Tory Burch Riding Boots, J.Crew Gallery Tees, Lace Peplum Top and Sparkly Things

Happy New Year!  I've been very, very behind with blogging and pictures.

Here are some of the favorite things I'm wearing now and/or recent holiday gifts.

I am obsessed with Tory Burch boots lately.  In November, I got a pair of Bristol Riding boots in coconut.  They look great with jeans, leggings, pencil skirts - you name it.  I wanted a pair of black boots as well.  I tried the Tory Burch Kiernan Riding Boot in Black (see side by side below with my Bristol).  I didn't think I should get two pair so soon, but really wanted them.


Luckily, I got the the for Christmas!   Now my Bristol boots have a new friend!

I love the gift boxes and bags from Tory Burch:

I love them both so much.  I can't decide which ones I love more.  I think it depends on the day and outfit!

Tory Burch Kiernan Riding Boot

Tory Burch Bristol Riding Boot

The Bristol Riding boots look great with the J.Crew Schoolboy Blazer Beaded Tweed.  This is my favorite blazer.  I love at the tweed and collar.

Speaking of J.Crew, I got the Lace Peplum Top and love it.  I copied this look for New Year's Eve at the Space Needle with the top, black minnies (substituted the flates with my Black Tory Burch Kiernan Riding boots):

I'm also a fan of the new gallery tees from J.Crew.

I got the Hugo Guinness for J.Crew "Blah Blah Blah" Linen Tee.  I wore mine like Nicky Hilton did below.  I paired it with j.crew black minnies and flats.

I love this tee. I paired it with a a cashmere cardigan and J.Crew cerise bouquet-dot wool scarf.

I also got the J.Crew Hello Tee.  I haven't wore it yet and need to come up with some ideas for it.

J.Crew Hello Tee

Did you take advantage of any of the after Christmas sales?  I did and got the Darby glitter loafers.  I got them 40% off at $39.99.  I love some good sparkle.  Plus, these are super comfy.  I love these shoes.  I try to find any excuse to wear them, including less practical ones like walking the dog.

J.Crew Glitter Darby Loafers 

Speaking of sparkly things, I got the J.Crew Pear Bracelet on sale for $24.99.  I love this bracelet.

J.Crew Pear Bracelet

This bracelet is so much fun.  I have it on with the OPI color Honk if You Love OPI, which is more dark purple, but darker than I normally wear.

What are some of your favorite things?

J.Crew June Collection Rollout, Punk Floral Swoop Dress, Mari Sandals and Lululemon

Summer is around the corner.  Seattle had some warm weather lately (80 degrees!) and I was excited to wear some summer things early.  Another sign of summer is the J.Crew June rollout is coming out! I received an invitation from my very Personal Stylist at J.Crew regarding an upcoming "story party from the company” from the June Colllection.  She also shared some new images with me.  Here is a sneak peak of the June Collection:

What do you think of June Collection sneak peak?

Here's another summer look I love.  This came out in the recent email ads.  I love the white paired with the panama hat:

All of this excitement about summer made me crazy from the heat and purchase something outside of my comfort zone.  It's the Swoop Dress in Punk Floral, already sold out (I got this at the Seattle Pacific Place J.Crew store).  The dress silk, shorter than I normally purchase and cutout in the back - not my usual style, but I fell in love with this dress.  It fits true to size.   I plan to wear it on vacation next month when we go to Maui.





In real life

I paired them with the new J.Crew Mari Sandals in shocking pink.  I love the neon pink.  These are so much fun if you like bright, bold colors.  I fell in love with these shoes.  They are so much fun.  They are also much easier to walk in than expected.

Here they are in real life:

I've been all about color lately.  Even for workout clothes, I've tried to add some color to my basic gear.  I bought the Lululemon Scoop Me Up Tank  in power purple.  I've been doing yoga, sculpt class and meeting with a trainer at the gym.  I am motivated to work out and fun workout gear makes it bright and energetic! 

What are you looking forward to in the summer months?

  

J.Crew Spring 2013 Purchases

I fell in love with the J.Crew Crystal Drops Necklace ($148.00, item #01661) when the

style guide with jewelry came out in April.  I usually go for brighter colors, but this is so beautiful and different.  When the 25% off the entire website promotion happened last week (30% for cardholders), I decided to get it at $118. (Oh J.Crew!  You know I can't resist a good sale.)

According to J.Crew, this necklace is described as “a '60s-inspired piece dripping with geometric glass gems and translucent faceted resin. The mix of powdery pale hues and pops of neon gives it a fresh feeling (and the interplay between the palettes makes the entire piece more vibrant).”

I love the way the necklace pops on white.  The colors are so pretty.  It also looks good with denim and chambray (makes the blue stones stand out).  I'd keep it simple to make the necklace pop, with a plain tee and denim jacket, simple neckline or chambray shirt.  

J.Crew Keeper Chambray Shirt
J.Crew Perfect Fit Scoop Neck Tee
J.Crew Pencil Shirt
Michele Diamond Deco Watch
Cole Haan Sandals

The length is 20 inches 4 inch extender chain for adjustable length.  I like this better than the bubble necklace length because you have more options to make  shorter it or drop it down depending on what you wear (so that it doesn't dip in the valley, if you know what I mean).

Here it is close up (the flash made the neon green stones look yellow, but they are more neon green):



I paired it with the J.Crew Collection featherweight cashmere cardigan item 23241 in neon lime (it was $188 now $168 on the website.  I got it in store for $49 after final sale and 30% cardholder discounts).  This is fun color and the lightweight material will be great for Spring/Summer months. 

 

Speaking of fun, I also bought the Darby Printed Loafers  in leopard white canvas ($168.00 item #42185).  I've also heard them referred to as "smoking slippers" which reminds me of something Snoop Dog or Hugh Hefner would wear!  They are super comfortable and true to size.   Here's what the J.Crew website says about them:

Our designer was inspired by a gentlemen's formal dress slipper when creating these sleek, wear-with-all ladylike slip-ons. Crafted in new must-have prints, they're the perfect way to add a little elegant edge to any ensemble.  Fit true to size; interior wedge adds a little height and comfort.  Cotton upper.  Leather lining and sole.  Made in Italy.



Darby Printed Loafers

Here's what I say:  I love, love, love my Darby loafers (and the whole look below from the J.Crew April Style Guide for that matter!).  This is an anomaly for me.  I rarely buy flats since My husband has aversion to women in flats (he sees it as sweatpants in public - like you've given up!) but these were too cute to pass up.  I want to copy the look with the model below:

 

Here they are in real life:

 

J.Crew 1035 jacket in superfine cotton
J.Crew Painter Boatneck Tee
Paige Jimmy Jimmy Skinny Jeans
J.Crew Bubble Necklace
J.Crew Golden Cabochon bracelet
Michele Diamond Deco Watch
J.Crew Printed Darby Loafers





How was your week?

Spring Forward: Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Neverfull, J.Crew Cashmere Cardigan and Blythe Blouse

I appreciate handbags (hence the blog name) and have a closet full of bags in various shapes, colors, textures.   Although I didn't need a new one, but I really wanted a new one for Spring.  I went to The Shops at the Bravern with a friend.  We had a spa and shopping day, so I must have been giddy from all of the goodness.  After a trip to Louis Vuitton,  I ended up buying Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Canvas Neverfull MM.   (There is also a video showing the bag in different colors if you are interested).

The bag can be worn full and boxy like above or cinched in (real life pictures below):

J.Crew Leopard Watch
J.Crew Factory Sweatshirt
Michele Diamond Deco Watch

In addition to my new bag, I got some new noteworthy items for spring.  I bought the J.Crew  Collection Featherweight Cashmere Cardigan that I blogged about last time (the one that Michelle Obama wore on Jimmy Fallon).  The sweater is lightweight and perfect for Spring and Summer months.  It fits true to size.

I paired it with the J.Crew Ponte Peplum Top which fits true to size, AG Jeans Tomboy Jeans (I love these and they are super comfortable) and Tory Burch Amanda Pumps in navy. (The pictures below look super bright with flash). 

Another recent happy purchase the J.Crew Blythe Blouse in Polka Dot.  This blouse works well with so many different items in my closet.  I paired it with Paige Jimmy Jimmy Skinny jeans (my new favorite jeans) and a J.Crew Factory Merino Long Cardigan below, but it also works well with pencil skirts, blazers, etc.

J.Crew Factory Merino Wool Cardigan, Paige Jimmy Jimmy Skinny Jeans, Tory Burch Amanda Wedges

 

Have you ever stumbled across items in stores you already have for new ideas? Last week in J.Crew my husband I walked past a display that had two of the shirts I already own paired together (the J.Crew Chambray Shirt, reviewed here, the J.Crew Reverse-jacquard stripe popover and my Double Crystal Brulee Necklace.  He said:  "Hey, you should try those together!" and showed me the display.  I wouldn't have ever thought to team these up together:

 



How was your week?