Banana Republic: Sassy Statements

Banana Republic is promoting their line of accessories by focusing on some "sassy satement" pieces: hats, jewelry, and scarves.  I know the graphic is a little small, so here is what each of the sections say:

The Hat

The sun hat is n ot just essential for blocking harmful rays.  It's still a topper with major allure.  Designed in a straw weave with an extra-wide brim, it's right on trend for the season.

The Jewelry

A hammered texture has an earthy-glam shine that's a natural complement to Spring and Summer color.  A bold conversation piece will give your look a little extra sophistication.

The Scarf

A soft scarf makes a big impact with an oversize diamond print in colorful hues.  With a print this bold you won't need any other accessories.  Just add it to your basics for an instant lift.

For the most part, I like these accessories.  I love sun hats, and I even own one (great find at Eddie Bauer Outlet last summer!), but I don't even know that I've worn it once!  I think this hat is great for the beach or vacationing, but I hardly ever go to the beach, and I haven't quite figured out how to pack this hat yet.  Truth be told, I feel a little over-the-top wearing this hat, but I do think it is a very classic look.

As for the necklace, it's pretty, but it's too big for me.  I know I couldn't (and wouldn't) wear this.  The scarf is very pretty, but I am always careful about wearing scarves, because I think they can go from being a cute accent piece to a silly looking piece of fabric very quickly.

What do you think?  Do you like any of these accessories?  Which one is your favorite?  What is your favorite place to get your accessories from?

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: New Arrivals & My Wishlist

J.Crew released their new arrivals to the website today.  They released a number of new pieces, some that I love, and some that I don't.  There are a couple of Collection pieces that I am super in love with, and have already e-mailed my online Personal Shopper about them!  Happily, they aren't ridiculously expensive, which is always nice.

Here are my wishlist pieces from the latest set of new arrivals.  The first three are the ones I'll be looking for during my trip to my local J.Crew tomorrow (I already have the first one on hold!).

This is the Watercolor Floral Pencil Skirt.  I love the pattern on this skirt, but the description says it's 24", so I'm hoping it won't be too long.

This is the Garden Dress.  I simply love the petals on the bodice, but I'm really interested to see how this dress fits IRL, as it seems to be a tad shapeless on the model.  The Boyfriend hasn't seen this dress yet, but I can almost guarantee he will say it looks like a nightgown.

The Boyfriend will probably also make fun of the Bouquet Sash Belt, but I think it's whimsical and feminine.  Plus I love flowers!

These next pieces are ones that I will wait for to go on sale.

I love the Cashmere Croquet Cardigan.  I love love love these shades of purple, especially the contrasting shades.  I'm not as crazy about all those pockets, and I'm especially not crazy about the price.

I already have the Solid Silk Garland Cami in breeze, but I love this purple color (I love pretty much all light purples).

This is the Embossed-Cotton Printed Lorelei Dress.  I love this shade of green as well as the print, but I have a ton of dresses!

I love the Harbour Oxford Capri pants, but they have a 26.5" inseam, which is about half an inch to an inch too short for me, so I'd have to have them hemmed to get them to be true capris.  I would definitely want to see this in person.

I love these Floral Sparkle Earrings.  They seem like they could really dress up an outfit, while still being casual and cute.

I also love this Crystal-Flower Ring.  As I've mentioned, I love flowers, and I think this ring is super cute.

So what do you think? Do you like J.Crew's new arrivals?

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: Jenna's Picks - Silk-Ribbon Chain-Link Necklace

The next Jenna's Pick up for discussion is J.Crew's Silk-Ribbon Chain-Link Necklace (item #14489). It retails for $98, and the Tropical Aqua color is on sale for $69.99. J.Crew describes the necklace as such:

It'll turn even the simplest ensemble into spectacular. 16 lightly distressed brass chains (tropical aqua chain is specially hand-dyed to match color of ribbon)—they're perfectly placed to create a most flattering drape—with an exquisite silk charmeuse ribbon that can be styled several different ways. Even our designer owns one. Silk charmeuse ribbon is delicate by nature and will fray over time creating a lovely vintage look that we love. Ribbon-tie closure (60"L x 4"W). Import. Length: 36".

I love this necklace. The Shell and aforementioned Tropical Aqua colors are on my wishlist. It also comes in Black.

This necklace is very delicate and feminine looking, and I love the touch of the floppy silk ribbon. The thing about the necklace that concerns me is that the ribbon is supposed to fray over time. If I were going to pay $98, or even $69.99 for a chain-link necklace, I wouldn't want it to purposely fray, but maybe that is just me!

The website also has a picture of the necklace on a mannequin, and while the many chains look delicate enough, it also looks a bit overwhelming - it seems like there are less chains in the individual color pictures.

What do you think? Do you like this necklace? Do you own it? Which colors do you like?

J.Crew: Jenna's Picks - Jeweled Palm-Leaf Necklace

The first item I've picked from Jenna's Picks is the Jeweled Palm-Leaf Necklace (item #14385). J.Crew describes the necklace as such:

The perfect springtime statement piece with a fabulous floral design. Each shape was meticulously drawn out by our designer to drape perfectly over the neckline and every single color was customized to match the palette of our spring collection. Set on a soft 14K gold-plated brass chain (chosen specifically
because of the way it moves and sits on the neckline) with smooth and faceted
hand-set resin stones mixed with Czech crystals. 2 1/2" chain extender for
adjustable length. Signature spring clasp closure. Part of the J.Crew
Collection. Import. Length: 22".

This necklace retails for a whopping $175, and is available in metallic rose (above) and fresh mint (below).

This necklace is totally not for me. If I had to pick one, I'd say I prefer the fresh mint color, but I cannot see myself wearing it at all. It looks like it might be heavy, although J.Crew notes that it "moves" and "sits on the neckline" well. For my personal tastes, I can't even think of any time I would ever wear a necklace like this.

What about you? What do you think of this necklace? Do you like it? Do you think it is worth the price? Do you own it? And what would you pair this necklace with?

J.Crew: Jewelry and Free Shipping

J.Crew is currently promoting their jewelry collection, which starts at $55. I had wanted the stone bead necklaces shown, but the colors I like are currently out of stock. Do you own J.Crew jewelry? If so, which pieces?

J.Crew is also offering free shipping on orders of $195 or more. Use the code MUSTHAVE at checkout. There is no expiration date mentioned, but I saw a Google ad in my e-mail that said that this code was good through Thursday, so tomorrow, March 26. I don't know how reliable that is though.

A Worthy Substitute: The Limited for J.Crew

Hopefully at this point you are not tired of seeing worthy substitutes for J.Crew. To be honest, J.Crew is probably the brand that I regularly shop with the highest prices (Banana Republic comes close, but I usually shop the Outlet rather than retail), so I am most interested in finding good substitutes for J.Crew at the moment. But I am trying to find other substitutes, so keep checking back if you are tired of the J.Crew ones.

J.Crew has two practically-the-same necklaces. The Stone-Bead Ribbon Necklace (item #11488), which comes in a number of different colors, and Glass-Bead Ribbon Necklace (item #11487), which comes in black and grey shades. Both necklaces are $55, and are described as such:

Stone-Bead Ribbon Necklace
Brass and semiprecious stone beads. Length adjusts with 40" ribbon ties. Secured by little brass rings. No clasp. Import. Full necklace length 24".

Glass-Bead Ribbon Necklace
Brass and glass beads. Length adjusts with 40" ribbon ties. Secured by little brass rings. No clasp. Import. Full necklace length: 24".

I have this necklace in a dark grey color, and had my eye on a couple other colors, as well (although one of them is no longer available). I think it is a nice piece, and definitely not has heavy as I thought it would be. I think it works best to dress up a simple outfit.

The Limited has a necklace they call Burnished Beads on Ribbon Necklace (item #1486692), and it retails for $29.50. It is described as such:

Like sand-scuffed pebbles, our silver beads have rounded edges. Strung on a grosgrain ribbon, they create a sophisticated, muted monochrome look. Lobster claw clasp.

It's not an exact match, but I think it is close. I have not seen this necklace in person, but the stones seem less delicate than J.Crew's (even though J.Crew's is probably heavier), and I think the necklace has a slightly different vibe, owing to the larger, flatter, more trapezoidal shapes, as well as the burnished look of the stones.

What do you think? Would you wear this necklace? Do you think this necklace could be a worthy substitute for J.Crew's?

A Worthy Substitue: American Eagle for J.Crew

J.Crew is currently selling a gorgeous Fireball-Charm Necklace (item #14649) for $55. J.Crew describes the necklace as such:

We love the way the charm sparkles. Set on a shiny 12K gold-plated brass chain, it boasts brilliant hand-set Czech-glass rhinestones on a brass fireball. Lovely alone or layered. Signature spring clasp closure. Import. Length: 31".

I really like this necklace, but I do not wear a lot of jewelry, and couldn't justify spending so much on this piece, even if it is very pretty.

I did, however, find the necklace below at American Eagle today, while browsing their sales. I don't have a lot of details, but I think that this necklace provides a very worthy substitute to J.Crew's. I believe it is even called Fireball necklace, because the matching earrings are called Fireball earrings. Sadly, I could not find the necklace online.

The detailing is not as intricate as J.Crew's - the faux pearls are a lot bigger, and raised silver bumps are used for shine instead of rhinestones. The chain length is fairly long (drops below the bust), but does not appear to be as long as J.Crew's. For just $15.50 though, I think this is a great buy!


Do you like this necklace? (If so, keep your eyes open for a future Monday giveaway!) Do you think it is a worthy substitute for J.Crew's Fireball-Charm necklace?