I wish I had a review of J.Crew’s vintage flower pins but like most of you, I didn’t have a chance to see the pins before they sold out. No need to despair though. The company who supplied the to silk flowers to J.Crew sells direct to the public via their website. Or if you’re feeling a little crafty, why not try your hand at making a floral accessory yourself.

Buy the J.Crew inspired flower pins direct from Dulken & Derrick: Click Here

Crystal buttons at MJ Trim

I visited my J.Crew store this weekend to check out the 40% off sale and new arrivals. I didn’t find anything interesting on sale and my store did not have all the newest items. But I did have a chance to try on a couple of things..

City cardigans: I saw the Chiffon-bow city tee cardigan and I was not crazy about the bow. It looked a bit like crepe paper and was very flat. Perhaps, they had just unpacked the cardis and the bow needed a little fluffing.
I tried on the Grosgrain-bow city tee cardigan it fit true to size and was very comfortable. The cardigan was fitted in the arms and shoulders (not a lot of room for long sleeves underneath) and hit at the waist. I liked the beautiful glass buttons but it took me about 15 minutes to get the cardigan unbuttoned. I know many people are loving these cardigans. I can see why but I have so many lightweight cardigans right now, I didn’t feel tempted to bring these home with me.

Merino Paige jacket- I was very eager to see this sweater. Online it looked like the kind of thing you would grab almost every day but I was disappointed with it in real life. The jacket could be great on the right figure but not on me. The problem I had with it is, I have narrow shoulders and a large bust for my frame. Because the jacket is double breasted and is cut straight, it hung right off my chest and looked very full in the waist. Pretty much like a sack. If I had wider shoulders and/or a smaller chest, I think the Paige sweater would have been really cute.

Double-serge pencil skirt- I really liked this skirt. I tried on the Black and saw the Ochre and Bright blue. The Ochre was a tiny bit too brown for my taste. I thought is would be closer to Honey glaze but I guess that’s why it’s called Ochre and not Honey glaze lol. The farbic was a nice Fall/Winter weight, some what thick without being heavy. The skirt sits low on the waist and fits true to size. It hit right below my knee. I would want to get it hemmed about an 1 1/2. If you want to wear it higher on the waist like the J.Crew models seem to, you may try sizing down.

Heavy-wool piqué Felicia coat- I looked at the Felicia coat on a previous visit and mentioned here that I did not like the very plastic buttons. I still don’t like the buttons but I do like the shape, so I tried it on this time. I took the 0 and I would say the coat fits true to size. However, I need a petite. The fit was a little too long and too wide. I’m not crazy about the Rhubarb on this coat. The fabric makes it look a little washed out. I do like the Felicia quite a bit though and I may consider purchasing if they release more colors.

Classic peacoat- I loved, LOVED this coat in the catalog. The purple is just gorgeous in the photos! Unfortunately, my store only had black. Also, unfortunate is the coat trying to swallow me whole. I tried on the XS and it is just too much. I wouldn’t say that it runs big.. The petite may have fit. The problem with this jacket, for me, is that there is so much going on. The large collar, gobs of buttons and shoulder do-dads are overwhelming. Also, there is a lot of fabric and it sits way out in front of my stomach. In my opinion this coat is beautiful but needs someone with broader shoulders or more height than I can muster.

I received the honey glaze Jacinda sweater jacket from dh for my birthday. I am very happy to say it fits true to size. (If it didn’t and I had to return it, dh would never buy me clothes again lol.) The material is a non-itchy merino wool double knit. It is thick enough that I look forward to wearing it all through Fall. The jacket has bracelet sleeves so on chilly mornings I may break out my long ivory cashmere gloves.

The Jacinda has three buttons in the front, the last button sits right under the bust. There is a knit band and pleating that starts at the sides and runs around the back of the sweater. The sweater is fitted in the chest and flares out a bit under the banding. Sometimes an empire waist cut can be unflattering, giving a pregnant look. But it is not so with this jacket. J.Crew kept it fitted and stream lined enough that it doesn’t look too full. The jacket is fitted in the arms and shoulders. However, there is enough room to wear a long sleeve top comfortably underneath.
The honey glaze is a gorgeous warm golden yellow. It has a subtle brown undertone and no green tinge.

Retail Description:A ladylike design with the softness of a sweater and the refined tailoring of a jacket. Merino wool in a 12-gauge double knit. Fitted. Three-quarter sleeves. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean. Catalog/jcrew.com only. $148.00
See this item at JCrew.com

Sizing: TTS
Overall: ****

I had a bit of initial confusion about these pants. To make a short story long, I first tried these cords on in store 2 weeks ago. I picked up my regular size and found them to be at least a whole size too big in the waist. So I went home and ordered up a size smaller than I usually wear. When those arrived, they fit well in the waist but were too tight in the thighs. This caused the pants to bunch up right under my butt in a most unflattering way (cue horrified face). I was really bummed. I love all of the cord colors J.Crew has this year. I had my whole Fall wardrobe planned out in my head around them. I was determined to own several pair. So, I headed back to the store and tried on my usual size again. I expected them to still be too big but hopefully not so big they couldn’t be tailored. Imagine my surprise when they fit! I was so happy I bought 3 pair. Coral, Golden yellow, and Acorn. My guess is, the first pair of cords I tried on were mislabeled.

Getting to the sizing point now
In my opinion, J. Crew’s bootcut cords fit true to size. They sit low on the waist, are fitted in the hip with an easy thigh. If you have a small bottom and thin thighs, you may be able to size down and get the more fitted look as shown on the J.Crew models.

Retail Description:The cords you love—they’re back. Supersoft cotton with a vintage wash for character and a hint of stretch for a very flattering fit. (That’s why everyone loves it.) Belt loops. Zip fly. Traditional 5-pocket styling. Import. Machine wash. $79.50
See this item at JCrew.com