I hope every one had a wonderful holiday! Did the J.crew elves visit your stocking? You know it was a very merry JC Christmas here

I don’t know about you, but I am so over winter. J.Crew.com is over flowing with leftover fall and early winter items. I can barely stand to look at it anymore. The main category of the site has so little regular price items, it is almost laughable. When oh when will we see some new Spring clothing and accessories J.Crew? I desperately need a new catalog!

While I wait, it will be a good time for me to go through my closet and see what I have and what I need to complete spring outfits.

What are you hoping to see this Spring from J.Crew? What colors and cuts are you into for this next season?
I am hoping we do not see all pastels for Spring 09. I would love saturated, warm pinks and peaches.

In anticipation of Spring, I have done a little blog remodeling. I hope you enjoy the new layout and logo

I added a glossary of J.Crew colors to the blog. You will find it on the right, under the Fit glossary. Of course, each person views color differently but I’ve done my best to describe each shade I have on hand. I tried to do this without using words that require further description themselves, which is more diffucult than it sounds lol.

The glossary list each color alphabetically. First after the shade is a description of it’s depth or intensity. Deep means a saturated or darker color but don’t think of this as blackened. Light is a pale shade, i.e. a color with more white. Mid-toned is in the middle of Deep and Light. Occasionally, I will list a color as mid-deep. This means it is on the cusp or mid-toned and deep. The saturation may vary with the fabric.

Next, I’ve listed the Undertone the hue has. The undertone describes what color can be seen through the primary shade. For example: J.Crew’s Plum is a mid-deep pinked purple. This means a purple that has a pink cast. Keep in mind though that this does not mean the color reads as it’s undertone, it is merely a tinge.

Lastly, I have listed what the color may also be known or described as. For example, Regal Purple is a blue with a slight purple undertone also known as Royal blue.

In case you are curious, I used the Online Auction color chart to help me classify the depth and undertone of each shade. If you have never seen one, you can find the chart HERE

I hope you find the Color glossary somewhat useful. I will continue to update as I add new shades to my closet.

The Double-serge pencil skirt runs true to size. Even though I am only 5’4″, I did not have to get the skirt hemmed or order the petite. The hem hit right at mid-knee on me.

This skirt is made in a fall/winter weight wool. The material is soft and comfortable. It is weaved on the diagonal which gives a nice drape. The skirt is fully lined in poly-satin. It zips and hooks in the back. The zipper lays nice and flat. The Double-sege skirt has a wide waistband which I find really flattering. Beneath the band are two darts on each the front and back.

As seen on J.Crew.com and their catalogs, this skirt is very versatile. It if formal enough for the office. It can be dressed up for a night out or paired with a simple tee and cardigan for a more casual look.

I purchased this skirt in the Bronzed Ochre. The color is a brownish yellow, about 2 shades darker than Honey Glaze. At first the shade seemed a little tricky to work with but I am discovering it goes with more than you might expect. I love the Ochre skirt with a plum, peony, or putty sweater. It works nicely with both black and brown shoes. I expect I’ll be wearing this skirt for years.

Retail Description:A tailored, leg-lengthening, ladylike silhouette with the perfectly polished look of the season—and a slightly lower waist than our other pencils. In the most sumptuous double-cloth wool (with the substantial body typical of double-cloth) from a 100-year-old Japanese mill, it has a distinctive twilled weave and a very refined finish. Classic pencil-skirt shape. Sits at lower waist. Back zip. Back vent. Fully lined. 23″ long. Import. Dry clean. $128.00

Sizing: TTS
Overall: ****

There is no arguing that this sweater looks pretty awful on the model. When it first came out, I had no intention of purchasing the Olivia. However, with the temperature dropping daily I was in need of some thicker sweaters. So, I went back to J.Crew. com for a closer look. The sweater looks great in the product pics (not modeled), so I gave it a shot.

I am very happy to say that on me the Olivia sweater looks completely different than it does online. You can see in the photo, that the sweater looks very cropped in the waist with bracelet sleeves. It also looks extremely thick through the center. This model is gorgeous obviously, but she has a long waist and rectangular figure which doesn’t suit this sweater. For once, I can say I am lucky to be short and curvy.

On me, the Olivia sweaters hits at the waist. The sleeves are much longer, hitting about mid-hand. I love extra sleeve length in a sweater. Especially when it balances out a shorter waisted one like the Olivia. I am 5’4″, so if you are tall or long waisted this sweater may be too cropped for your liking.

The cables going down the front on the sweater are thicker than you usually see. They have sort of a 3D effect, in that they come away from the sweater. The fit along the sides though is streamlined with no extra bulk. If you are self-conscious about your natural waist, you probably will not find the Olivia flattering. A fuller chest and hip with a smaller waist keep the center of this sweater in check.

I love the neckline of the Olivia. It comes up off the back of the neck a bit which really flatters the neck and shoulder blades. The V neck is quite deep. I might wear a cami or fashion tape to keep from showing too much.

I purchased this sweater in the Heather Flax. The online photo is slightly darker than the color is in real life. The shade is a warm based pale brown, I would call it Oatmeal. I am pretty pale and the Flax is just deep and warm enough that I don’t look washed out. This is helped by the V-neck though. I think the color would be just a bit too light and bland for me in a crewneck.

The knit is soft and not itchy. It is much thicker than most sweaters that J.Crew offers. The yarn is 90% wool and 10% cashmere, which is becoming my favorite blend of J.Crew’s because of it’s softness and affordability.

Retail Description: An effortlessly wearable classic with cables and a flatteringly deep V-neck. Wool/cashmere in a 3-gauge knit. Fitted. Rib trim at neck, cuffs and hem. Long sleeves. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean. Catalog/jcrew.com only. $98.00

See this item at JCrew.com

Overall: ***
Sizing: TTS