Showing posts with label Banana Republic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Banana Republic. Show all posts

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Fitting Room Reviews: J. Crew Factory & More

We wound up going to the outlets this past weekend and there were some decent sales at a good number of stores.

First, J. Crew Factory:

Floral Embroidered Sundress, 0, $36, (here)
See also on Gigi
The sister dress to this one here, I was enamored with the embroidery and the price tag (on clearance rack for $60 with an additional 40% off).  The 0 fit well in the waist and throughout the skirt but was tight in the chest / ribs.  I also preferred the cap sleeves of the sister dress to this one.
Verdict: No, didn't fit well

Girls' Printed Poet Blouse in Neon Persimmon, 14, $33, (here)
I tried this on after seeing the pretty print on Cee, but was surprised that this girls' blouse was both too big and too small on me.  The frame was pretty narrow making it difficult to extend my arms, but the body was incredibly full and fluffy making me look like a balloon.  
Verdict: No.  Kids clothing is always a hit or miss, this one was definitely a miss for me.

Cora Dress in Festival Green, 2, $36, (here)
For the price / shape / color, I was sad that they didn't have my usual size 0.  Hoping that it would run small, I tried on the 2.  The fit wasn't horrible, but the extra roominess and floppy chest made me look more rectangular than usual.  This dress is probably TTS.
Verdict: No for a 2, but would def buy a 0 for the $36 price tag

Back in the late 90s, I remember there was a big scandal with Tommy Hilfiger being racist - particularly against African and Asian Americans - so I had always avoided his merchandise.  Upon googling it a few weeks ago, I found it was all an urban myth (details here).  Feeling like I was free to re-examine the brand, I stopped in the store and was rather drawn to the nautical theme / Americana colors.

Striped Tee, XS, $27
I really liked the single red stripe and roll-tab sleeves.  The fact that it was soft and fit well was icing on the cake.
Verdict: Purchased

Striped Sleeveless Blouse, XS, $24.99
Loved the stripes as per usual, but wondered if it might be TOO red / white / blue.  Body had too much volume for my taste.
Verdict: No, not for me

Next, we headed to Banana Republic Factory store:
Wrap Dress, 2P, $32 (clearance)
I loved the color scheme of this and wish it had been more flattering.  The dress was a pullover style and did not have any zippers / closures.  Though this is convenient for dressing, this often means the fit only works on certain body types.  It did not work for me.  I felt like the blouse-y fit / lack of definition was a poor choice for my shape.
Verdict: No, not flattering

Striped Dress, 0P, $60
Like with the one above, I love the blue / green color scheme, but eek!  This was definitely too small for me and it struggled to contain my Mommy hips.  The chest, because it is virtually nonexistent after nursing 2 children, fit fine.  A good option for smaller ladies!  (If you're wondering, that small hand belongs to my toddler who was directing me on what to try on next :)
Verdict: No, but I have some fabric to recreate something similar ;)

Today's OOTD:
DIY Handkerchief Peplum Dress (original post here)
2 eBay Necklaces

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

PFC #17: Candy Colorized

It's time for PFC #17!  I've always enjoyed participating in these challenges and I'm so excited about hosting this one.  I can't wait to see everyone's colorful posts!  :)

The Challenge: Candy Colorized
Take a bowl full of colorful candies (M&Ms, Jolly Ranchers, jelly beans, etc.), close your eyes, and draw 2-3 pieces.  Now use those colors (+ a neutral of your choosing) to form the basis for your ensemble.

**Extra brownie points if you post more than 1 colorful ensemble or if you add a DIY element (because I love DIYs so much!) :D**

For this challenge, I used some leftover jelly beans and drew green, purple, and orange.  I wracked my brain on how to combine them as solids, but simply wasn't able to put something together that looked good.  Prints made life much easier.
Green Top + Orange / Purple / Green / White / Fuchsia Skirt + Purple Sandals + Green Ring
Banana Republic Top
J. Crew Number 2 Pencil Skirt, Garden Floral (buy here)
Frye Sandals
Amrita Singh Shelter Island Ring (buy here)
Michael Kors Tortoiseshell Watch
Banana Republic Bracelet

Other options I played with:
Lavender Striped Top + Peachy Coral Necklace + Mint Jeans + Purple Sandals
LOFT Striped Dress (worn as top)
LOFT Modern Straight Leg Jeans
Frye Sandals
Gifting Grace Necklace

A 2-color pairing was much easier:
 
Orange Print Top + Peachy Coral Necklace + Green Maxi Dress + Green Bracelet & Ring
Banana Republic Button Down
Old Navy Maxi Dress
Gifting Grace Necklace
Lands' End Canvas Double Wrap Leather Bracelet (buy here)
H&M Ring

Be sure to check out each and every one of these lovely participants.  They are (in order of sign-up):

Please let me know if I accidentally left you off the list or if there's something wrong with your link!

How do you mix your colors?

Past PFC Entries:
  PFC #16: Summer Wedding (Under $100)
  PFC #15: Chic Pin-spiration
  PFC #13: Professional Under $100

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Polka Dot Skirt DIY

Still thinking of the J. Crew Elinor dress (fitting room review here), I was delighted to see this blue / white polka dot fabric on sale.  I thought about making my own version of the dress but decided to opt for a skirt instead to pair with various tops.

I'm currently obsessed with green / blue combinations and wanted to give it a try with the resulting skirt.  I fell in love with this blouse when I saw it on Jean here, but went to the store too late to buy it.  One day, I found what must have been a return and snapped it up.  I love the vibrant green!

H&M Double Placket Blouse 
DIY Polka Dot Skirt
DIY 5-Strand Pearls
Banana Republic Pearls / Chain Bracelet
Michael Kors Tortoiseshell Watch
Gucci d'Orsay Pumps, Camel

I'll need to post a better picture of the skirt in the future because you can't really see the box pleats.  I'd also like to play around with different pairings like the gingham / dot combo in this Pinterest image (repinned from Aubrey).

When it comes to dots, do you like pairing them with solids or prints?

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Wear Your Scarf As a Shirt Tutorial

By now, this scarf (a fabulous Cee discovery) has taken the blogger world by storm.  Cee has done a wonderful job of showing all the versatile ways to wear this and I wanted to show how I plan to wear it as a top.  Note - tie your knots securely and wear a tank underneath to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions!

Top Option #1 Knotted Halter:
 

How to:

 About 6-8 inches down from the center of the top, tie a small knot.

Using the top 2 corners, tie a small knot behind your neck.  Tie another small knot at your waist/hips with the bottom 2 corners.  (Please excuse the visible bra straps!)

DONE!

Top Option #2 Asymmetrical Halter:
Blazer:  Banana Republic
Scarf: eBay (seller here)
Equestrian Pin: eBay (buy here)
Bottoms: Banana Republic, Khaki Trousers
Shoes:  Clarks Book Pump (SUPER COMFY!!!)

How to:
You'll need some kind of scarf ring.  I got this equestrian-inspired pin to echo the scarf pattern - yes, I know I'm matchy-matchy :)

Pull one of the top corners through your scarf ring.

Tie a small knot with the top 2 corners.

Slip the top over your head and one arm for the asymmetrical look.  Tie a small knot with the 2 bottom corners.

Don't have a scarf ring?  No problem!  Use a pretty, decorative fashion ring and it will also do the trick:



DONE!

What do you think?  Would you try this?  For most, I think this would look really cute tucked into a pencil skirt.  For me, this does a nice job of hiding the baby bump :)

For more ideas, visit the Hermes.com website for a how-to on scarf tying download:

Sunday, February 6, 2011

DIY Plaid Peter Pan Collar Blouse + OOTD

I saw this beautiful, sheer plaid fabric at my local Hancock Fabrics store and instantly thought of making it into a blouse of some sort.  I started with a Peter Pan collar + flutter sleeves and then couldn't help myself - I had to add a bow-front - I just love them so much!  You can also tie it into a knot for more of a necktie look.

I love that this is kind of a masculine plaid color scheme made into something frilly and feminine :)


 Close-up of details:

Here's how I would wear it:
Top: DIY, Plaid Peter Pan Collar + Flutter Sleeve Blouse 
Blazer: Banana Republic, Black, Sz 2
Belt: Banana Republic, Black/Brown Snake Print
Pants: Old Navy Skinny Ankle Zip, Khaki, Sz 2
Boots: Born, Black Leather

How would you wear something like this?

Monday, January 10, 2011

Sewing Challenge: Paisley Sheath Dress

Ever since I saw Jean of Extra Petite in this J. Crew Paisley Dress, I've wanted my own version of a paisley sheath.  This one utilizes a gold/black paisley print brocade from Joann's and Butterick pattern B5314 - B.  You can't tell in the photo but I actually raised the hemline a teeny, tiny bit from my below the knee standard.  It is now mid-knee LOL.  Baby steps!

Dress: DIY
Obi Belt: The Limited (old)
Necklace: Gold Chain, Banana Republic (old)
Shoes: Gucci Embossed d'Orsay Pump, Camel

Now time for the question of the day - what is the best way to winterize this look?  What color cardi / tights / shoes?  Basic blacks or something different?

A close-up to show the gold/black paisley print

 
My new dress form is here!
On the left, we have my old dress form (rigid) and on the right is my new one (pinnable).

I love my new dress form so much!  She has much more realistic proportions (the old one is so Barbie!) with a longer torso like me, has a more stable base, can be shortened to my height (the height here is 5'2" but I've since raised her 2" to reflect me + heels), has a prettier neck block, and is pinnable.  I am so excited to try draping on her!

Monday, November 29, 2010

To Sew a Boucle Skirt + OOTD

Just a quickie sewing project + OOTD posting :)

Top: Banana Republic Black Button Down, XS (old)
Skirt: DIY
Belt: The Limited Flower Chain Belt (out of stock online, but you may still find it in the store)
Black Peeptoes: Blowfish Festival Wedges, DSW

Amongst the garment sewing world, skirts are generally one of the easier types to sew yourself.  Pencil skirts, for whatever reason, are difficult for me to get right the first time around.  Usually it's the tush's fault - the skirt is either too narrow or too wide there so I keep going back in with a seam ripper.  Or the bottom is too wide so that it's less of a pencil and more of a triangle.  I think it ultimately comes down to practice and knowing my own measurements.  Hmm, looks like I rambled a bit here...sorry!

I am pretty happy with the way this particular skirt came out and I do really like the texture / pattern.  I also made a lace print version and a plaid wool version that I'll post OOTDs with later.

Monday, November 22, 2010

7 Confessions and Equestrian-Inspired OOTD

Petite XXS tagged me in her Seven Confessions posting and of course I have to oblige :)

1.  I HEART karaoke...in the privacy of my own home LOL.  I have all of the Karaoke Revolution games from PS2 to Wii (with the exception of country music ones) and really enjoy belting it out on random nights.

2.  I only started sewing/crafting when I went on maternity leave last year.  I took a year off (without pay of course) and needed to be more mindful of finances.  As you know, I am a shopper at heart but since I couldn't really do that, I took to making my own versions.

3.  I was born in Hong Kong but moved to Indiana as an infant.  I speak Cantonese and a little Mandarin.  I took 2 years of Chinese in college but have since forgotten almost all of it.

4.  I am OBSESSED with food.  Hubby and I travel specifically to eat at certain restaurants.  We had a ball on our honeymoon cruise and gained 10 lbs in 1 week.

5.  Our son is 18 months old and he is the center of our world.  My mom graciously moved in to help take care of him and has been a godsend.  This pic is from last year but I thought I'd post it since we're getting close to the holidays.


6.  I'm a deal hunter by nature but splurge on handbags and other accessories.  tPF has proved to be a dangerous place for me as I was introduced to great brands like Balenciaga and Rebecca Minkoff there as well as learning more about brands I was already aware of.

7.  I still love kiddie movies like The Incredibles, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Up.  I may say that I'm watching them because of my son but it's not true :P

I hope I'm not repeat tagging anyone but I'd love to see confessions from:
And finally an equestrian inspired OOTD:

Blazer: Banana Republic, Sz 2
Top: LOFT Bow Front Button Down, XS
(These are the pants I purchased via the Gap Give and Get sale.  They run big AND stretch throughout the day so I recommend sizing down.  Otherwise I love having skinny khakis.)
Boots: Born
Bag: Burberry

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