Collection cropped pant in silk shantung, french blue, 00; Natasha pump in haven blue

A double billing! 

Capri/cropped pants:

Pros: beautiful fabric; amazing sheen; cut relatively narrow; love the pintuck pleat on the front of the pant.

Cons: wrinkles heavily if you sit for a while wearing them (especially if you do any real life activity, like holding your baby). Wrinkles are all bunched on the thigh, near the crotch - the way they do for the lived in jeans look.

Sizing: TTS

Verdict: I adore the colour and the pintuck pleat. The pleat gives them a structure and crispness that's really lacking in the first couple of iterations they did in shantung pants. I have the original shantung pant in pink which lacks pintuck seams and I prefer what these do for me and my shape. (If you're looking for a brand new pair of the original pants in pink, drop me a line!)  I just love the line/silhouette they make. I kept them and wore them out on Friday night!

Natasha pump in haven blue:

Pros: beautiful leather; well stitched shoe; lovely lines.

Cons: ankle strap can work or not depending on your ankle!  They're a great deal right now on sale. Pain to get in and out of though.

Sizing: TTS

Verdict: conflicted. No doubt a great deal right now on sale.

Matte crepe tee, P2

I got the navy. The T-seam is barely noticeable, which I like.

Pros: great weight and drape; flowy version of the boxy wool silk twill top; not see through; key hold in back.

Cons: super itchy tag in back of neck. Dry clean, I think.

Sizing:TTS. I did get petite so it would be the correct length. Good call.

Verdict: love. Perfect for effortless dressing for work. Though it's cut like the boxy top, the fabric is drapey and makes the shirt flute a little at sleeves and hemline. I was very comfy in it. 

Fabric detail. Colour here is true to life.

Collection Wool Silk Twill Top

Pros: beautiful fabric; well cut; simple clean lines and perfect length; keyhole with self button in back of neck. Short sleeves have the perfect width. Lined!!

Cons: for some, the boxy shape may not work.

Sizing TTS

Verdict: j'adore! This is one of my personal classic silhouettes. I love everything about it.  I waited and waited for sale and finally lucked out and for both colours. Welcome home, my darlings. ;)

Lining.

Can someone please tell me how to do picture collages? If you could drop me a line, I would be most grateful!

Collection blouses: Satin stripe blouse.

Pros: boyfriend cut, great with jeans but also tuck able into work pants; two front pockets on chest; love the detail on the back of the band collar; I like graphic stripes.

Cons: the satin stripes give the blouse a borderline pillow cover vibe. I love the graphic pattern, but the satin stripes always make me think twice. The colour of the blouse is a yellowish cream. Sleeves are long on a petite person.

Sizing: I'd stick with my normal size, but if you wanted to size down for a form fitting look, you could get away with it.

Verdict: I like it, but it also feels flashy. I guess I don't love it enough to keep.

Trying the half tuck. Notice the creaminess of the blouse against white pants.

The boyfriend/tunic length of it is great.

Back of collar detail.

Pop back: Cafe Capri in Harris Tweed, 00, navy loden

Pros: very well cut; piped around waistband and pocket; fully lined; excellent material of course. The wool will be hard wearing, so it doesn't feel unsuitable for pants.

Cons: none that I can see! No Harris Tweed tag on the inside.

Sizing: TTS

 Verdict: the preciousness and bulkiness of the Harris tweed woollen cloth made the designers cut the pants as trimly as I wish all the cafe capris were. If I had my way the leg width would be a standardized thing. I will present the cafe Capri in misty fog floral silk to point out the difference below. I got these at a great price, finally, and the cut sealed the deal. Since the amazing houndstooth tweed woollen full length trousers are too big for me ( and currently for sale!) that I got last winter, I'm keeping these.

Front view: how cafe capris should look: pin straight front pleat, closely adhering leg opening, slim at the thighs and along the leg.

Side view: see the narrow leg opening and width along the leg throughout. Not too tight, not tragically wide. And correctly tapered towards the ankle.

No tapering in the misty fog floral cafe capri:

Collection wool-silk dress in windowpane floral, 0

Pros: beautiful fabric, pockets, sleeveless holes don't gape, hidden zipper in back, lined, bra keeps. Love the pattern in the front of the dress.

Cons: LOOOOONG!! The dress is midi length on a petite person.  The v-neck is a bit plunging, making it non-wearable for me. The v-neck basically aligns with a full cup bra. Pattern doesn't line up at side seams seamlessly. 

Sizing: TTS

Verdict: if you can hack the deep v neckline, you'll be happy. If you're petite, you need to have exactly the right shoe to make this work. I'd do a one inch wedge, with pointy toe. If you're tall, this dress is gorgeous and you'll rock it. I'm returning mine, which I'd planned on wearing with pants, as pictured.

Sale flag: the dress is 179.99 online, which is a good deal if you can get the right additional percentage off. The pants are 199.99 in the same fabric. The pants and shell are on sale too. I saw lots of shells in this fabric on sale in store this weekend.

Adore the fabric.

Look at the side stripe: ugh.

The Tippi cardigan in storm cloud matches perfectly, if you're looking at anything in the wool-silk rendition of this print.  

Wing tip oxfords, mushroom, size 6

Pros: beautiful leather; perfect menswear shape (slimmer than the metallic oxfords from fall 2013, but broader than the Camden oxfords of yore). 

Cons: leather will scratch relatively easily.

Sizing: TTS

Verdict: these are closer to a nude for me than the beige tone colour of the slip on oxfords. (See pictures for side by side comparison.) They sit low to the ground and are just quietly sophisticated. Menswear inspired indeed. Keep