I was surprised but glad to hear how much some of you enjoy these review posts! Wellp, like I said in the last post, here are some Old Navy and J.Crew keepers from vacation, plus an update on my last Nordstrom order, and a few more things I picked up.
I had quite a lot of room in my clothes budget that was unused from the year so far, and then recently selling some clothes boosted that up too. So, even though I went shopping crazy the last month, I don’t feel guilty about it. (I personally find shopping within a budget freeing, not confining! If you don’t shop within a budget, I highly recommend it!) Also, the J.Crew Factory and Old Navy ones items were all 50-60% off retail in store!
For reference, I’m 5’6″, usually 6 or S/M on top with a short torso, and 6/8 on bottom.
J.Crew Factory
First up are a couple pieces from J.Crew Factory. I have admired items online here for years but was usually hesitant to order because I was unfamiliar with sizing. Also, the brick and mortar store is 20-25 minutes from my house, so returns wouldn’t be easy. I was delighted to find out one opened up just 10 minutes away from Benson’s and my mom’s houses, so I took advantage of that while we visited them.
Navy Gingham (size S) – Lightweight and perfect fit! I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for a navy gingham top, and I have been eyeing ones at J.Crew Factory for many seasons.
This one’s not heavy or sturdy like some gingham button ups. It would be better for summer or spring in most areas, but San Diego is seldom cold, so this will be great for fall/winter here too. 100% cotton.
Chino Short 5″ in Navy (size 8) – I’m so happy about these! Shorts tend not to agree with me (in particular, my legs), but these are 5″ with a wonderfully comfortable loose fit. There is lots of room in the legs. They’re also lightweight, which I’ve appreciated every time I’ve worn them this summer.
Comes in 8 colors. I would personally not recommend white, as they seemed see-through in store. There’s a 4″ Chino Short HERE in fun colors like coral and turquoise, though I’m not sure if the fit is the same.
Old Navy
Sweetheart Denim Shorts 5″ (size 6) – I feel like I struck gold by finding another pair of comfortable shorts, especially denim. The denim feels sturdy, but very soft with a tiny bit of stretch. Again, there is room in the legs, though not as much as the J.Crew Factory Chino Shorts. Old Navy’s Sweetheart cut tends to be for those of us with curvier hips.
These are the Spokane Wash. The Dark Wash is also on its way to my house because comfortable denim shorts are hard to come by for me. I lucked out and got them on crazy sale online!
Swing Dress (size L) – I talked about this earlier HERE, but to reiterate–heart eyes all around. It’s stretchy, a more medium weight jersey material, and drapes really well. Both S and M looked awkward on me, fitting my shoulders but being a little short and not having quite enough fabric to drape well. I was certain sizing up to L would look strange around my shoulders, but nope. Apparently on this dress it doesn’t matter. I machine washed it cold and air dried it, and I’m happy to report it did not shrink.
Nordstrom Updates + New Pieces Reviewed
It’s the LAST FEW DAYS of the Nordstrom Sale! Prices go up on Monday, August 3rd. If you wanted to place an order, you’d better get on it!
Also remember, Nordstrom has FREE shipping BOTH WAYS with no minimum purchase. Returns are realllyyyyyy easy because you don’t have to go in-store!
UPDATE: Washed Chambray Shirt (size L) – In my last review (HERE) I mentioned concern about wrinkling given that it’s rayon, not chambray. Happy to report there was no excessive wrinkling! Since many of my rayon garments have shrunk in the past (annoying!) I tested this by wetting it in the sink, keeping the tag dry. (Maybe I should be embarrassed or ashamed that I do that, but I really feel like if a store is gonna sell a shrinking shirt, I should not be responsible for that!) Anyway, I’m happy to report if it shrank at all I didn’t notice, or it wasn’t significant. Gosh, I really love how this hangs!
Remember, if you are looking for a slightly more structured chambray top try Old Navy’s version HERE. It’s also a VERY great top and it did not shrink either. ON’s comes in light wash and a medium wash.
UPDATE: Mixed Media V-Neck Tunic (size Medium Petite) – WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WRINKLES? I think I had a wrinkle problem last time because I ironed it and threw it on my bed without letting it cool completely. Maybe? This time I let it cool nice and flat, then wore it. The pic above was taken after several hours of wear around the house.
That said, I’ve decided to return both of them, even though I actually LOVE both. For whatever reason, I have doubts that I’ll actually wear the purple one that often, though it is possibly one of my favorite colors to wear and a color I have searched years for in tops (which is why I seldom wear that color). And since cleaning out my closet with my new rules I am trying hard to keep pieces that I just want to wear all the stinking time. This one is hard to let go of.
The white one was even harder to let go of, because I knew I could remix the crap out of it. I was concerned that the material would absorb stains easily, as I saw a small smudge on it already. It is sooooo white and white + stain absorbent isn’t great for baby rearing. Even though the smudge came out easily, I don’t want to worry about it. But here’s one last hurrah before I package it up for good–I LOVE HOW IT LOOKS!
Roll Tab Sleeve Tunic (size M) – LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. I’m trying to order this in ivory also, which would mean I wouldn’t need the white one above anyway. It being ivory and polyester instead of white and rayon should be better at hiding stains. And this one’s cheaper. Wrinkles are from packaging; I didn’t iron beforehand.
This is so super duper long that I never thought it’d look good on me, but I tried it anyway. It drapes SO WELL that it’s okay that’s long because the nice drape means it half-tucks nicely. Comes in 4 great colors!
Maroon Cardigan (size S) – Another long sought after find from my ongoing wish list! Comes in light grey, olive, ivory, and black. Maroon is in and out of being sold out, so you might get lucky and catch it when people return it.
It’s soft and comfy, and not super tight so you can layer long sleeves under it. Important note, the sleeves have a wide knit, so it’s not that warm for a sweater cardigan. But again, perfect for San Diego.
Please note, this is hand wash only. Might be a deal breaker for some of you!
Diana Stretch Skinny Jeans (size 4 & 6) – I reviewed these in grey sz 6 last time. For the grey pair I had problems with excess material all over, particularly the leg and crotch. Sizing down to sz 4 improved the crotch area, but there was still excess material in the leg. More importantly, the 9″ rise was slightly too high for me. Overall, it’s a great pair of jeans. Hefty material with lots of stretch, and not a bad price for good jeans while on sale. Just not for me because…
Paige Skinny Jeans (size 29) – THESE JEANS ARE THE BOMB. I still haven’t gotten the hang of taking accurate jean selfies (strange angles don’t always capture how good/bad they look), but these are the jeans that make me feel like the best possible version of myself. You know what I mean? And thank you, Nordstrom Sale, for lowering the price to $119 for my foray into the world of designer jeans. At this point I wouldn’t have paid full price for them, but if they hold up and impress me over time that tune will change.
Whew! That was a lot of stuff, but they are all pieces I’m extremely happy with. Hopefully you’re finding pieces you absolutely love as well!
