Tuesday, September 24, 2013

OOTD/Review: Floral Sweatshirt and Some Loafers.

First up is the ootd portion followed by a quickie review for the J. Crew Floral Sweatshirt and the Boden Heeled Loafer.

Day: Tuesday, September 24, 2013. (Today!)

Where: Bowling/Harris Teeter/School Pickup.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  When I wasn't working up a sweat bowling (I do, isn't that crazy?), I was so comfortable, even with all the thoughts of how itchy the sweatshirt was supposed to be because the jacquard floral has no lining on the inside of the sweatshirt.  I wore a cami, though, and I am sure that helped.

If I were to base my comfort solely on bowling, it would be a 2.5 max comfort since I did get hot real fast and it affected my score (sad sad face).

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I think I look cool, if a bit underdone.  I wish my hair could look like this all the time, but unfortunately it only happens the third day after I wash my hair, and I end up having to wash my hair on the fourth day.  I used to be a "wash hair everyday" kind of chick and then I realized my hair looks so much better if I give the shampoo/conditioner a couple of days off.

I think my Marc Jacobs (via Neiman Marcus collab with Target) clutch would make this outfit a bit more cool, though.

Anecdote from the Day:  Well you already read about my bowling, but since my son is teething, it is really hard to keep him happy and bowl at the same time.  The ladies that I bowl with are great and hold him a ton, but if you have kids, you get it, they sometimes just want momma and it doesn't matter if her frame is up.  :-P

Floral Sweatshirt.  This is an awesome little top that is a rarity anymore at J. Crew--something well made, very pretty and unique, and a pretty good price (well, relative to other J. Crew offerings, of course).  Add the 25% off everything deal at J. Crew last Wednesday when this pretty rolled out, I bit and haven't regretted it.

I bought the size small and thought briefly about the extra-small since many of my other J. Crew tops are extra-small.  I chose correctly since the fit is spot on with just enough ease for comfort (and it probably helps to keep the unlined jacquard from directly touching your skin as often).

(The lack of lining is probably why it is less expensive, btw.  The sweatshirt material is dead cheap at most fabric places, maybe a yard for $5 if you aren't buying in bulk.  The jacquard is likely far more expensive, and to line it would have easily added at least $20 for the extra material and labor needed.)

Heeled Loafer.  You have already seen these in this review when Boden first introduced them in early August, but since I had ordered the 40 and needed a 41 (well a 40.5 if only it existed!), I had to wait for the return process to happen and then the exchange to come through.  I wasn't even sure if the 41 would come since these shoes have been very good sellers, and at last check the 41 in the grey was all gone.

I sized up because the length on the 40 was too short, and the 41 is exactly the right length for my feet (I wear a 9.5 in J. Crew, fwiw).  Unfortunately the 40 fits better for width, and the 41 threatens to fall off.  I did manage to get an insert from Dr. Scholl's that is working, so that take cares of that, but it bugs me that Boden's shoes run so wide.  Of course I have *stupid* narrow feet, so this is probably less of a bother for most of you all out there.  :-)

 Detail of the very special jacquard on the front of the sweatshirt.

Detail of the loafers.

Okay, that's it!

There have been a handful of reviews for the sweatshirt, btw, including M and Rynetta.