Hey friends! I took a break from blogging last week to finish the Fall Casual Starter Kit Wardrobe Guide. I’m happy to say I finished and it’s now in the hands of the graphic designer to make it pretty. It’ll be out in a few weeks! Now I’ve gotta focus on preparing the PMT Fall Challenge!
For today, I’m following up on my Last Call NSale Must-Trys post from a few weeks ago. The sale is now over and prices went up, but some of you have asked for my thoughts on items I highlighted. I recently got my order, so here are my reviews. I’m also highlighting some restocks that were very popular and still worth considering at full price. Here we go!
SIZING: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6/8 in clothes, 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
Wit & Wisdom Grey Ankle Skinnies – size 6
Yall know I LOOOOVE me some Wit & Wisdom jeans. But these weren’t the best and I returned them. They are tighter, stiffer, and far less comfortable than either of the blue pairs (dark wash HERE; lighter wash HERE). Both blue pairs of ankle skinnies are soft, soft, soft, and the bootcuts are the softest! A handful of you have already messaged me to ask about that saying you found the grey ones stiffer as well. Yep, not just you! Bummer–I really like the color. ??
Naturalizer Classic Riding Boots – size 8.5
In my preview of these boots I said I try Naturalizer riding boots every year and while I love the fit and comfort, the color has always been too brown for me. I wanted brighter and more reddish/orangeish. I almost didn’t even try this year’s version thinking they’d be the same old “Banana Bread” color they’ve been for the last 3 years. But NO, this year’s color is “Light Maple Leather” so I tried with high hopes. Verdict? I’M IN LOVE. THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS! ??????
I can’t speak to whether the comfort is enduring since haven’t walked in them because uhh it’s 85 degrees and humid here. As I said before, I’ve been drawn to Naturalizer riding boots in the past because of comfort, so I’m hopeful these will be the same. On initial wear, the leather is very soft, the heel is nice and low, and it feels like it’ll be a pretty comfortable for extended wear. They are a beautiful classic riding boot design that will never go out of style! Regarding price, I’m typically willing to spend $100-$200 on tall boots, but they have to be great. Of course cheaper is always better, so I’m glad I got these on sale. But this is an item I would have paid full price for though it is at the top of my comfort range. Get them HERE!
The riding boot style is kind of preppy, so if you’re not into that, the beautiful Vionic boots are still on sale and are cheaper than these Naturalizers! I haven’t tried Vionic, but someone on Facebook said the brand is like cute orthopedic shoes that don’t look orthopedic, meaning they have great arch support and are super comfy. Read the reviews and try them HERE. They’re gorgeous!
Tie Sleeve Knit Blazer – size XS
I’ve really liked Olivia Moon blazers, and I think the more classic style I reviewed previously is awesome. However, this tie sleeve one missed the mark for me. I bought it as a friend’s birthday present, not for myself, but I tried it on to see if it’d be good for my friend. I liked the fit and its flattering shape with curivng in at the waist. But it’s flimsier than I want it to be for how much it cost, even at sale price. The material also feels like it’d get snagged. It paled in comparision to the the more classic style. I personally didn’t love the bulk of the tie at the sleeves either, though I knew my friend wouldn’t have minded that. However, overall I just didn’t feel like it was worth the cost nor was a great gift, so I returned it. Excuse the wrinkles–this was straight out of the package. ?
Bliss Underwear – size S
I was soooo excited to try these but also nervous that they would not be what I’d hoped. I’m soooo happy to say they did not disappoint! WhyI previously said these were a must-try:
“A long, long time ago I wrote a post about underwear that did not show lines through most pants or skirts and were *not* thongs. The back looked exactly like this pair of Bliss Briefs–lace trim + very thin or almost nonexistent elastic lining around the bum. The latter is important because many pairs have lace trim but thick elastic lining, which still squeezes the junk in your trunk and creates lines. The ones I wrote about a long time ago aren’t sold anymore. I’ve been searching and searching for similar ones! A few months ago I found a replacement with the same type of lace trim, and I thought I’d finally solved it all. But they are starting to rip already–so cheap!(And before I get a billion comments about trying underwear labeled “no show” and “seamless” etc. lemme say that all the ones I’ve tried haven’t worked for me!) But these Bliss Briefs appear to be exactly what I’m looking for, and if they’re good quality I’m willing to pay that much for each pair! They have 500 reviews (!!) with 4.75 stars!”
They are dang expensive for underwear, but these are exactly what I’ve been looking for for YEARS. They feel like MUCH better quality than whatever I previously owned. They are soft, stretchy, do not lose shape. The elastic for the lace trim is thin like I’d hoped, does not squeeze the junk in your trunk, and thus is less likely to create VPLs! Of course it will be different for every person, but personally I’M SO HAPPY ABOUT THESE! Hopefully they don’t rip, but at least I know with Nordstrom’s generous return policy I can return them if I ever have a problem. (Yes, Nordstrom’s return policy is so generous that you can almost always return things you’ve worn, you’re unhappy with, you’ve had for a looong time, have no tags, etc.!) See all colors HERE.
Natori has other cuts of underwear with the same style of lace. I personally liked these Girl Briefs because they sit low on the hips. Another cut that people love is the French Cut which has a higher waistline.
Natori Underwire Bra – TTS
I’ve said before that I have fallen in loooove with Natori bras, but also that not all of their bras have been hits for me. My daily one (when I’m not nursing) is the Understated Underwire T-Shirt Bra. My nursing one, which is even more comfortable than the non-nursing t-shirt bra (!!) is THIS. And I love their strapless bra. The bra above from the sale is the Rose Dream bra, and while it has over 900 rave reviews, unfortunately it didn’t work for me. The cups were very soft–softer than my usual t-shirt bra, the whole thing was super comfy, and the straps were pretty and stayed on comfortably. However, the cups were just too close together for me making the fit not quite right. Sad! Still a great bra though!
That’s it for what I ordered, besides more candles and throws. 😀
PMT Favorites Back in Stock
These are my favorite restocks that I think are still worth considering at full price. (Plus the Naturalizer riding boots and Natori underwear above!)
Ribbed Cardigan – size XS
All colors are restocked, but this green one was a favorite! I don’t know why, but Nordstrom split up the colors. You can find the green and pink one HERE and the neutrals like black, grey, etc. HERE. It’s incredibly oversized, so I wear these in XS with room to spare.
If you’re interested in a thicker one that is a bit cheaper but maybe even better, I’d recommend this fuzzy cardigan by Dreamers. I haven’t tried it yet, but I own 2 sweaters and 2 cardigans by Dreamers from last year, and all of them are soooooo soft! However, this type might fuzz–not pill, but fuzz–whereas the ribbed cardigan above is less likely to. My two Dreamers cardigans from last year are both size S.
Wit & Wisdom Light Wash Jeans – size 6
Gosssshhhh, these light wash ones are so darn cute! SOFT and STRETCHY with an elastic waistband! These are ankle length which I prefer, and petite sizes are available. A plus size version is also HERE.
Wit & Wisdom Ankle Jeans – size 6
Same as above, but the dark wash version. <3
Bootcut Jeans – size 8
The softest of them all! I definitely recommend these at full price. Totally, totally worth it. These feel like yoga pants! At least, sized up quite a bit, they do. Some of you have asked why they look like bell bottoms on you, and my only guess is that you could go up one more size. Above I show size 6 which actually fits since it’s so stretchy. But it’s more fitted around my thighs and hips. I find the looser silhouette of size 8 more flattering, and I get less of that bell bottom look since they’re looser around my thighs and knees. You can always order both sizes to compare, then send one back with Nordstrom’s free return shipping. Get them HERE! See ways I’ve styled them already HERE, and be on the lookout for an upcoming remix with them!
And yes, I recommend wearing heels/wedges with bootcut jeans. Pretty much always. The proportions don’t look clean otherwise. If that’s not your jam but you want an alternative to skinny jeans that you can wear with flats, I recommend a straight leg over a bootcut. And nope, I don’t have any recs for good straight leg jeans, sorry! I haven’t worn one of those in years! 😀
Grey Olivia Moon Blazer – size XS
This is the blazer that I kept comparing the tie-sleeve blazer to above. It feels so much sturdier, structured, and has a cute polka dot lining! Available in grey, black, light pink, and cream HERE. Petite sizes also available.
Scalloped Sweater – size S
Yall, I’m in LOVE with this sweater! It’s SO darn cute, decently thick, stretchy and comfortable, has those cute scallop details, and is a gorgeous green! It makes a darling casual look with jeans like above, but it works wonderfully for an office look with slacks and pumps. Comes in green, black, pink, red, and regular and petite sizing HERE! Absolutely darling!
Kut from the Kloth Jeans – size 4
If Wit & Wisdom jeans don’t work for you, the jeans above are *not* W&W. While I didn’t keep them (SO SADDDDDD), they are still worth checking out at regular price. These jeans fit me fantastically, they were thick yet stretchy, and the ankles were the perfect amount of skinny that I wanted. Sadly the rise is like 0.5 to 1 inch higher than I can handle, and it dug right into my bellybutton. If you can do a 10.5″ front rise, try these HERE! I had to size down to 4 to get a great fit.
Hope that answered some of your questions! Have a great week!
