordered a size 6.
Pros: Gorgeous material, very well-made, lovely color, and a very nice feel. The shape is also a neat design and could fill a hole in my wardrobe (which has a lot of capris but of the more dowdy sort--i.e. great for teaching).
Cons: The craftsmanship was a joke. I wore it for exactly ten minutes and the seam had ripped in the upper thigh portion (on the inseam). Umm, this is a COLLECTION piece, would it be too much to ask for reinforced seams? Another con is that the 6 fit, and fit well, but I was bugged that the calf was too tight. I have pretty thin calves so I was shocked by this. I suspect had this come in a tall size, I would have benefited, as the leg line would have been longer and thereby placing the hem around my upper ankle, not my calf muscle.
Bottom Line: Only buy it if you are shorter and have a tolerance for the possibility of ripped seams. I was this close to keeping it, but the seam did me in...

2) Top Row, Center: Silky Linen Slouchy Pant. I ordered a size Tall 6.
Pros: Again, the material is just amazing, soft, pretty, and luxurious feeling. For me, that was all, though.
Cons: So remember all the love I got for wearing this outfit? I thought, "okay, these pants will be a lighter-colored version to wear with other classic jackets." WRONG. My main complaint with these pants is all sizing. The pants fit beautifully from my high thigh to the ankle. But that was where it ended. The waistband was about three inches too big, and the hip portion was about an inch too small. Last time I checked these are a pair of women's pants! My waist and hips are about eleven inches different in size! For this pair of pants to work for me I would have had to gain three inches in my waist and lost at least one or two inches in my hips. That would be a difference of 7 inches between my waist and hips, and I *think* that is what Mr. Dina has...maybe I should give him the pants. LOL.
Bottom Line: Try them on for size if you really must. If you are curvy on your lower half, these probably won't work for you.

3. Top Row, Far Right: Ruched V Neck Dress. I bought this in a size x-small.
Pros: This color is divine. The shape of the dress is very flattering and easy. I own it in the neon peach color and that is why I bought this one in the abyss blue. I just *assumed* that the abyss blue would be exactly the same as the neon peach and I would be all ready to go.
Cons: The one I received had a wonky hem. Yep, one side of the hem was an INCH higher than the other side of the hem. How in the world? Grr. I really wanted this one, too.
Bottom Line: Go ahead and order one for yourself. Size down. But--check the stitching and craftsmanship.

4. Bottom Row, Far Left: Shirred Racerback Gown. I ordered this in an x-small.
Pros: I saw it on Summer, and loved it, but knew to be hesitant. This is an amazing, flattering shape. The color is just beautiful, too.
Cons: This is SO long I would have to wear my Alecia peep toes in order to not trip over its insanely long skirt portion. For reference, I have a 34 inch inseam and an outseam of near 41 or 42 inches (from my natural waist). I read that this skirt has a 41.5 inch outseam (from the natural waist), so I thought, "maybe, just maybe, it will work." Nope. Still too long. And honestly, who wants to wear a jersey gown with heels? There was some talk amongst my friends that we could cut the hem, as this is what J. Crew obviously did (it has raw edges), but I just know I would mess it up.
Bottom Line: Get it if you are either 6 feet tall, and/or really good with scissors and hemming.

5. Bottom Row, Center: Paisley Poem Blazer. I bought this in a size 4.
Pros: It is Liberty Print Fabric, and it is exquisite, the cotton is super-soft, and it has the potential to be versatile.
Cons: This just breaks my heart because I so wanted to have this blazer work for me. For all of the good, the colors were too muted for my skin tone. Not enough "brightness" for my complexion. If only the pink and green had been a tad more saturated. Also, and this may be only my problem, the shoulders had a weird puckering on them, like vertical wrinkles that start at the seam and radiate downwards. It looks like the shoulders fit poorly on me. If I were to size up to a 6 (and believe me, I thought about it), the shoulders would have been too big. Sadly, the 4 is the size I should buy, but it does not work on me. It is possible another 4 could be better, but with the paleness of the colors, it had too many problems. I decided to try the Rose Vines Blazer instead, and I received that today. It fits (size 4) and is a much better colorway for me.
Bottom Line: Get it, but be aware that there may be puckering in weird places for you. The model's front shot shows that even she is not immune to this weird wrinkling.


Because I hate to be a dinagideon Downer...I leave you with one item I just LUUURRRVE. I had pre-ordered this after seeing her sister on the mothership.

I wrote this over at JCA yesterday for another JCA who wanted a quick review:
I ordered the Silk cargo dress as a pre-order, and based on the measurements sent by my ps, I ordered a 6 (I veer between a 6 and an 8 in J. Crew dresses). It fits very nicely, a little loose (just like it is meant to). Only thing is that is a bit short, but since it is a summer, hang loose kind of item, it's okay by me. I imagine wearing it with gladiator sandals, loads of bracelets, and my hair up in a ponytail. I just now need to do that. LOL.

And maybe soon I can. Warm up, already! :)

Talk soon. Whenever Mr. Dina drags his booty in here.