JCrew Collection Harris tweed topcoat

Sizing: TTS but you can also go down a size. I got one in 00 (one size down) and one in 0 (my usual size before oversized garments came into being). 

Pros: gorgeous wool, beautiful in the red. The buttons are domed, which I love. Warm.

Cons: this topcoat, like all the others made this year, has a shape which always makes me think: "bole". As in the bole of a tree. It is the strangest shape, widening exactly at the hips where no woman wants widening. Also, these are cut long. I will have to take off at least 3" at the bottom to make them truly stylish for myself.

Verdict: I love the quality and will keep these if my budget can allow it.

The bole shape.

Domed button

Calf hair oxfords

Sizing: these are TTS. If you wear them without socks a half size down will also work well. Online reviews said they were huge, so I ordered with an assurance of returning one size. I put the size 6 sole-to-sole with my 2013 monk strap oxfords  in size 6, and found them to be identical.

These shoes are well-made. Some pairs in calf hair inevitably don't match right - that's a pet peeve for me. That was the case with the 5.5, where one foot was darker and the pattern was off. The six is perfect. They are beautiful and don't feel OTT to me. I think they're keepers - but I do have a gazillion calf hair shoes.

The 5.5 size is pictured here, with the slight differences in shade and pattern

I think the shading is like what's pictured in the Xmas catalogue though.

The two-coloured pair

Collection cropped wide legged trouser in wool

This was featured in the look book, but was sold out on preorder, apparently. A 00 popped back in maroon and I went for it. Also the blue, in a 0. 

Sizing: TTS, in your regular JCrew pants size. For me, that is the 00. I can't make the 0 work.

Pros: Excellent quality upper woolen fabric. Great cut. Crisp. I don't know if it elongates as they claim, but it's a fun piece and I can picture wearing it, even in the winter. 

Cons: poly lining that swishes *very loudly* when you walk. I would feel quite self conscious. 

Verdict: my old self would have gleefully added it to my wardrobe. But my bankrupt self is not sure that it will get any wear beyond once or twice. I hated my 1990s culottes  look ( granted, I had worse shoes), and I wonder if I'll be making the same mistake again ( in the same colour!)

Also, let it be noted that those who throw things into a pile and return items all crumpled up do us all a huge disrespect. The blue pair has a very visible double crease on each pants leg. All wrinkled up too. Very disappointing.

BLUE: too big.

THE DOUBLE CREASE DOWN THE FRONT.

Found this inspiration pic from last year in my photos: even the text readslike what the CWS wrote...

 

Blogger gripes...

Just noticed that my blog was doing that irritating thing of not expanding my photos when you click on them ... Instead, a superimposed black window opens with the photo in it, but it's extremely hard to close on a mobile device, the blog scrolls under it and if you touch the photo, it aggravatingly goes to the next photo with no easy way back. And all you wanted to do was eyeball the first photo closely and admire the intricate detail featured.

So, I went into the dashboard, clicked on settings, and selected "NO" for " showcase photos in lightbox" .

For all my blogger readers, I beseech you, please turn off that feature,if you haven't already ... for all the reasons mentioned above. 

Peace out.

JCrew Collection Italian Wool Jumpsuit, #b6087

Sizing: TTS. I took a 00 in regular sizing. I'm still curious as to how the shorter proportions might have looked on me and am stalking the P2 - it's been 2.5 months; should be any day now. ;)

Pros: the wool is thick woollen fabric with good drape; the type of fabric you'd expect nice suits to be made of. The tie at the waist is a plus. For me, I like the design and the fabric, especially the full sleeves and plain neckline because I intend to layer it with turtlenecks too. You could layer it with an oxford shirt (though the inevitable wrinkling of cotton underneath would be distracting). Pockets!

Cons:the inseam is long on me, being 

5, 2.5".  I also don't like the feeling of vulnerability at the waistline because if the lack of loose drapeyness. I make it work by pulling the pants up and giving myself a big of coverage there. Otherwise, it feels kind of naked there, to wear it straight and simple like the catalogue model does.

Wearing with Coach shoes try-on.

Feeling exposed and a little Top Gun. No "coverage" at the waist.

Le derrière.

A little more "coverage" at the midsection.

Reid jeans in macaye wash & dolman sweater with rib trim

JEANS

Sizing: as perfect as the Reid jeans were, you knew JCrew would do smth to mess things up: the inseam on regular sizes, ridiculous at 32", standard, sometimes even 33"!!

I have decided for a while now that I really don't agree with nor will put up with jeans hemming. If the inseam is wrong, they go back. 

The trouble with petite sizing is that they make the rise small, which defies my comprehension. On me, that is a complete disaster. With hesitation, then, I ordered petite sizing. Next came the question of whether to do one size bigger in the petite, which used to be the old guideline. For instance, if you wear a regular 0, then you would get a P2 in the days of yore. But, I took my regular waist size in the petite here too: I wear a 24R in jeans (as of late), and the 24P worked in these. 

Pros: well fitted, well cut, straight leg (I love that look), nice wash. Good stretch, though not overly soft material.

Cons: the distressing feels contrived to me. I don't know if it works for me. The button at the waist was too big for the buttonhole and I had a very hard time opening it.

Verdict: conflicted. Your opinion would be helpful.

DOLMAN SWEATER

sizing: this is very oversized. I ordered a regular XXS and you can see that it's still ridiculous. If you're petite, you will definitely need to use petite sizing. In regular you can size down up to two sizes.

Pros: good knit, soft, silky, warm, merino. Nice crew neck; Rib trim at the neck is wide, which I like.

Cons: terrible fit. This is supposed to be a swingy sweater I think, which Is not new at this point. The dolman sleeves were nothing special. I think the medium didn't really make the sleeves special.

Verdict: total disaster. Total return.

See how long the sleeves are on me.

Very swingy in the back

Higher rise, though not high-rise, is one of the design points of the Reid jeans.

The disaster of the sweater is more apparent in camel.

That's the lilac collection wool top layered under. Review coming up soon.

Thoughts on jeans?

Nike Blazer Mid Vintage Sneakers, deep burgundy

Sizing: I think these run true to size to a half size large. I ordered a 5.5 only bc of other reviewers, but I could have gone with and been happy with a 6.

Pros: leather upper; retro vibe; stylish; comfortable; leg- elongating

Cons: these are high top lace ups - if you've got kids you might get frustrated with yourself for putting fashion before getting to places on time.

Verdict: overall, I love them.

The other things I'm wearing are also try-ons. Reviews coming up!