J.Crew: Floret Patent Slingbacks Review

These are J.Crew's Floret Patent Slingbacks (item #15261), and I was loving these as soon as I saw them in the lookbook.  These shoes retail for $265, and are only available in this dusty lilac color.  J.Crew describes the shoes as such:

The perfect shoe to set your footwear collection abloom, in the season's chicest neutral. Patent-leather upper with silk taffeta flower. Man-made lining and sole. 3 1/2" self-covered heel. Made in Italy. Available at the Madison Avenue Collection Store. 

So first let me say that I was able to get these shoes using some discounts, plus I got free shipping (so Boyfriend, if you are reading this, you can stop freaking out now).  These are by far the most expensive shoes I've ever bought though.  However, I think they are totally worth it (especially since according to the inventory check online, there aren't that many left in my size)!  I ordered these in my usual size 6.  I asked my personal shopper if she had any information on the size, as I already own the Cate patent slingbacks, and they are a tiny bit snug in the toebox.  She didn't have any information (but agreed the Cates are a smidge tight), so I just took a chance with my regular size.

I am happy to report that these are not tight in the toebox!  These fit pretty true-to-size, so I would recommend at least starting with your regular size.  The slingbacks also fit very well - not too tight, and not to loose.  The footbed is very comfortable, with a good level of support.  The heel is high enough to give you some decent height (and when you're 5'0", you'll take any height you can get ;)), but sturdy enough so that you're not teetering around.

I simply love the flowers.  They are pretty big, and take up the entire toe of the shoe, but I think they are just darling.  The edges of the flowers are very, very lightly lined in a light brown color, which I actually like.  Instead of making the petals look dirty, it helps add a touch of definition to the flowers, and keeps them from just being an overwhelming mess of white fabric.

I also love the color.  Purple is hands-down my favorite color, and I love this shade of purple.  It is light enough to work as a neutral and be paired with so many other different colors.  I love different colored shoes, but it is nice to have some neutral colored pairs that will work with most of your wardrobe.  Just as a note, if you are able to fit into children's shoes (I believe women's sizes 6.5 and below have equivalents in girls), J.Crew offers a girls' flat that is very similar to this shoe, and is available in 4 colors.

I simply love these shoes!  I think they are a fun, feminine-looking shoe, and I think they are well worth the money.  If you are looking for a really cute shoe that will work with a lot of your wardrobe, then I highly recommend checking these out!  

One last thing I will mention is that The Boyfriend actually preferred the Augusta Peep-Toes to these shoes, even though he knew I wanted him to like these ones better!  :)  And a big thanks to The Boyfriend for quickly taking these pictures this morning before he left for work!

What do you think?  Do you like these shoes?  What do you think of the flowers?  What other colors (if any) do you wish J.Crew had offered them in?  What would you wear these with?

J.Crew: Augusta Peep Toes Review

These are J.Crew's Augusta Peep Toes (item #14174), which were originally $225, with select colors marked down to $139.99 right now.  These shoes were available in golden desert, soft apricot, and faded aqua.  J.Crew describes the shoe as such:

Vintage-inspired, these Italian-leather slingbacks are wrapped at the toe with an impeccable satin bow. Man-made lining and sole. 3 1/2" self-covered heel. Made in Italy. Available at the Madison Avenue Collection Store.

I will be honest - I have been in absolute love with these shoes since they debuted.  I was totally in love with all the colors, but especially the blue.  Unfortunately, by the time these shoes went on sale (coupled with the 20% off promotion), blue was sold out in my size.  I am wearing a size 6 in the golden desert color.

Well, I am happy to report that these shoes are as wonderful as I was hoping they would be!  I am still totally in love with them.  I was a tad bit wary of the yellow color, as I'm not the biggest fan of that mustard-y yellow color, but I think the bright yellow bow really helps make this shoe.  [Plus it helps that I recently purchased a yellow skirt from the lovely FFM that I think will match these shoes perfectly.]

Above are the pictures from a distance (Psycho Dog making a cameo).  I have to say that I am a huge fan of heels, especially for the slimming effect they can have on your legs.  The below pictures are close-up/level with the shoes, and I think they will give you a better idea of how the shoes look.

The sizing on the shoes is fairly true to size, but the ankle strap is pretty loose.  While my feet pretty much come to the back of the footbed, the ankle strap is a bit too large.  It doesn't hamper the wearing of the shoe, which is nice, but it can make the shoes appear a teeny bit too big, which is unfortunate.  The toebox is a medium, comfortable width - not too narrow, not too wide.  The peep-toe is not overly peepish, and is very comfortable.

The shoe overall is very comfortable.  I think it's a really adorable shoe that will work with a wide variety of outfits.  I don't think I'd wear these anywhere where the odds of getting something spilled on them is higher than normal (say, a bar), but I would definitely wear these to work, or out on a date night with The Boyfriend, or just any special dress-up occasion.  Below are a couple more pictures of the shoes alone.

What do you think?  Do you own these shoes?  Which colors do you like?  Where would you wear these shoes?

J.Crew: Jenna's Picks - Bamboo Tassel Ballet Flats

The first of Jenna's Picks that is up for discussion are the Bamboo-Tassel Ballet Flats (item #15444), which retail for $158.  They are catalog and website only.

The perfect pair to add a little extra pep to your step in pretty new prints, just in time for summer. Silk (sweet papaya), cotton (papaya) or linen (navy) upper with grosgrain trim and a bamboo toggle bead. Twill lining. Leather footbed and sole. Made in Italy. Catalog/jcrew.com only.

This shoe comes in three different colors: sweet papaya, navy, and papaya (left to right), and each color is made out of a different fabric..  I have only ever ordered one pair of J.Crew ballet flats, and either I accidentally ordered the wrong size, or they sent me the wrong size (I think the former), and I'm on the fence about them.

It's really hard for me to make any kind of judgment on size, since mine are the wrong size, but my issue with the flats is that they are a little too unstructured for me.  My flats are a fabric flat, and I the footbed is a little narrower than I like.  That doesn't mean that the shoe itself is too narrow, but I don't feel like the footbed supports your entire foot (if that makes sense).  I'm not sure if having them in the right size would make a huge difference, but I prefer my flats to have a bit more support in them.

That said, I think the pattern is really cute, although I'm not the biggest fan of the papaya color.  I do like the other two colors, though.  My biggest issue with these flats is the price - I think $158 is a lot of money to spend on a pair of flats, especially because these seem almost too cute to wear.  I know that I would not get as much use out of these as I would like for a $158 pair of flats.

What do you think?  Do you like these flats?  What do you think of J.Crew's flats in general?  How much would you spend on a pair of flats?

J.Crew FO: 30% Off for Mother's Day

J.Crew Outlet is celebrating Mother's Day by offering you 30% off all cardigans, shorts, skirts, jewelry, and flip-flops.  This promotion is going on now through Wednesday, May 13th.  I am pretty tempted to swing by and take a look at what stuff they have out now.

What do you think?  Will you stop by your local outlet?  Do you think J.Crew will run a similar promo for Father's Day?

Victoria's Secret: Shoes Savings, Free Shipping, and Dollars Off

Victoria's Secret is running some additional promotions to the ones posted earlier.

From now until Wednesday, May 6, you can save 40% on a single pair of shoes by entering the code 40SHOES at checkout.  Please note that there are some exclusions to this offer.  My favorite pair of work heels (4" black pointy-toe pumps) are from VS, and I love them!

VS is also offering free shipping on online orders of $50 or more.  Enter the code 50FREE when you check out.

Lastly, they are also offering $10 off orders of $100 or more, with the code 10MORE.  These last two promotions are good until May 14, 2009.

J.Crew: "Cardmembers" Sneak Peek

J.Crew is offering a sneak peek of upcoming May arrivals for "cardmembers" only.  I say cardmembers in quotes because I got this e-mail at two accounts: one that is associated with my J.Crew card, and one that is not (although more and more, I'm thinking maybe the second was at some point, and never updated).  Either way, there are 4 items featured in this promotion:

• Metallic-Leather Minaudiere (item #14666) for $98.  Described as: Vintage-inspired and so ladylike, in brilliant metallic leather with an Old-English brass-finish chain (just tuck it away to use as a clutch). Metal-frame closure with glass jewel top. Interior back-wall patch pocket. Cotton sateen lining. Import. 7 1/2" handle drop. 3 3/4"H x 7 5/8"W, opens to 2 3/4"D.
  
  
• Pearl-Cluster Necklace (item #14503) for $125.  This doesn't seem to be new.
  
  
• Ribboned-Pearl Necklace (item #17763) for $55.  Unsure if this is new.  Described as: Our designer interlaced rayon grosgrain ribbon throughout this necklace—a lovely complement to its 14K gold-plated hand-assembled brass chain and lustrous glass pearls. 24" of beading and 18" of ribbon on each side. Ribbon-tie closure. Import. Full necklace length: 60". Catalog/jcrew.com only.
  
  
• Lyla Printed Peep Toes (item #15447) for $250 (!).  These look new, and sem to be available only online and at the Madison Ave. store in NYC.  Described as: Our newest love—Lyla, in the season's prettiet prints, topped with a straw bow. Silk (sweet papaya), cotton (papaya) or linen (navy) upper. Man-made lining and sole. 3 1/2" self-covered heel. Made in Italy. Available at the Madison Avenue Collection Store.

So what do you think?  Do you like any of these new items?  I love the shoes, but not for $250.  I have a necklace somewhat similar to the ribboned-pearl necklace, but I like mine a lot better.  I'm always on the fence about the pearl cluster necklace, and I'm not really into the cluch.

Do you plan on ordering any of these now?  Will you wait until the rollout next Friday, April 24?  What types of things are you hoping to see in that rollout?

J.Crew: $10 Flip-Flops Online

J.Crew is offering select flip-flops for $10.  This is an online-only promotion, and it is not clear when it ends.  I just checked online, and it seems to be mostly on basic flip-flops, and others are on sale too, but for more than $10.  Sadly, the flip-flops I'm wishing for (the Camellia Flower Flip-Flops) are not part of this promotion.  Other flip-flops are also 20% off if you buy 2 or more.

Will you check out this promotion?  Are there any J.Crew flip-flops on your wishlist?

J.Crew: Jenna's Picks - Athena Wrap Sandals

J.Crew has tagged the Athena Wrap Sandals (item #12035) as another of Jenna's Picks. These seem to replace the Lemlem scarf that appeared in the original rollout of Jenna's Picks, and are available in dark fog and tawny brown. J.Crew describes the sandals as such:

Goddess-worthy, indeed. This lace-up sandal is styled in a supple stonewashed
leather—the stonewashing causes a shade variance in the leather to create a chic
worn-in feel. The leather ties are finished with a feminine flower tassel.
Leather footbed and sole with rubber inset for traction. Made in Italy. Half
sizes order up. Catalog/jcrew.com only.

Well, I hope you goddesses out there have been saving up, because these sandals are $128! I am not a fan of these sandals at all. The tassels on the end of the ties remind me of something Pocahontas would wear. I do think the loop that the ties create is pretty interesting.

The footbed looks the same as the Capri sandals, which cost less than half. So is it the leather loops, ties, and tassles that make the Athena so much more expensive?

What do you think? Do you like these sandals? Do you think they are worth $128?

Victoria's Secret: Spring Holiday Sale

Victoria's Secret is offering 20% off select dresses, pants, jackets, skirts, and shoes, just in time for the spring holidays. To take advantage of this offer, enter the code 20SPRING when you check out. This offer is only good for today, April 6, 2009.

J.Crew: Jenna's Picks - Neon Patent Capri Sandals

The next Jenna's pick up for discussion are the Neon Patent Capri Sandals (item #14181), which originally retailed for $49.50, with select colors on sale for $39.50. J.Crew describes the item as such:

Our famous leather capri, now in bold neon. Patent-leather upper. Leather footbed and sole. Made in Italy. Half sizes order up.

The sandal is available right now in neon orange, neon yellow, and neon punch.

I don't own any of J.Crew's Capri sandals, mostly because of the price, but I do love the Capri sandals. I have been checking my local outlet to see if they have any Capris or Capri lookalikes for a decent price, but I haven't found any yet.

Even if I did buy a pair of J.Crew's Capri sandals, I think I would pass on the neon colors. I know that neon is a hot trend for this spring and summer, but I prefer to spend $50 on sandals in a more neutral color so that I can pair them with almost anything. I'm sure there are those of you out there who could rock neon with anything, but I couldn't. And to be honest, I'm just not really a big fan of neon.

What do you think? Do you own J.Crew's Capri sandals? Would you buy them in neon? What do you think of the neon trend in general?

Victoria's Secret: Free Shipping, Convertible Dress, and Spring Shoes

Victoria's Secret is currently offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Use the code FREE50 when you check out. This offer is good until tomorrow, April 5, 2009.

VS is also promoting their convertible dress, which costs $108. VS claims that this dress can be converted into 10 different dresses. I read a couple online reviews of this dress, and heard that the fabric was kind of thin, and doesn't move nearly as much as it does in the pictures.

VS is also promoting their line of spring shoes, which range in price from $29 to $59.

Will you use the free shipping? Will you check out the convertible dress or spring shoes? Do you already own some of them?

Banana Republic: Shoes and Bags

Banana Republic is promoting their shoes and bags with a colorful e-mail promoting and The Sandal and The Tote. I don't like T-strap sandals on myself, but I do love the colors featured. I also love the tote, but it's a little pricey for me, and I worry too much with a leather bag.

What do you think? Do you like these sandals and bags? Do you like these colors?

A Worthy Substitute: Rocket Dog for J.Crew

I've decided to add another type of post to this blog, called A Worthy Substitute (tagged as worthy substitutes), where I find items that I feel are good substitutes for other, more expensive items. This won't be restricted to items from the main stores covered on this blog, but shopping and items in general.

Today's worthy substitute is for J.Crew's Lulu Metallic flats, which I have just taken notice of thanks to the ladies over at JCA, and my new obsession, eBay. A picture of them is above. Not willing to dish out the money for these flats, coupled with the fact that they are pretty much unavailable in my size, I decided to try to find a metallic, glitter-y flat that might make me almost as happy.

I searched Endless.com, which is probably my favorite shoe site, and stumbled upon these flats, by Rocket Dog. They are the Memories Crackle Metallic Flat, and are currently priced at a very reasonable $39.95. Hooray! The only downfall was that they didn't have my size, and in fact, they only have sizes 6.5 and 7 right now, but I'll keep checking back.


I know they don't have the feminine fabric bow, but I think the style and color of the shoe come pretty close. What do you think? Do you think Rocket Dog's flats are a worthy substitute for J.Crew Lulu's? Do you want to see more worthy substitute posts?

J.Crew: Liza Patterned Peep Toe Review

Shortly before Valentine's Day, I somehow found myself on eBay, and I stumbled upon these Liza Patterned Peep Toes for sale. They were in a size 5.5, and I'm a size 6, so I debated bidding or not, but my feet are on the small side of 6, so I decided to take the plunge and try to get them. The Boyfriend heard me drooling over these shoes, and even offered to buy them for me!

As for the shoes, they are great! They fit wonderfully - not too tight as I thought they might, and they look so cute! I'm not usually a fan of orange, nor of orange and pink together, but I just love the orange and white polka dots, and I think the pink goes well with the pattern in this case.

I can't wait until the weather gets a little nicer and I don't have to worry about mud, and I will be wearing these every chance I get. I can picture wearing these with all kinds of outfits - jeans for a night out, work pants, work skirts, work dresses, day dresses...