Gap: Pintucked Drawstring Shorts Review

These are a pair of shorts from the Gap, the Pintucked Drawstring Shorts (style #620780). The shorts are alpha-sized, and originally retailed for $39.50, with colors on sale online for $19.99 through $34.99. [Again, if you happen to like these shorts, check a local store if you can, as they may be cheaper there.] This is the rolling bay blue color.

I tried these shorts on in a size small. They fit true-to-size, although to be fair, I don't wear a lot of alpha-sized bottoms that aren't skirts; however, I fit into Gap's numerical equivalents to a size small, so I think you'd be safe going with your regular size. If you are on the smaller end of your size range, you could potentially considering sizing down, as the shorts have an elastic waist with a drawstring.

The shorts are a cotton/viscose rayon blend, and they are pretty soft. They're fairly comfortable, with a more relaxed fit and cut. The shorts themselves are also very comfortable - the leg holes are cut very comfortably, and they are a nice lounge/very casual pair of shorts. The fabric is a tad bit on the wrinkly side, but not overly wrinkly.

As I said, these shorts are pretty casual. I don't think there's a really wide range of styling options for these shorts. If you get them in a more neutral color, I think you have some more room to play with color pairings and dressing them up or down a bit more, but in the end, the details and fabric are pretty casual, and don't lend themselves too easily to being dressed up.

The waist is elasticized with a drawstring. There is pleating on the front with slant pockets in the front, and button flap pockets in the back. I don't like the waist detail - there is too much going on for me.

So I left these shorts behind because all I can see when I look at them is gym shorts. They remind me of the pair of shorts I would bring to school once a year, put in my gym locker, and then wear with shame once a week while I attempted to be athletic. I don't mind gym shorts, but I mainly keep them to inside the house (and SCUBA diving - you can wear whatever you want when you go SCUBA diving :)), and I already have a lot of "around the house" shorts.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Have you seen them or do you own them? Would you consider picking them up now that they are on sale?

J.Crew: Navy Jakarta Shorts Review

These are J.Crew's Jakarta Shorts (item #15012), which retail for $58. This is the only color they come in (navy). J.Crew notes that they have an "abbreviated fit", are city rise, and have a 3" inseam. They are machine washable. I've included an online picture of the pattern above, as my pictures came out a little blurry.

I tried these on in a size 6. I really liked the fit - I thought it was very comfortable, and fit very true to size. I would not have sized down in them, especially because the size 6 lets me where them just a tiny bit lower on the waist, and get a few more inches of coverage in the leg area.

The fabric is a nice, thick cotton. It isn't quite as stiff as some of other J.Crew's heavily patterned shorts from this eason. I'd liken it to a canvas feelm but a bit softer. It's just a rather basic pair of slightly-sturdier cotton shorts, so not much else to say. There are on-seam pockets, which I like. They work well with the overall design (including pattern) of the shorts.

As for the pattern, I much prefer it on the shorts than on the cardigan or skirt. I think that because the fabric is heavier, the pattern appears a bit more saturated, and I think that really works, especially with the navy color. The color is a nice, rich, dark navy, so that allows you to play with a lot of different color combinations. I think the pattern is pretty versatile, too - you can really dress up these shorts, or keep them casual.

I left these shorts behind because I've already picked up a few pairs this season, and I have realized that I don't really have that many places to wear shorts. If these ever go on sale, I would definitely consider them though!

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Have you seen them or tried them on? What do you think of the pattern? What do you prefer it in (shorts, sweater, skirt)?

Gap: Cut-Off Jean Shorts Review

These are Gap's Cut-Off Jean Shorts (style #646529), which retail for $44.50. They are numerically-sized, and are allegedly available in petite and tall (neither tab is showing up on the website right now). They are available in this one color, deconstructed dark. Gap describes the shorts as such:

Cut-off jean shorts are the ideal summer staple--great for adding rugged style to warm-weather looks.

I looked for a size 6 in these, but they only had them in-store in a size 4, so I went with those. The 4s were a little snug all-around, and while they "fit" and all, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing them. I would suggest starting with your regular shorts size, and then sizing down if you are on the small end of the size range.

These are a fairly standard set of denim shorts. The denim is a nice, medium weight, good quality-feeling denim. I think the shorts are cut to be a little tighter to work with your natural curves (because isn't that part of the reason why denim cut-offs exist? To show off curves?), but I would say they are uncomfortably tight.

The fraying on the cut-off part is very minimal, and looks a little more polished than actual cut-offs, or trying-too-hard cut-offs. There are a couple of very small spots of distressing, which I think actually work well on these shorts, as they are tiny.

I will say that these shorts are awfully short (again, maybe part of the nature of denim cut-offs?), but they also sit lower on the waist, so if you are concerned about the length, you could always try sizing up to get a little bit more length.

I really like the color on these shorts, too, but that is really just personal preference - I prefer classic or dark blue rinses (but not dark dark rinses) for my jeans, so this color was right up my taste alley.

These shorts are a pretty decent pair of denim shorts, and while I think they're a great wardrobe staple for the summer, I'm not sure how differently they can be styled. I think there is only so much you can do with a pair of super short denim cut-offs, even if they are rather cute. I cannot think of how to dress these up (and I mean really dress up, not spruce up and look stylish), but I do think you can easily pair them with a lot of different casual summer tops.

All in all, I think they are a pretty good buy if you don't already own a pair of cut-offs, or if you're looking for a new pair. I was hesitant about getting these because of the length, but after I looked at the pictures some more, I decided to pick these up in a size 6. (The best part is that Gap was running 30% off shorts at the time AND let me combine my 25% off coupon with that. So a really good deal.)

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Do you have any pairs of cut-offs that you love? What would you pair these with?

J.Crew: Pink Paisley Shorts Review

These are a pair of shorts from J.Crew that I'm calling Pink Paisley Shorts for now (item #15900), which retail for $58. They are numerically sized. This was the only color I saw in this particular pattern, and I've grabbed the name from a matching shirt (item #15462). I tried these on in a size 6.

I believe these shorts have a 3" inseam. They are heavier and coarser than J.Crew's regular cotton shorts, and the texture is similar to the Cotton Medallion pair of shorts I reviewed before. According to the website, the texture is supposed to be reminiscent of linen, and I would say it is, but a bit stiffer and heavier than linen is.

The shorts fit very true-to-size. I always start with a size 6 in shorts, and I would not have sized down on these, especially because they are so short (I am not comfortable pairing tight and short together). They are a nice, comfortable fit.

The shorts have two non-functioning flaps on the front waistband, and on-seam pockets. I don't believe they have any back pockets, but don't hold me to that.

I think the most important thing you need to know about these shorts is that they are much brighter and more saturated in person, almost like a neon pink (think even more neon than how they appear in the picture). That said, I do think the pattern is very cute, so if you can pull off neon pink, then this would look great on you!

I ended up leaving these behind because they were just okay to me. I wasn't ready to drop that much on a pair of shorts that I thought were just okay. I know I wouldn't wear these that much, so they stayed at the store.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Have you seen them or tried them on? Do you own them? What other colors do you think this pattern could work in?

The Limited: Memorial Day Offers

The Limited is running a number of Memorial Day promotions, including an addition 30% off markdowns in select stores (doesn't mention which ones).  Online prices reflect this discount.

They are also running the following promotions:

• All tees, tanks, and camis are $15
• All crops and shorts are 40% off
• All accessories are 30% off
• Select tops are $19.50

J.Crew: Shorts 30% Off & Free Shipping Extended

J.Crew is offering a shorts promotion, with up to 30% off of select shorts styles for men, women, boys, and girls.  This promotion is going on in-stores and online.  No coupon or code is required.

I checked out the women's selection, and J.Crew is pretty tricky - they've mixed in styles that were already on sale with other shorts that have this promotion applied - so it looks like they've put a lot more shorts on this promotion than they really have.  In addition, there aren't a lot of regularly-priced shorts (non-sale ones) that have the maximum discount (30%) applied.

J.Crew has also extended their free shipping code (HELLOSUN) for orders of $150 or more, until tomorrow, May 14, 2009.

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?

J.Crew: Bermuda Shorts Review

These are J.Crew's Stretch Summerweight Bermuda shorts (item #99432), which originally retailed for $49.50, and is on sale for $39.50. This item is available in-store and online, and is available in several addition colors: navy, honey brown, grey, bright tulip (above, and the color I tried on), white, stone, and sweet cantaloupe. J.Crew describes the shorts as such:

Our famous lightweight cotton chino, with a hint of stretch. City fit—our lowest rise. Sits just above hip. Belt loops. Zip fly. Front and back welt pockets. 11" inseam. Import. Machine wash.

I found that these shorts fit true-to-size, and wore my same size as regular J.Crew shorts. The little bit of stretch is nice, too.

As soon as I put on these shorts, I think I started laughing. I am not a fan of these shorts at all - I think these are just a bit too long on me. I would have preferred the shorts at 9" over the 11" bermudas.

I have always been a fan of the double belt back loops and welt pockets, but even those couldn't save these shorts for me. The color I tried on is supposedly the same that the model is wearing, and while the lighting makes the colors a little off in the pictures, they were definitely not as pink as the ones on the model.

I definitely passed on these shorts. The chino fabric is super nice and soft, like J.Crew's other chino shirts, but I prefer my chino shorts a tad bit shorter.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Do you like bermudas?

J.Crew: Linen Shorts Review

These are J.Crew's Linen-Cotton Seaside Short (item #13052), which originally retailed for $49.50, and are marked down to $29.99 online, but I don't think they were marked down in-store when I tried them on. J.Crew describes them as such:

A warm-weather favorite in a breezy linen/cotton blend. City fit—our lowest rise. Sits just above hip. Belt loops. Removable self-tie at waist. Non-functional button detail. Zip fly. Slant pockets, back welt pockets. 5" inseam. Import. Machine wash.

I tried them on in warm blush, which I think is a lot like shell. Here is the picture of the warm blush color online.


These shorts have a nice, easy fit, and fit true-to-size. I think the inseam is a nice length, and I thought the belt/sash was a nice, fun touch.

They are a linen cotton blend, so they are light and soft. They have off-seam slant pockets in the front, and welt pockets in the back.

The shorts are what I'm going to call "pocket-sheer", but don't come close to being too sheer though (at least I don't think so).

These are nice, summery shorts, but I didn't think they were anything really special, even with the tie belt. If I'm going to spend $49.50 or even $29.99 on J.Crew shorts, I want them to be super cute, and these just didn't do much for me - nothing bad, nothing great.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Do you own them? Would you take them home in a different color?

J.Crew: New Arrival - Purple Zebra Shorts

These are J.Crew's chino "critter" shorts (probably). They are item #12886, but I could not find them online. These shorts were with the rest of the chino shorts, and I believe they are a 3" inseam.

These shorts fit true to size, and are the nice, soft, chino fabric that J.Crew uses in their other chino shorts. They are a medium lavender color, with embroidered grey zebras.

I really love these shorts. I love the color purple, and I'm so glad that it's making so many appearances in fashion this spring. Note that this lavender color is a bit darker than the "misty lavender" color that some of J.Crew's tops (Jackie cardigan and some tees) come in.

I think the zebras are so cute, and I am glad they are grey - I think it complements the lavender color nicely. Here is an up close shot of the zebra.

These shorts were $49.50, which I think is fairly standard for J.Crew's chino shorts. I did end up getting these.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Are you sick of zebras? (These questions are not mutually exclusive!)

J.Crew: New Arrival - Print Shorts Review

These are J.Crew's new print shorts (item #12390), which I could not locate online, but saw in-store. I think they are about a 3" inseam, and have an allover print, with bright coral tones throughout.

These shorts fit true to size, although the fabric is a little stiff. I think it might soften up a bit after additional washes. As you can see from the side view picture, the pattern is all over, and has quite a bit of the coral-y pink in it.

I didn't notice this until I was writing this, but I'm not crazy about the way the back (and front, see above) patterns are the same panels side-by-side. I think I would have liked it better if shorts had the pattern more randomly.

Here is a close-up of the front pattern.

These shorts cost a whopping $68! I cannot wait to read J.Crew's description of these shorts to hear why they think these are worth $68 (I am guessing something about the fabric and the design). Because I wasn't crazy about the stiffness of the fabric and I didn't completely love these shorts (a requirement if I were to buy), I left these at the stores.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Do you think they are worth $68?