Gap: Rolled Henley Sweater Review

This is Gap's Rolled Henley Sweater (style #635778), which retailed for $39.50. It was alpha-sized, and was available in a number of different colors, a couple of brights and some neutrals. I tried this on in a small, and found that it fits true-to-size, maybe even a bit large, depending on how you would want to wear it. If you're looking for a more fitted look and are on the smaller end of your size, you could consider sizing down in this sweater. If you want a looser, more casual look, then I'd start with your regular size and size down if necessary.

The sweater is made out of 100% cotton, and is a nice, soft knit. It's a nice, breathable fabric for a spring and summer sweater. The sweater itself is lightweight, and it is on the sheer side, at least in this color.

It's a pretty straightforward design - it has 3/4 sleeves, and fairly deep V-neck with buttons. There is a thin strip of trim on the front, faux-cuffs on the sleeves, and a rolled hem on both the sleeves and the bottom hem. Overall, a basic, but somewhat casual sweater.

I liked this sweater, but left it behind. I wasn't crazy about it, although I will say that it was super comfortable on.

What do you think? Do you like this sweater? Do you own it or have you tried it on?

J.Crew FO: Printed Jessie Blouse Review

This is the Printed Jessie Blouse (item #12576) from the J.Crew Outlet. I believe this top was out last summer from retail, and I see it pop up from time to time in the sale section on J.Crew's website. This blouse is numerically sized, and retailed for $54.50. It was available in several different patterns.

I tried this top on in a size 4, and I'm not sure what the actual name of this color is. The top fits fairly true-to-size, but there is no/not much stretch in the fabric, so if you have broader shoulders or a larger chest, you may need to consider sizing up. As always, I would suggest starting with your regular size, and sizing up depending on how comfortable you feel.

The fabric is a lightweight cotton (or possibly cotton blend). It's a nice, somewhat thin fabric that is good for a casual summer top. It's not see-through, but I think this might be in part because of the darker colors and pattern. I picked up this same top in a light yellow, and it's a bit more see through.

The top has an empire waist with a self-tie that helps create a little bit of high waist definition. The bottom half of the shirt flares out a bit to hide your stomach area (if desired) and also slim your waist. The blouse is like the Jessie dress offered last year at regular J.Crew - it has ruffles around the neckline and down the front to the waist, with a few fabric-covered buttons at the bodice. There is a little bit of notching on the sleeves. I like the details on this shirt - I think they work well together.

I left this shirt behind, as I'd already picked one up in a different yellow pattern that I prefer to this pattern. I also like this pattern, but didn't love this shirt enough to get it in two different patterns.

What do you think? Do you like this blouse? Do you own it or have you tried it on? Do you think the outlet version stands up to the retail version?

Gap: Eyelet Sleeve Tee Review

This is Gap's Eyelet Sleeve Tee (style #655036), which originally retailed for $29.95, and is currently on sale. The tee is available in a few different colors (white, red-orange, light brown, and this light blue color), and is alpha-sized.

I tried this on in a size small, and I'd say that the tee runs a little on the bigger size. I did go back and one point and tried this on in an extra small, and that would have been the size I would get. If, however, you want to wear this tee pretty loose and casual, then you could try sticking with your regular size.

This tee is 100% cotton, and is a really nice, soft jersey-like fabric. I really love Gap's knit tees, as they are wonderfully soft and smooth. It moves and hangs very nicely. The tee is meant as a casual, more flowy top, and nice and roomy, especially at the bottom.

The tee is fairly basic, with a U-neck, some slight shirring at the neckline, and some contrast banding at the neckline and sleeves. The sleeves themselves have a floral embroidered eyelet pattern with scalloping at the edges. I think it's a pretty, feminine detail that works well with the casualness of the rest of the tee.

I really like this tee. I didn't pick it up when it was full price, but I was very tempted when I saw it on sale for $14.99. In the end, I decided I have enough tees for now, and left this one behind.

What do you think? Do you like this tee? Do you own it or have you seen it or tried it on? Which colors do you like?

J.Crew FO: Pique Strapless Dress Review

This is a dress from the J.Crew Outlet that I'm calling the Pique Strapless Dress (item #15039). It retailed for $59.50, and was numerically sized. It may have come in other colors, but I honestly can't remember right now, as I tried this on awhile ago (sorry :().

I tried this dress on in a size 4, and I thought it fit a bit small. It was a little tight around the chest area, so I would suggest starting with your regular size, but getting a size up for comparison if you can.

The dress is made out of a pique fabric which also has a bit of stretch to it. I wasn't a huge fan of the fabric, as it was a bit coarser than what I typically like, but it was a nice, casual fabric, and worked well with the dress itself. The fabric moves fairly well, but the cut of the dress doesn't really lend itself to a lot of movement.

The dress has a thin band at the top of the bust, and a wider band at the waistline. The dress helps to create a bit of definition at the waist. The skirt is fairly straight, but nips in a bit at the waist, and can easily hide any problem areas on the lower half, but doesn't add much volume. The bottom half of the dress has some shirring at the waistline as well as curved, off-seam pockets.

You could probably dress this dress up a bit with the right accessories, but keep in mind that the pique fabric is a bit more on the casual side. I would probably stick with neutral color pairings for this dress.

I left this dress behind because I thought it was just okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't think it was really anything special, either.

What do you think? Do you like this dress? Have you seen it or tried it on? Do you own it? What do you think of pique fabric dresses?

J.Crew FO: Circle Sequin Trim Strapless Top Review

This strapless top is from the J.Crew Outlet. It's item #12646, and retails for $54.50 (the white was on sale for $39.99 when I tried these on). It is numerically sized, and was also available in a white color (at bottom of post). It is the same style as the Floral Eyelet top I reviewed a few months back.

I tried this top on in a size 4, and it fits true-to-size. It's a pretty comfortable fit, with an empire waist and a bit of a flared bottom. Sizing is based on your bust size, and the rest of the top is slightly looser and comfortable. There are some darts to give you some shape in the middle.

I believe the fabric is cotton, but it's a bit of a rougher feel, almost like linen. The circle pattern is a mix of embroidery and sequins, and goes all the way around the top. I prefer the pattern on the blue top, simply because the colors work well with the each other (the white top's circle pattern is all in white).

The length is nice - on the longer side, hitting at mid-hip, and the top has side vents at the bottom to allow for a bit more movement.

I like this top because it's nice and simple, but still has some interesting details. I think the circle pattern is a nice touch that adds some pretty details to what might otherwise be a boring top. This top is easy to dress up or down, and can easily be paired with a lot of different colors, especially the white.

I left these tops behind because I don't wear a lot of strapless tops. I preferred the blue top to the white (even though I think the white is more versatile), and couldn't be swayed by the price.

What do you think? Do you like this top? Have you seen it or tried it on? Do you own it? Which color do you prefer?

Anthropologie: Above-A-Blue-Sky Skirt Review

This is Anthropologie's Above-A-Blue-Sky skirt (style #920067), which retails for $68. It is alpha-sized, and is available in this one pattern, multi. It is available in petites and regular. The skirt is by Edme and Esyllte, and Anthropologie describes it as such:

In Edme & Esyllte's topsy-turvy paradise, wildflowers flourish atop the deep turquoise heavens.

• Side pockets
• Pull-on styling
• Cotton; cotton lining
• Machine wash
• Regular: 18"L
• Petite: 16.5"L

I was instantly in love with this skirt when I saw it. I tried it on in a size small, and it fits true-to-size. There is some flexibility in the sizing, as there is elasticizing smocking at the back waistband which gives you some stretch in the waist. The size small fit me comfortably, so if you are on the small end of a medium or higher end of an extra small, you could also try a small.

The fabric on this skirt is a nice, light cotton. The skirt is lined in cotton as well, and the skirt moves pretty well. It's pretty forgiving on your bottom half without adding a lot of volume, and I think it's a pretty flattering shape overall. I tried this skirt on in the regular, and I like the length, as it hits just at the knees.

The skirt has an overall sort of wildflower/meadow pattern, with a wide teal band on the bottom. I think the pattern is really fun and whimsical, and is really colorful, so can work with a ton of top colors. For the most part, I think this is a casual skirt.

This was my first (and so far only) trip to Anthropologie, and this was one of many really cute things I tried on, but one of only two things I ended up taking home. I love Anthropologie's stuff, but a lot of it is pretty pricey, in my opinion. I do think it is a nice place to get some really feminine, pretty pieces and can't wait to check it out again!

What do you think? Do you like this skirt? Have you seen it or tried it on? Do you own it? What do you think of offering it in petite and regular, but not tall?

Gap: Knit and Cotton Tank Dress

I cannot find this dress on Gap's website, but I'm pretty sure it is style #655030. It is alpha-sized, and retailed for $39.50. It was available in a number of saturated colors, including bright pink and bright blue. This is a rich, purple color in size small.

This dress has a knit tank with a pocket for the top, and a cotton skirt bottom. The skirt itself is very light, and the top is like wearing a really comfortable knit top. There are tiny pleats all around the waist. The dress itself moves all right, but is not super flowy, owing to lightweight cotton and the straighter shape of the skirt. I think the dress looks better from the front though - looking at the picture below, it looks kind of weird from the side, as it's not distributed evenly from front to back.

The dress fits true-to-size, and fits based on your top and waist size. There is a lot of room to hide any problem areas in your lower half, without adding extra weight. To me, this dress is a really great alternative to J.Crew's Cottage dress from earlier this season (in fact, I prefer it to J.Crew's).

The dress is a really comfortable casual dress. I think you could dress it up a bit with the right accessories, but I'm not sure that you could dress it up too much. Overall a really nice, summer dress, but I think you should try it on if you can to see how you like the skirt.

I was tempted to pick this one up, on more than one occasion. The first time I tried it on, and another time I almost grabbed it in the pink color, but I resisted both times.

What do you think? Do you like this dress? Have you seen it or tried it on? Which color would you pick it up in?

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)?

J.Crew: Cotton-Silk Strapless Top with Flower Review

This is J.Crew's Cotton-Silk Strapless Top With Flower (item #16188), which retails for $128. It is numerically sized, and is available in white and bright coral. J.Crew describes the top as such:

A textured blend of cotton and silk beautifully designed into one of our most versatile summer tops. Wear it sassy with jeans and heels or sweet and feminine with a skirt. The detachable silk flower can be pinned onto the bodice or placed in your hair for special occasions. Inside you'll find a corset for extra support. Fitted. Strapless. Exposed back zip. Straight hem. Fully lined. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean.

I tried this on in a size 4, in the white color. I was a bit iffy on the fit. It took forever to get on correctly (and you wouldn't really think so, right?), and the whole time, it felt like it was going to be too loose and fall off, but in the end, after all the adjusting and whatnot, I think it fit fine. I would have liked to have tried on a size 2 for comparison, but this one was at the tail end of this visit, and it did feel all right in the 4, so I didn't bother. I would say that it mostly fits true to size, but if you are on the smaller end of your size, then you may want to consider sizing down.

The fabric was a really nice, cotton-silk blend (73% cotton, 27% silk). The top is lined in 100% cotton, and is a tad bit on the sheer side. Note that in the picture above, you can just sort of see the shorts through the shirt. This could also be because it was the white color; I'm not sure if you'd have the same issue in the bright coral. The fabric itself is very soft and smooth, and also very light. It is definitely a nice fabric for a late spring/summer top.

The back of this top has an exposed metal zipper, which I was just okay with. It detracts (in my opinion) from the overall light and feminine vibe of this top. I didn't really care for that, but other people may like it, as it sort of adds some "toughness" so to speak to the top. There is "corset" (not really) inside, which is basically just another layer of fabric that zips up the back. This was nice to have, but made the top more difficult to get on (at least get on without help). The length on the top was nice for me, but may be a problem for some of you taller ladies out there.

The flowers are very pretty in real life - I think they photograph pretty true to life, but I don't think they look as big in real life as they do in the model pictures. Maybe the model had hers fluffed or something right before the shoot. The front of the top has a criss-cross pattern with some pleating, which adds some nice detail to the top. The flowers are initially pinned on to the side, but you can remove them and move them to wherever (or remove them altogether).

I like the overall style of the top - it's simple but with some nice details. It would work well on its own, or as a layering piece (probably without the flowers though in that case). I think you can easily dress this piece up or down.

However, my biggest issue with this piece is the price. I'm sure J.Crew has a reason to justify such a steep price, but it is a basic light, white, strapless top. I didn't really note anything particularly special about this top, in the fabric, design, details, quality, etc., that would make it worth $128, but that is just my opinion.

I left this one behind, but only because of the price. If this top were more reasonably priced (and I mean a lot more reasonably priced), I would probably pick one up in each color. I always reasoned with myself that I could just buy a nice white tank and some flowers, and have almost the same thing.

What do you think? Do you like this top? Do you own it (lucky you!) or have you seen it or tried it on? What do you think is a reasonable price point for this top? How much would you pay for it?

Anthropologie: Esmee Dress Review

This is Anthropologie's Esmee Dress (style #933094), which retails for $98. It is numerically-sized, and is only available in this color, white. Anthropologie describes the dress as such:

Delicate eyelet embroidery and subtle pintucks fill Maeve's breezy voile silhouette.

• Side pockets
• Side zip
• Cotton; cotton lining
• Machine wash
• 36"L
• Imported

I tried this dress on in a size 4, and I'll be honest, I was in love with this dress as soon as I saw it on the hanger. The dress fits true-to-size, and fits very comfortably. I'm probably biased, but this dress fit perfectly. I wouldn't have considered sizing up or down in this one.

The fabric is a wonderful cotton that is both soft and light, almost airy. It is a nice, comfortable cotton for the summer. Because of the cotton-on-cotton (due to the cotton lining), the dress itself isn't flowy at all, but the cotton on its own does move fairly well.

I think the dress itself has a nice shape - more fitted on top with a band to accentuate the waist, and then a slight flare in the skirt with a bunch of shirring at the waistline. I think it creates a fairly nice shape from the front, and an okay shape from the side. I also like the length - just about knee-length (so it may be shorter on you taller ladies). The dress also has side, on-seam pockets, which I really like.

The dress has a number of details - pleating on the bodice and again on the hem, as well as some ruffles and embroidered lace-like material. I think these details work well with the overall style of the dress, and especially work because they are all the same color. This way the details don't overwhelm the dress, and it looks a bit more interesting, without being over the top. I know there will be some (including Boyfriend probably) who think that this dress is too old-fashioned looking, but I like that look sometimes.

I like the color on this dress as well. It's a sort of off-white, like a light cream color. I actually prefer that to the white for this dress. I think it works well with the design. I think dress could be a casual dress on its own or with very casual accessories, but I think the cut and details make it a little bit more on the dressy side. The lighter color makes it pretty easy to pair with other colors. I would probably stick to lighter pastels or very dark neutrals for this one.

I took this one home (thank you, Boyfriend!). I haven't worn it out anywhere yet, but the summer weather is hopefully breaking through soon (after 10 days of rain), so I'm sure it will be making an appearance shortly!

What do you think? Do you like this dress? Have you seen it or tried it on? What do you think of the details? Would you like to see this dress in another color?

J.Crew: Soft Tee Ruffle Top Review

This is J.Crew's Soft Tee Ruffle Top (itme #16068), which retails for $39.50. It is available in the following colors: black, navy, heather light grey, fresh melon, natural, heather graphite, weathered stone, and warm blush. This top is alpha-sized. J.Crew describes the top as such:

A sweet ruffled style that's as soft as your most comfy broken-in tee. Pima cotton/lightweight Modal® rayon. Scoopneck. Fitted at chest. Self ruffles across chest. Import. Machine wash.

I tried this top on in a size small in the fresh melon color. I would say that this top runs on the bigger size, but I also think it is made to be loose. I did not try on an extra small for comparison, but I would say that if you don't want it super loose, then try to size down if you can. The small itself fit comfortably and fit well, especially in the bust and shoulders, where it is most fitted.

The fabric on this top is really light - it was much lighter than I was expecting. I was actually thinking that this was going to be more like a somewhat-lightweight jersey fabric, but it is much lighter than that. It is also very soft. This color was not sheer, but you might want to watch out for that if you are trying it in the lighter colors. The fabric moves and drapes very nicely. It's a very loose and flowy top.

The cut of this top is very generous. The most fitted part of the top is around the bust and the shoulder straps, and even that is not very fitted. There is a lot of fabric here, and even though it is light, it still an extremely loose-fitting top. I would say that the cut is fairly forgiving on the middle, but I also think it looks best on straighter figures. As you can see in my pictures, the bottom of it bunches up at my hips, whereas on the model, it stays pretty straight. This is probably due to a combination of the length and my hips.

As for the top ruffle, I think it's okay. I think it actually minimizes the bust (again, might be a combination of the ruffle and the cut of the top), but not sure if this would hold true for all sizes. There is one very large ruffle on the front, and a couple rows of smaller ruffles. I think it's a cute enough detail, but I kind of don't get it.

That being said, I do think it's a pretty cute top, and I think it would work well with a lot of different outfits. I especially think that you could do a lot with the neutral colors, in terms of color pairings and outfit stylings. As for dressing it up and down, it looks like a fairly casual top to me. They've managed to style it on the model so that it looks dressy enough, but I think the pictures are a bit misleading, to be honest.

I left this top behind because I wasn't in love with it. I really liked the fabric, and I would love to pick up some tees in that fabric, but the top just didn't really do it for me.

What do you think? Do you like this top? Have you seen it or do you own it? Which color do you prefer? How would you style it?