Tag Archives: J.Crew

I don’t like to save…

Because I enjoy spending money far too much! My parents and husband will confirm it! Thank goodness I still work and earn my way…Ok so now I’ve set it up I will tell you about a couple of things that happened this week…

First these arrived.

Chloes 1 ChloesBoots – Chloé Susanna // Trousers – Zara // Top – AllSaints (use EXTRA20 for 20% extra off sale) // Jacket – Mango // Bag – McQ Alexander McQueen // Sunglasses – Chanel

I was nervous as hell waiting for them as all the reviews said to size down in the Chloé Susannas, then more recent reviews said stay true to size. I knew I really wanted navy – different from black, yet still versatile. The blue on NAP have all sold out (though the merlot are lovely). Then I found one pair left at ShoeScribe.com (owned by NAP – or the other way around?). Only ShoeScribe.com only had whole sizes. I took a chance and ordered the last pair of 39s. Now sizing charts are different EVERYWHERE. It drives me bonkers. Plus there is the Fr 39 and the IT 39 which is apparently different too! I am normally a US 8.5 but I have a pair of Sam Edelman boots labelled US 8.5 and Eur 40!? So as you can imagine I was uncertain as to whether the 39s I ordered would be like boats, or if they would screw my toes up. Fortunately neither – they are perfect! I do have wide feet though so maybe that helps them fit more snuggly as the ankle is quite wide/loose on them and I’ve heard if you have a narrow foot the heel can slip. Anyway after a week of debate and umming and ahhing – even packing them back in the box to return them – I decided it was destiny – and they are here to stay! I’m pretty thrilled with them, if skint for a while!

Ok now these don’t seem nearly as extravagant in comparison as I got 25% off too with the Saks Friends and Family event last week. My new Prada sunglasses.

Pradas

I love them – I’ve coveted them for a while especially as these have plain arms as I am not a fan of the art deco swirly ones that seem to be ubiquitous here in Atlanta.

So I am a very happy girl. Now I just have to scrape some pennies together for my husband’s birthday next week 😉 (Joking darling – it’s all taken care of…xx).

As for today I headed to our local craft store. I am NOT crafty at all but once again this year our school project is to create a book character using a pumpkin. My challenge is to create The Highway Rat, my son’s favorite picture book – I have a mask at least! Wish me luck!

Project

highway rat

As I had to drive by the mall on the way home I nipped in for a browse. There are lots of sales on right now! I haven’t ventured in a Banana Republic since my corporate days but our Lenox Mall one has recently had a refit so I popped in for a gander. I absolutely fell in love with this cardigan/cape!

BR cape

In store they are just $58 reduced from $98 but they are here online too. The khaki is lovely in real life. I opted for a M/L for an oversize fit.

black BR green BR

As always here are a couple of outfits from throughout the week…

AllSaintsSweatshirt – AllSaints (old) // Top – AllSaints (EXTRA20 for 20% off sale) // Jeans – J.Crew (SALETREAT for 25% off full price and 40% off final sale prices) // Sneakers – Golden Goose

IM sneakersTop – AllSaints (EXTRA20 for 20% off final sale prices) // Sneakers – Isabel Marant (discounted at TheOutnet.com) // Jeans – J.Crew (SALETREAT for 25% off full price and 40% off final sale prices) // Jacket – Mango

So here’s hoping the crafting goes well – I have a Taylor Swift concert with Poppy to enjoy tomorrow night too!!! Now then, what to wear…?

I bloody love TheOutnet.com

I’ve recently purged a tonne of stuff from my closet – selling some and giving other stuff to charity. It’s been fun – my closet is clearer and my purse is fuller. I’ve come to realize that, maybe with age, my tastes are changing. I am no longer tempted by a ‘quick fix’ on the Zara website. Instead I am happier buying less, less often, but maybe at a slightly higher price point. Instead of writing a specific list of items on my wish list, I have created more generic themes, such as a long winter coat, dressy-going-out boots etc. I am then browsing TheOutnet.com periodically hoping to find the bargains of a lifetime, and do you know what? – It’s paying off!

Now a word of warning you do need to be picky and quite narrow in your searches. There is a lot of random stuff on TheOutnet.com. However, if you know which brands you love that makes it far easier to target a potential bargain.

In the past month I have struck gold twice! Recently I found one Helmut Lang coat just waiting for me at 60% off. This is a real classic coat with leather trims, and I am thrilled with it – far more so than I’d be with a couple of Zara coats!

Helmut Lang

As for the boots – again just one pair were left at 60% off – but how about these brown/khaki Isabel Marant Andrew boots. It had to be – one pair of FR 39 left with my name on them!

isabel-marant--andrew-calfskin-velvet-leather-boots-heel-boots-product-1-21730157-2-791303906-normal_large_flex

They are not on TheOutnet.com anymore but you can also find some sizes left on sale here.

Of course you will remember I always find fabulous sunglasses on sale too on TheOutnet.com, and this calf hair Alexander Wang Rockie is beautiful with 55% off!

Rockie 2

So there we are – my new approach to shopping. I’m finding it thoroughly rewarding. Nothing like a bargain – if you stick to a budget of course! Now if I can just find the Chloé Susannas discounted 😉

As for recent outfits I’ve omitted a few rushing here and there, but here are a few recent ones I’ve enjoyed wearing!

allblackShoes – Adidas Superstar slip-on // Jeans – ASOS Thea (on sale) // Sweater – Everlane cashmere

camel_edited-1Shoes – Golden Goose // Trousers – Zara // Sweater – ASOS

R13Shoes – Golden Goose // Jeans – R13 (25% off at ShopBop.com) // Top – AllSaints (previous season sale) // Jacket – Regent Linen blazer J.Crew (now on sale)

 

Fall favorites

Fall in Atlanta is stunning and it has begun in earnest this week with cooler morning temperatures, clear skies, and warm sunny afternoons. It’s bliss! Still warm enough to get the legs out and yet cool enough for a jacket – my perfect combination!

allsaintsDress – AllSaints currently on sale // Shoes – Everlane Street Shoes // Jacket – J.Crew linen Regent blazer (select colors on sale) // Bag – H&M // Sunglasses – Oliver Peoples via TheOutnet.com

I recently received this dress and absolutely love it. I had my eye on it all summer but I had bought the longer Riviera dress instead. This one has pockets and a lovely drape at the front – I’m wearing a medium.

The sunglasses were an absolute bargain off TheOutnet.com – I LOVE Oliver Peoples and my prescription glasses are Oliver Peoples too. I find it hard to resist when I see a pair discounted. These are clear acetate with metal arms and a super fun way to add some interest to an outfit.

The Everlane Street Shoes are a great combination of shoe and skate shoe/sneaker. A little dressier for day to night, being leather. I took my usual US 8.5 and they are perfect and I have wide feet – so I wouldn’t advise sizing up as the website suggests.

While I’m here I’m still getting great Fall sale emails –

ShopBop.com have 25% off with INTHEFAMILY25 (certain exclusions apply)

Shoescribe.com have 30% off with FRIENDS15 (certain brands are excluded – damn those Chloé Susannas!)

Madewell have 40% off all final sale styles with EXTRA40

Enjoy!!

Fall break catch up!

I’m exhausted. Aren’t breaks supposed to be for relaxing and recharging? It was certainly a fun long weekend though. My FIL arrived from the UK on Thursday so it’s fun to have a house guest and the kids love having Grandpa here – especially when he arrives bearing gifts and pickled onion Monster Munch for me!

On Friday we took him out for lunch and I wore my new Zara pleather trousers for the first time. The Everlane Street Shoes rock and really helped me feel casual and comfy and not overdressed for a relaxed lunch.

zara leather leggingsShoes – Everlane leather street shoes // Trousers – Zara // Shirt – AllSaints (last season) // Jacket – J.Crew Regent linen blazer

On Saturday I had an opportunity to wear my new Madewell t-shirt.

Bon vivantBoots – Isabel Marant H&M // Jeans – Zara (old) // T-shirt – Madewell (on sale) // Jacket – J.Crew Regent linen blazer

Yesterday we headed to our friends’ house to celebrate their boys birthdays – October is a busy month for birthdays around here! It was great to get the OTK boots out for the the first time this year!

OTKBoots – Stuart Weitzman 5050s // Jeans – J.Crew // Tee – AllSaints Drake Dee top in current sale // Cardigan – Zara

Finally there have been a lot of sales over the Columbus weekend and I am still getting emails today. The one that caught my eye is the ShopBop.com 25% friends and family discount – use INTHEFAM25 – I am considering the R13 coated cross over jeans that Marlene wears so fabulously! The great thing about Shopbop.com is that you can use your Amazon Prime account for next day delivery!

 

Extra 30% off at Madewell Sale!

I’ve been stalking these t-shirts forever and even in the sale I was hesitant to order them but Madewell currently has an extra 30% off with code Extra30 so I took the plunge! I just love them and they will work perfectly under a blazer.

tout a fait bon vivant

For those of you who loved my dress – it may be too wet and cool to wear it now but I swear you won’t regret it come next summer! Get it now with an extra 30% off making it just $41.99 reduced from $168! – I have the medium which fits great.

tassel scarf dress

Last night my lovely UPS man arrived with my new Isabel Marant sneakers from TheOutnet.com – reduced from $720 to $288! I just love them. I have the Eur 39 and though they fit on the smaller side I would not recommend sizing up. They are super fun to wear and cheer me up no end in this crappy wet weather we’re having!

IM SNEAKERS

IM 2 Sneakers – Isabel Marant Wila // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – AllSaints

I’m definitely trying to keep the rest of the outfit simple while tuning into the pink and grey hues in the sneakers. There are some great Pinterest photos for inspiration on how to style them.

Wila 8 Wila 7 Wila 6 Wila 5 Wila 4 Wila 3 Wila 2 Wila 1

What do you think? A tad too eccentric, or timelessly cool?

 

Rain, rain go away…

I swear it has not stopped raining here for almost 5 days! We have a leak in our roof, the garden is a mud pit and the roads are slick. It’s perfect weather for sneakers!

On Friday I had a lovely lunch with a friend and then we grabbed the kids for a painting party after school. It was so much fun and a great way to keep them occupied in crappy weather. It took me back to my art classes in school (which I loathed) as we were painting still life – apples, sunflowers and cabbages! Did you ever do the shading exercise where you had to shade the light to shadow of an apple?

I kept my outfit pretty low key, but although it was casual it still felt fun with the Isabel Marant sweatshirt and Betty sneakers – both bargains from TheOutnet.com. I love these Betty sneakers – the leather is buttery soft and they feel both fun and unique. They have a low hidden wedge so give me a couple of extra inches in height too!

IM 1Sneakers – Étoile Isabel Marant Betty sneakers // Jeans – J.Crew vintage crops (reduced to $59.99 plus an extra 30% off today with code DAYONE) // Sweatshirt – Étoile Isabel Marant

After a weekend of watching football and vegging out, it’s back to work today and I decided to get a jacket on. I love mixing some casual sneakers with a smarter jacket. These sneakers are some of my favorites – the classic Air Max but in a fabulous tomato red color. Great for brightening up a dreary day!

Nike 2Sneakers – Nike Air Max (similar here) // Jeans – Zara (old) // Scarf – J.Crew // T-shirt – J.Crew // Jacket – J.Crew

So I’m off to build my ark!

 

A sneaker a day….

It’s late, I’m tired, I’ve had enough of 4th and 2nd grade homework but hey I have a glass of sauvignon blanc, the kids are in bed and tomorrow is another day! You’re still with me yes!?

So lots of sneaker posts recently and I have to say, as you have long known, I have a soft spot for great trainers – from ridiculously expensive (yeah, yeah I know….) to good old classics that are making a comeback. So this week I thought I would showcase some of my all time favorites!

Love them or loathe them you can’t go wrong with these on the streets kids!

It seems odd to say that these Isabel Marant sneakers are now old skool – but with so many copies hitting the high street over the past few years they definitely fell out of favor. However, I am a great believer in their longevity, and what comes around goes around. Believe me when I say these are a bargain not to be missed on TheOutnet.com and they will surely become collectors items. I for one love how functional and yet how completely outlandish they are! At $720 full price I couldn’t resist this discounted pair. If you want something more neutral call net-a-porter.com and ask them to reserve a pair of these for you when they are back in stock!

IM 1Top – AllSaints (20% off with code ENJOY) // Jeans – J.Crew // Sneakers – Isabel Marant // Bag – YSL

Today I wore my new Adidas Top Tens – I freakin’ love them. So cool, so retro and so comfy! They have nudged past my Airforce Ones. Sorry Nike.

Top ten 1Top – Madewell // Sneakers – Adidas // Jeans – J.Crew // Bag – YSL

Inflated high street or discounted designer?

I headed into H&M for a browse on Friday after seeing their new Studio line arrive online. I have to say I don’t really get it. I often see items from H&M on other blogs that grab my attention, and then when I see them in real life they seem overpriced for the quality – especially over here in dollars. Paying $200 for a coat from H&M is just something I would never consider. It got me thinking about several high street retailers who now offer ‘higher end’ lines – like Zara and their Studio range, and J.Crew with the Collection range. Their prices are inflated – in fact often extortionate in the case of J.Crew Collection. Personally I would much rather spend $200 on a heavily discounted piece of Isabel Marant on TheOutnet.com than in a high street store. How about you?

I did grab a couple of mohair knits from H&M that I am extremely happy with – very little, clothing wise, makes me happier than an oversize grey jumper! Sorry I can’t see it online but this is a small – it fits HUGE!

grey jumperThis khaki cardigan made me feel like a young student again so it came home with me too! It’s described as ‘yellow marl’ online but it is definitely green!

kahkiThese are a couple of items that I liked from the Studio line but still wouldn’t part with my hard earned cash for them.

This weekend bag is well made and large but $349!

IMG_5115I love the colors on this coat, but again I think it’s expensive for H&M at $199. Plus to those of us in the know it is easily recognizable as H&M.

IMG_5116Fall has arrived in Atlanta and we are enjoying amazing clear skies and sun. I’ve even had to dig the cardigans out this week for a couple of cold mornings.

blazerJacket – Linen regent blazer J.Crew // Jeans – J.Crew (25% off with SHOPNOW) // T-Shirt – ASOS // Shoes – Vince Nina // Bag – McQ (similar here)

If you are partial to a pair of snakeskin shoes I spotted these in H&M which are fab! (Can only see this version online)

shoes

camel cardiganShoes – TopShop Kaiser // Jeans – J.Crew // Top – Mango (similar here) // Cardigan – ASOS // Bag – Rocco (similar here)

kiwi blazerDress – AllSaints Pia (old similar here) // Sneakers – Golden Goose // Jacket – Linen Regent blazer J.Crew // Bag – H&M

What I’ve been wearing

The short week here has meant I’ve been a very bad blogger this week. So here I am sharing what I wore over the long weekend!

We went to the stables north of Atlanta on Sunday for our annual photos of the children. It’s beautiful up there and a lovely drive to escape from the city for a morning.

Horse parkJeans – J.Crew (similar here on sale) // Sneakers – Nike Air Max // T-shirt – J.Crew // Scarf – J.Crew (on sale plus an extra 25% off with LOVEFALL)

We headed out for a lovely lunch later that day so I used it as an excuse to throw on a long frock.

Splendid dressBag – Mango (similar here) // Dress – Splendid (similar jumpsuit here) // Jacket – J.Crew // Sandals – Ancient Greeks (discounted here)

Monday was spent in sweats at home. I cooked an amazing roast loin of pork and we had Sunday on a Monday – bliss.

Back to work called for a couple of comfortable dresses.

Mango dressBoots – Dicker Isabel Marant // Dress – Mango // Scarf – J.Crew (on sale with an extra 25% off with LOVEFALL)

ASOS dressDress – ASOS t-shirt dress (on sale and straight out of the packaging hence the creases!) // Sneakers – New Balance by J.Crew // Scarf – Boden (old – similar here on sale) // Bag – H&M

Thanks to all of you who provided input on the hair too the other day! I decided to keep growing it – at least for now!

Labor Weekend codes!

It’s always worth taking advantage of some Labor weekend sales/promo codes and here is a round up of the ones I am aware of!

American Apparel // up to 50% off select styles

Ann Taylor // 50% off select full price and all sale styles

Code: HAPPY50

Date: 9/3-9/6

Anthropologie // 30% off sale

Code: EXTRA30

ASOS // 10% off entire purchase including sale items

US – TREATYOSELF

UK – 10% off sale only using YAY10

Banana Republic // 40% off your entire purchase

Code: BRFALL

Ends: 9/8

BaubleBar // 50-60% off select styles

Date: Ends 9/7

Bloomingdales // save 20-70% on select items

Date: Through 9/7

Bluefly // over 5,000 styles up to 90% off

Brooks Brothers // up to 60% off clearance

Date: now – 9/7

Club Monaco // 40% off sale and clearance

Code: NOTOVERYET

Date: Ends 9/7

Gap // 40% off everything

Intermix // enjoy an extra 50% off all sale items for a total savings of up to 75% off

J.Crew Factory // 50% off everything

Date: Ends 9/7

J.Crew // 30% off your order of $125+

Code: GETSHOPPING

Date: Ends 9/9

JCPenney // 20% off with a JCPenney credit card

Date: now – 9/7

Kate Spade // 25% off all sale items

Code: Delight

Date: Through 9/7

L.K. Bennett // extra 40% off all sale styles

Code: LD40

Date: Ends 9/7

LOFT // 30% off fall arrivals plus and extra 50% off summer styles

Madewell // take 30% off fall essentials and an extra 30% off all sale styles

Date: Ends 9/7

Nordstrom // save up to 40% on sale items

Date: until 9/13

Old Navy // up to 60% off everything

Pottery Barn // 10% off 100$ or more 15% off $250 or more 20% off $500 or more 25 off $1000 or more

Code: SAVEMORE

Date: Ends 9/7

Pottery Barn Kids // 10% off 100$ or more 15% off $250 or more 20% off $500 or more 25 off $1000 or more

Code: SAVEMORE

Date: Ends 9/7

Code: WFLBEACH1

River Island // 25% off everything

Code: LABOR2515

Saks Fifth Avenue // up to 75% off the summer sunset sale

Date: Ends 9/7

Too Faced // summer lovin’ sale up to 71% off on all sale items

Date: Ends 9/7

UGG // 30% off all fall fashion

Victoria’s Secret // $15 off $100 order, $25 off $150 order, $50 off  $250 order

Code: fall 2015

West Elm // 10% off 100$ or more 15% off $250 or more 20% off $500 or more

Code: SAVEMORE

Date: Ends 9/7

The White Company // 20% off and free shipping

Code: 272AA

Phew! That lot should keep you busy! Meanwhile here I am wearing my ASOS Thea jeans which are just $20 in the sale and now you can get the extra 10% off! They have a great high rise and on me just skim the ankles.

ASOS jeans 1 ASOS jeans 2Jeans – Asos Thea // Top – Mango (similar here) // Sneakers – New Balance J.Crew // Bag – H&M (sold out online but a I’ve found a great selection of shopping baskets here)

While I’m raving about ASOS check out Becky’s new dungarees here! The white version is on sale for just $32 here and  I LOVE the khaki version – especially now I’ve seen the Pinterest images!

white

khaki

 

And these are Becky’s.

black dungarees

 

khaki 5 khaki 4 khaki 3 khaki 2 khaki 1

So I’ll love you and leave you for now – it’s blazing here so I may be living in this skirt over the weekend!

JCREW skirtSkirt – J.Crew sale (just $20 with the code GETSHOPPING) // T-shirt – Splendid // Shoes – Ancient Greeks

Oh and one more thing – I must share with the US folks – we can now get Caroline Hirons‘ magical potion, Pixi Glow Tonic, here online at Target! It’s fab – stock up!

glow