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Denim Jacket and Black & White Dress: F21

I promise this is my last short and sweet post with month-old pics! We just got home 2 days ago an re-adjusting to time and getting things back in order has proved to be more of a challenge and time-consuming than I planned ... what's new? So....

I found both of these pieces at my local F21 about 3 weeks ago and just fell in love with them. I've actually found a few jackets at F21 recently that were super-cute and actually fit better than many of the JC jackets out right now.

Jacket: F21
Dress: F21




There are even cute button and distressing details on the back!











The dress by itself





The jacket: $24.80 - This is now available in all sizes (S,M,L) online. There are several different styles/ washes (as is common with F21) but this is my favorite. I really wanted to get JC's jean jacket (retailing for $98) but this really fits the bill ... especially for how often I'll be wearing it (which, with the number of jackets I have, won't be very often!) Runs TTS - I purchased a Small.
The Dress: $22.80 (I think) - I'm not sure if this is available online right now, but it's been in at least 2 stores I visited recently. The dress fits and hangs very nicely, especially for the price, and I loved the classic black and white pattern! What sold me on it is the built-in soft cups in the bust, which means I don't have to wear a bra! That's a HUGE bonus in the sticky-hot summer of the midwest {woot!} The fabric also doesn't wrinkle easily AT ALL which makes this a great go-to travel dress! I feel like I'll probably wear this dress well into the fall, and maybe even with leggings. Runs TTS to a little large (if you are small chested like me!)



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Pansy Jaquard Dress - J. Crew

Let the social season begin. This pretty dress is party-perfect in a beautiful blend of wool, silk and nylon jacquard with metallic threads. Its strapless silhouette features a fitted bodice, with boning and elastic in back along the top edge to hold it up—so you won't have to. Straight skirt. Straight neckline. Empire waist. Back zip. Fully lined. Falls to knee; 24" from natural waist. Part of the J.Crew Collection. Import. Dry clean. Catalog/jcrew.com only. was $225.00 select colors $129.99 item 13239



There is a story to how I wound up buying this dress. I was shopping at my local J. Crew and one of the associates I like to work with had this dress on. She was going out with her husband after work that day and decided to with dress to work that day. It caught my eye immediately! I knew I had seen it online, but I did not realize how absolutely gorgeous the fabric was until I saw it in person.

Because it was an online / catalog only item, I rushed home to give the dress a second look online. At the time, the dress was still FP, but a lot of sizes were already sold out, sizes 0 and 2 included! Darn! But there was no way I would have spent FP on the dress anyway (with no real place to wear it!) so I just kind of wrote it off.

Then, it went on sale and I was able to order a size 2 that popped back! {Woot!} But, when the dress arrived, it was way too big at the top!! Not just 'didn't-fit-perfect big', but 'I-can-pull-the-dress-down-to-my-waist big'. I was crushed, and immediately planned to head to the local tailor I use to get the dress taken in.... because, of course, at that point, the dress was completely sold out!

Magically (OK, not magic, I set my alarm for 6 AM and then stalked the sale section update for about 30 minutes on a Saturday morning!!), about 2 days later, I was able to snag the dress in a 0!! {Double Woot!} and it fit perfectly!

The fabric is a perfect light weight for summer, while remaining substantial enough to be very dressy and classy. There is not too much metallic threading, but just enough to make the dress fun! The color is amazing! I wouldn't even call it pink (they do on the JC website) because there is a lot of orange in the background color... I guess kind of like a coral color. I'm never pulling and tugging at the top to get it to stay up because of the silicone strip around the neckline that holds the dress in place perfectly! I've gotten TONS of compliments on this dress ... and it really just makes me happy to look at it ... and especially happy when I wear it! This is an example of when you should definitely purchase a piece of clothing, no matter what it costs, if you feel like a million bucks when wearing it!

I didn't even think I needed this dress when I bought it, but I've already worn it twice to social events! That makes the purchase totally worth it in my book! Unfortunately, both places I wore it were at events with my husbands firm, so we didn't take any pictures! Crap! But I popped the dress back on today to take some shots! I will add shots of us actually out and about the next time I wear this beauty!




**Outfit Suggestions: I have paired this dress with the JC long pearl/ sparkle necklace I reviewed a couple of days ago in shell and JC Paige Chunky Sandals in Metallic Blush. I've also considered wearing the Target heels we all went crazy about a couple months ago in the light pink color! Gold sandals also look fantastic with this dress!
**Bottom Line: Hot summer cocktail dress!! A must-have for weddings and social events this summer! Runs a bit large, I would size down, especially if you are not large on top.




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Sue Wong Dress

Welcome to Day 2 of the shopping strike. I did not buy anything today {pat on the back} ... but I must admit that I did stalk the J. Crew update this morning and was online right when it hit... but nothing on my list of things that I am 'allowed' were available in my size, so it made it easy to pass.
Today I am highlighting one the the most expensive items I have ever purchased. A Sue Wong dress I wore for my rehearsal dinner almost 3 years ago. If I recall correctly, the retail price was about $350 and I bought it for FP at Von Maur.
Sue Wong - $350 - Von Maur
The back .... low cut!
When I first tried this dress on (like 3 years ago!) it seriously fit like a glove. All the other ladies trying on clothes in the dressing room at the time basically demanded I buy the dress because it was just so amazing. I probably went back to the store 2 or 3 times after that, trying on the dress and half-hoping they would sell the one in my size so I wouldn't HAVE to buy it.
Yeah right!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress. The feature that really sold me was the "dancey" look ... with my background in dance, I just thought the flouncy hem-line would be super-fun on the dance floor.
I'm not sure I have the confidence to wear this dress out again yet ... there are little ribbon and bead 3-D flowers on the lower abdomen area, which are not so great for hiding the post-baby pooch. But, my goal will be to wear this dress to a social event before getting pregnant again! When I do, I'll post the pics here. Until then, I leave you with the pics above (taken today) and the pics below (taken from our wedding weekend and honeymoon!).
On our honeymoon in Antigua

Rehearsal dinner after-part at Felt in 4th Street Live

**Bottom Line: This was a definite crazy-in-love, money-is-no-object purchase.... but I love it! TTS - bought a size 2.... this is a fitted style.

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