J. Crew Reviews: Floral Edition!

Like this is going to be a shock to any of you, but I had to bite from J. Crew's recent floral explosion...

Liberty Bouquet Shirtdress. Size 4 (thank you, FFM, for the measurements you posted last week at the reviews post at JCA). I would have bought a 6, but with the hips being as free as they were, I knew the 4 would be fine. And it was. Any more hip fabric and it would look like I was wearing a little girl's dress, lol.

Bit short, this one, but I am 5'8". I love it for those summer days when you want crisp cotton against your skin. Crisp cotton is the right way to describe this prettily patterned Liberty Print Cotton Poplin, btw, it feels a lot like the way your freshly laundered sheets feel against your skin, in other words, AWESOME. ;)

From the front.  LOVE the pockets.  :)

From the back.  Best way for me to judge if the dress is an appropriate length/look for this stay at home mom.  It passes!

Hand on hip.  I would say the only thing you may want to size up for is your shoulders.  The 4 was fine, but I imagine if you have broader shoulders or a stronger back, you may want to size up.  I went with my "perfect shirt" sizing, and that worked here.

Silk Driving Scarf.  You must seek this one out at your local J. Crew factory store.  It is still full price on-line, and yet you can buy the SAME exact one at the factory store for something like $40?  Redonkulus. 

I knotted it once, turned the scarf backwards (so the knot was at the back of my neck), and then knotted it again.  Perfect length, and the scarf stayed in place perfectly.  I have worn it twice since I bought it last Thursday.  I don't even like scarves that much, so take that for what you will.

Thursday night I wore the outfit you see above, and without hesitation, I ripped the tags off the scarf and put it with this outfit. 

Merino Sparklegate Cardigan, size extra-small. Zoey Whisper Lame Tank, size 6.  Woolen Twill Minnies, size 10.  Merona Flats that I wear constantly.

Wore this yesterday.  I have a full outfit to go with this top half, but I will publish that at some later date.  Scarf is tied the same way it is tied above.  I adore it with the pink striped sequin tee. 

Some other reviews of these items (that I could find, add more if you know of any others).  Thanks!

Liberty Bouquet Shirtdress: DaniBP, Jessie, Dinster.

Silk Driving Scarf: Patina, DaniBP (clearly my soul sister, lol).

Boden Sassy Silk Dress!

I promised you all a review of at least one Boden spring item before the night was through, and I have managed to live up to my promise (woohoo!). :)

Untitled by dinagideon featuring silk dresses

I have a total of four items left to review for you, the sassy silk dress (today--also in polyvore above), the Terazzo Tunic, the Pool Party Tunic, and the Gypsy Top (all of which will be in the next few days). I have already done a review of the stitched hem mini, which you can find at this post.

Sassy Silk Dress

This beautiful, all silk dress (with a poly lining) retails for $148.  This price isn't the most insane I have ever seen (cough, cough, J. Crew, chortle, chortle, Anthropologie), but it is still quite a few bucks to throw around.  So is this dress worth the price (even with the extra 15% off it still is $125.80)?

Here are my thoughts.  I love the fabric, and I *know* the fabric is expensive.  Almost all of the silk I items I have ever bought from Boden are thick, luxurious, and the colors are saturated and sublime.  The workmanship that went into this dress is high, as I have some experience having made my own dress.  The seams are perfect, the lining is stitched to the outer layer perfectly, and there are no fraying threads or loose bits anywhere.  The zipper does not stick, which can be a problem in side-zip items.

So those are the positives.  Here are the negatives (only a few): the sheath shape means that if you have hips, you will have to order the bigger of your two dress sizes to ensure you can wear this item, which means the bodice will be a bit loose; the poly lining, while soft, is the kind that static LOVES, so I kept having to fuss to keep the lining down (it wanted to ride up with each leg movement-lol); and there is the issue of the pleating at the waist, which draws attention to your belly area, so if this is a problem area for you, you may want to either wear spanx or just look for other dress options (including the Relaxed Silk Dress, which the lovely shopwithm reviewed recently).

I ordered a size US 8 Regular, or UK 12 Regular.  I oscillate between their size 6 and 8 dresses, but based on the measurements, I knew my hips would need the size 8.  I was right.  ;)

From the side you can see the pleating at the waistband.  It doesn't bother me, but I can see where that would bug some...

From the back.

I added this belt from Anthropologie to see how a belt would look.  I actually quite like the belt with the dress, but if I were to wear this for real, I would add a cute pair of nude heels instead of grey flats (although I liked the grey flats with the dress by itself).

I hope this review helped some of you!

P.S.  Boden has NO retail shops in the US, which is why reviews like the ones the *very few* of us "Boden Bloggers" do are so important.  We do get free shipping and returns, which is fab, but it can be an INCREDIBLE bummer to receive a top, dress, skirt, or tunic from our dear friend Johnnie only to realize it doesn't fit, etc.  I want to stop this for you all as much as possible.  We have NO way of doing "fitting room" reviews, and since I don't have endless cash (one can dream--lol), I have decided to start publishing posts with "Boden Guest Reviews."  I know many of the other blogs out there do this for other retailers, and I definitely can see where this would be a HUGE benefit to us Boden Aficionadas.  If you would like to do this, please send photos, info, and your guest reviews to me at dinagideon@aim.com with the subject as "Boden Guest Review--Name of Item."  Sound like a plan??? ;)  Thank you in advance!

Review of the Watercolor Leopard Dress (Merry Christmas Eve, Too)!!!

So A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE TO ALL!!!

I loved all your comments about the shimmerveil charmed mini-bag, plus my "fabulous" going out to the store in the ice and snow outfit...I will comment back but not yet, today is all about getting those last-minute items from Macy's, Borders, Target, and tomorrow's dinner from Harris Teeter.

But for your perusal, today, this morning, I present the Watercolor Leopard Dress (she sure is pretty)...originally $228, down to $129.99, purchased by me for a % off for under $100.


Excuse the mirror's condition in this pic...it still has not been cleaned by yours truly, but at least the pictures aren't *that* blurry.

Here is the dress straight on. I am 5'8", with longer legs than a torso, bigger hips than the top half, with exceedingly narrow feet and long toes (just kidding...only added that because my feet are in the pic). I bought an 8, and hoo-boy, am I glad I did. The fit is fitted, no doubt. And there is none of the "vanity sizing" going on in this dress. I used to always be an 8 in their dresses, from 1994 forwards, but recently I have been wearing 6s. Hmm...

Regardless, the fabric is a wool-silk combo, with more wool than silk. The fabric has a lot of structure, which you can't really tell from my photos (except the last one) or on-line at J. Crew. In fact, I thought it would be more lightweight, like my lovely shimmer paisley lawn dress from earlier this fall.

The shape is a v-neck top that has enough coverage in front and back for a regular bra (even bra strap hook-y things in the shoulder area). The waist is very fitted, just a little loose on me (but that is where I tend to be smallest anyhow). The skirt portion is a slight a-line, with a narrowing tulip shape to the very bottom (so if you are a pear-shape, it fits you like a glove, following your curves precisely).

I would say when purchasing the dress, go with your largest measurement, be it bust, waist, or hips. I went with my hips. The top and waist may be a little roomy, but not enough for me to feel like I need to get it tailored.

I felt comfortable with it on. I loved how soft the fabric was, and even though I am wearing not a stitch of makeup and my glasses, I felt extremely lady-like. (That is a good dress, in my opinion.)


From the side you can tell it is fitted. The only reason the hem is up in the front is because my arm is lifted to take the photo and that caused the front to lift a bit.

You can really see the slight a-line with the tulip hem here.

Don't you all think this dress will look GORGEOUS with a fitted cardi or a short, boxy jacket???

And how about some cute booties in a grey leather with black tights to finish the look????


I rarely do back views, one because I can't take them well, and two, because I am nervous about this side of me.

Well, whatever, it looks decent enough. Love the fact that you can wear a regular bra, such a rarity in many of today's fashions.

You can see this dress hits me 2 inches above my knee. In an ideal world, I would like it to be at the knee, but I don't want to mess with the hem (it has detailing in the stitching that would be lost if I messed with it).


Speaking of detailing at the hem, here is a close-up of the hem. The line that you see horizontally stitched is the detail I speak of.

The fabric can best be seen here. Notice the lovely plays of grey, purple, white, and that touch of blue? Fantastic.

I want to say that since this is a wool product, and even though it is FULLY lined (very nicely, I might add), there is the possibility that if you are an "itcher," this may not be the dress for you. Mind you, it is not in the mohair cardi arena (supposedly, I never tried it on), but it still has the slight potential. Wool and wool products have never bothered me.

Enjoy your day, however you spend it!!!

No Outfit of the Day, But How About a Blast from the Past (Featuring the Emma Peacock Dress)...

My poor, poor CW. She has a fever of 101.4. (HeidiG., I was able to get it...finally!)

I had planned on going out with HeidiG. and have an awesome morning, but my little one wasn't having any of that. When I woke up this morning, she was hot to touch, so I said "no" to HeidiG. and stayed home.

Poor Rex, he LOVES going out. At least we got to play ball for a tiny bit in the backyard to sort of make up for it.

Stay at Home Mom NOT CHIC!!! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

So no outfit of the day...comfort is key. The polyvore above shows what I am wearing (don't worry, no pictures, I wouldn't do that to you all).

Emma Peacock Dress for a Casual Day!!! by dinagideon featuring J Crew

Instead I will show off a long ago outfit that I wore back in November. I really liked this outfit. I had always wanted the Emma dress in the peacock print, but could never justify the costs, so I put it off. Well, Mr. Ebay spoke my name back during the spring, and I bought it (and for a lot less than it originally cost).


Dress: J. Crew, Peacock Print Emma Dress, Peacock blue, Size 10, Fall 2007.
Shoes: J. Crew, Jane Suede Flats, Brown, Size 10, Fall 2008.

Speaking of OLD dresses, I have four for sale over at Cash from My Closet.

Have a great day. I hope Baby CW sleeps the fever away (with the help of some baby tylenol--aka "liquid nap.")

Teaching School Last Week...In Real Life Outfits!!!

Yeah. I know it has been a long time. But the in real life outfits are back. I am not promising much (I have seen the photos), but I know you all will still like some of these. :)

BTW, my stupid camera card reader went and died on me last week so I had to go and get some cables to connect my camera to the computer. What a royal pain in the patookus. :) Hopefully I can get a new camera card reader tonight!

My Professor Cardigan Helps Me to Teach School! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches
Oh, I had such high hopes for you...professor cardigan. You look so cute, and I think your scholarly appearance works with so many things I own, but last Monday (5/11/09) you just did NOT bring it. Bad cardigan!

It may be that the cocktail capris are just a wee too big (washer and HOT dryer here you go), it may also be that the green I paired you with was the wrong shade of green (it feels like you both were in competition). So sad. Well, I gave you a second chance (TODAY, 5/20/09) and you have redeemed yourself. Turns out that if I pair you with a scoopneck turquoise top and the fantastic mahali-dot capris you look just fine. I (heart) you again, Professor.


Yeah, I was not feeling it either. That is probably why I look like a teapot. I do LOVE the necklace with the green top. I also realize (for all the haters out there) that I should have put on some powder...that is some serious glow, miss dina. No bottom-half. You all don't need to see miss saggy-knees. I am not cruel. ;)


Outfit Number Two (wore on Wednesday 5/13/09): I know you all will love this one because you all are not blind. Out of the three outfits, number two rocks. It is all retro and fun, too! The dress is from Boden (Spring 2007) and I finally fit into it!!! YAY! It only took two years. When I slipped it on and it fit well, I actually started to dance. I don't dance well which is why I didn't videotape my glee, but just be assured that I was bustin-a-move.

The shoes are Mossimo (Target) from who the heck knows how long ago. They are so cute they should be outlawed. :)


This is for Polyvore. I plan on wearing this baby again!

Yellow, Grey, White for a School Day! by dinagideon featuring FOSSIL watches
So many of you love this polyvore that I am sort of psyched to show you the outfit. But only sorta. 'Cause I am not feeling the whole outfit here, either.


I wore this on Thursday (5/14/09) last week and I think I need to fix this outfit. I love the gladiola-print cami and the featherweight cardigan together, but I just DO NOT like it with the white denim capris and the strappy sandals. I think I should have worn jeans and a pair of grey flats. That would have looked awesome.

I also HATE my makeup. Paging Casper, Dina calling...I stole your makeup...so sorry!

Any other suggestions on what type of bottom to wear with this cute top and cardi combo?


I did a close-up of my cami for all you all who recently purchased it. I bought a Petite size 8. I am very out of proportion. My top half is very short in comparison to my bottom half. If I had similar measurements of my top on my bottom, I would probably look like a stick insect. People would probably force-feed me. :)

I prefer for tops to hit my high hip (unless they are stretchy) because I am nowhere near my size on top as on bottom. I could have bought this top in a regular size 6, but then because of how it hits the hip (in the middle), I would have had to unbutton the bottom buttons and that would just look stupid. So petite 8, here I am. :)

I hope all of you who bought it will love it. I definitely can see wearing this in the summer with a cute pair of shorts and sandals...

Have a great day, everyone. :) Thanks for having patience with me. So you know, I am done GRADING. Thank goodness...

Guava, Melon, and Yellow...Like a Yummy Dessert! (Or--One Outfit from BEFORE my Spring Break Began!)

As much as I love being on vacation, there is nothing that I love more than being back home. Northern Virginia, for all its faults, is a great place to live and spring here is glorious. After only five days of being away the tulips are blooming. Wow. Sure, the temps are supposed to be quite chilly this weekend, but when the tulips make it out, NOVA is ready for the good stuff...all that hot and humidity (which I LOVE and this is the reason Florida was so great). Of course I think I love the anticipation of the hot and humidity especially, which may be why a place like NOVA is awesome...we only get that type of weather for half the year (if that)...giving me something to look forward to the rest of the year. Does that make sense or am I just a little weird? I am also the type that loves the anticipation of a trip almost as much as the trip itself.

BTW, I probably won't be able to comment back on all your awesome comments till tomorrow...I hope you all will forgive me.

Without further ado, here is an oldie but goodie (wore it over a week ago, on Wednesday, April 1, 2009).

The polyvore is here:

Guava, Melon, and Yellow...Like a Yummy Dessert! by dinagideon featuring J Crew tops

This is the outfit on me full-length. I really like how the merino cardigan in melon looks with the guava tunic. I also happened to have the most perfect belt ever for this outfit...J. Crew (surprise) from four or five years ago. I have only recently begun wearing belts around my hips...love that my hips are thinner...enough that I can wear belts without getting the dreaded muffin-top look. The pants are cords by Lee Riders that I bought at Kohl's in fall 2007. The shoes are the buttercup colored perfect-patent flats by J. Crew from last fall.

Here is why I tucked in the tunic: I still don't feel completely comfortable with the hem of this top...it is still giving me the scrunched-up look and I really don't like that. Also, there was the added bonus of showing off the pretty belt, so I went with it!!! Here is where my initial review of the tunic is located.

Next up: Saturday's outfit for the plane and the first day in Orlando! (Or Outfit #1 from the trip...)

You all have a great day!!! I am so excited to be back...

New Hudson Fresco Print Shell Top...A Mini-Review...

It is true, I am on a vacation in wild and wonderful West Virginia, but that can't stop me from posting at least once. But it will be a quick post. I have been meaning to get around to this post, but since it isn't warm out, I haven't really had an opportunity to wear this outside. Plus, this top is a smidge small on the hip, so I have to lose about 5 more pounds to be able to wear it for any great length of time.

But since this top is on sale at J. Crew for 59.99, I thought this post may benefit a couple of you ladies who are interested in purchasing it.

This is the way it appears on the website. You can find it here to see more views: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/shirtstops/camisblouses/PRDOVR~14594/14594.jsp

Here it is on me. I cut off my head because I am not wearing makeup and because I think it is important for you to see the fit and the colors. The fit is true to size. I purchased a 6 because I want a good fit in the bust area (sort of like the model on jcrew.com). I did not want it to be too loose. I am so close to this top fitting well in the hip that I can taste it, but until that happens, I will not wear this top...so those of you ladies who worry about things like that can chill out! :) The fit is immaculate in the bust area...it lies flat and nicely highlights my shoulders and neckline, which I believe are two of my nicest features.

If you choose to purchase this top, go with what you would normally wear in a J. Crew top. Bear in mind the hip measurement (important if you are a tad heavier on bottom). I actually discussed this with the Customer Service Rep. and she gave me the exact measurements, so I was more than prepared for the fit.

I want to mention that I personally love the slub silk...so pretty, with a beautiful and subtle texture. The fabric really makes this pattern sing. This top is very unique and I believe will be a piece I will receive many compliments on when I finally get around to wearing it!!!

Please, please, please, I beg of you to keep in mind I took this shot for the blog and was NOT planning on going out like this. (You must have more faith in me than that!) I have not one ounce of makeup on my face and my hair is pulled back. I have no flash, etc. to help light this shot. I wanted simply to show you the fit from a different view/angle. :)

I also want to mention that I will definitely be wearing this with the cardigan below, and probably well into summer because I know that the pink border is an almost exact match to my skin tone--and until I get my very faint tan by mid-July, I will not go out in this top without some sort of contrast piece. (I normally wouldn't explain in detail what I plan on wearing with this but I have to cover my bases for the commenters who stress out way too much about the littlest details of my outfits, makeup, hair, etc. I want the commenters to know I am not stupid--I really, truly get that the border of this shell is a match for my skin and I know that it needs a bit of something to make it truly wearable for me--especially before I get a little tan...) I still love you all, but really...not necessary to point out the obvious...I am really truly my own harshest critic!!! ;) (I say all of this with a smile on my face...)

Here is the cardigan (how divine and precious):

I love this shade of light yellow-green with my skin tone and I really think it will look superb with this shell. :) The cardigan can be found here: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/sweaters/cotton/PRDOVR~13471/99101690155/13471.jsp

You all have a great weekend. I will come back with more tomorrow night...and I might even post some more pics of my kids having fun (from Cub Run Rec Center last weekend to the hilarity of West Virginia).

Cottage Dress (Outfit for Pool-Going and a Review)!

So it is another one of those two-for-one blog entries. Today's main player is the lovely slub-cotton cottage dress in tea rose. What can I say except, "I (Heart) you, Cottage Dress!" It is so comfy, cozy, and manages to be a decent dressy cover-up. Now I don't expect to go to a Gala in this dress, but for those summer nights when you want to be breezy and cool, but don't want to wear shorts and a tank, this dress may be your answer.

I wore it yesterday to go to Cub Run Rec Center out in Chantilly (review of our awesome day coming). I wanted to test-run it, and since it was beautiful and warm (about 75), I wore it to go swimming! It really is a dual-purpose item. You can use it to cover-up at the beach or pool, or you can use it for those dressier summer nights (which is what I will do).

I wore the dress with a silk sash (J. Crew--summer 2007), a pair of sandals (J. Crew--spring 2008), and toted all my swim gear in the yoga bag from J. Crew this holiday season (2008).

I made a polyvore because all my items were there (or some reasonable facsimile). Here is the polyvore link: http://www.polyvore.com/cottage_dress_for_our_trip/set?id=7087282


Here I am with the silk sash around my waist. It gives the dress some definition and makes it a slight bit dressier. I think the dress is fine with no belt, but I thought I would show you ladies the options out there. I love those shoes, btw. Took forever to get them (on waitlist till July 2008) but once I got them, I was glad to have waited. I believe they are called the Vachetta sandals.

Isn't Rex cute trying to grab me? I love how two-year olds need attention all the time. ;)


Here the sash is acting as a scarf, which also dresses it up, but in a completely different way.

So why do I (heart) this dress so much? 1. I wear a small, and it fits PERFECTLY. It is a definite size-down, ladies. 2. It is A-line and Empire-waisted, which is the best dress fit for a woman like myself, with a tiny upper body and a bigger lower-half. (Yep, the pear-shape!) 3. Could that color be any prettier? Such a nice, floral, deep pink shade. It is the color of a fruit I want to eat or a flower I want to smell.

You can find it here on J. Crew's website: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/dresses/knitdresses/PRDOVR~13612/13612.jsp

Also comes in black, garden green, and slate. I think it is worth full-price.

Here is a close-up of the waistband. It is elastic on the front and back and stitched normally on the sides. This waistband has the double-effect of being super-comfortable and creating lovely pleating. Such a nice way to accent the part of the body that for most women is their smallest measurement!

A Long Review of the Silk Solid Tunic!

This is what the guava silk solid tunic looks like on-line. Very pretty, very silky, and on sale for $20 off of 88--or $68. Some of you may choose to bite at this price, so I am here to suss out whether or not you should! You can find it here on jcrew.com: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/shirtstops/camisblouses/PRDOVR~12342/12342.jsp


You think it really was going to be that nice shade of pale pink? I would have NEVER ordered it if I thought it really would have been that pale. Because I am such an avid follower of J. Crew Aficionada, I knew that guava translates into a fairly bright pink-peach and not pale pink (there was some scandal over the Harlow blouse last fall when many JCAs opened their guava blouses to be surprised by the "intensity" of the color).

No worries if you dislike such a bright color, this tunic also comes in the more muted shades of ivory, black, and navy. But you know me...bright is as bright does. (I am laughing as I write this...) I personally love this shade in real life...and I think the color works for me, unlike pale pink (my nemesis color).

This shot above is of it in real life, laid out on my bed.


Here is a close-up of the buttons and pockets. It is a henley shape and falls straight from the armpits to the hip. There is no cut in the hem at all (like on other tunics), it is straight around on the hem, which I dislike (now) but will like (maybe) when I get about 5 pounds more off my hips (I am almost there...whee).

Close-up of the collar. The material is a nice weight and will be lovely for spring and summer. I think the color is not the best for winter, but I will happily break that rule if I find some reason to wear it in the fall or winter...

Yeah, yeah, I know, it is like 28 degrees outside, 8 inches of snow, etc., but I don't care...I had a blast dressing up like it was 78 degrees outside and taking pics. :) Plus, maybe if I dream it is possible, it will be possible.

You can see there is no split in the hem because I had to create ruching (sp.?) at the bottom. Fortunately, it works with the flow of this top. It almost makes me look like I am about to head off to a fire-pit on the beach and trade tales of years past. The shoulders and chest and arm length are the perfect fit. The shorts are J. Crew from last summer...and yes, they really are that color in real life. It works well with this color top! The flip-flops are also J. Crew and they are this season but only available in the stores right now. (I have not found them on-line.)

I really love the color's warmth. I think it enhances my skin tone rather than makes it sallow (or heaven forbid--red). I also love the stitching at the top...purely decorative but beautiful nonetheless. The buttons are nice, too.

I like this shot...very arty, Jim...but it serves a practical purpose. You can better see the shoulder detailing in this shot.

I suspect many of you will pass on this, but I was more than happy to buy it at full price. If I can't lose those last five pounds at the hip area (NO!), I will just have a tailor cut into the hem to give it some movement.

Shimmery and Sophisticated in February!

This is my polyvore set of the outfit I wore to dinner last night (my hubby's bday dinner). It was WAY TOO WARM to wear the hat (almost 70 yesterday here in Alexandria) but I could definitely wear the rest. I have received two favorites from this outfit at the polyvore site, so people like it. Jim (hubby) liked it, too. Based upon how I felt when I wore it, I feel like this is the perfect dressy outfit without being overdressed. I will definitely wear this again!

Pants are matchstick cords, black, size 32 (yay...going down in size) regular, the shoes are the lovely joelle patent flats in spearmint, the blouse is the hammered silk tank in fog (grey/silver), the jacket is the peacock maggie, the necklace is the yellow glass beads with a bee closure (I think it's a bee), and I bought the beret in Belgium in 2000.

These items all fit well, and felt fantastic. I love J. Crew for the fabric they choose...the peacock maggie is soft, shimmery, with little flecks of color sewn into it. The other maggie I own is a great shape, and this jacket is a size smaller, so it fits nice and snug to the body (which is what I need in a dressy jacket).

Here is a link to the set: http://www.polyvore.com/shimmery_sophisticated_in_february/set?id=6443169


Jim did a great job taking this photo of me, but it may have helped that I spent some time putting on makeup and brushing my hair (ha)...I didn't even use the glow feature in picasa. :)

This gives a nice close-up of the jacket, tank, and necklace.



This is the outfit overall. I think it is flattering and slimming. Score!

I will post pics from dinner and give a review of the restaurant later...