J. Crew Drapey Tie-Shoulder Jumpsuit

Sale styles are currently an extra 30% off with code TAKE2030 at J. Crew and shipping is free on orders over $150 (or free on all orders for J. Crew cardholders).

While the extra discount pales in comparison to the extra 40% and 50% off promotions that we've come to expect from J. Crew, the items in the sale section have already been heavily discounted (up to 70% off before the additional discount), making this a very attractive sale.

Tulle Ball Skirt (more colorways here)

J. Crew Lightweight Wool Bow Sweater in Gauguin Orange

Just a short post today to highlight some great online sales. The J. Crew Bow Sweater I featured last week is now further discounted ($20.99 after discounts); the whole J.Crew sale section is an extra 40% off with code NEWCLOTHES. Other picks: Fringy Tweed Sheath Dress (seen here), Scalloped Skirt, Jackie Tie-neck Cardigan, Relaxed Wool Turtleneck Sweater, Suede Lace-up Flats, Classic Denim Jacket, and Quilted Lady Jacket in Stewart Plaid.

Emry Large Leather Tote

All sale styles are an extra 25% off at Michael Kors (prices as marked). This offer can be stacked with code GIFTING, for 25% off purchases over $250 or 30% off purchases over $300.

My picks: Cotton-Blend Cowlneck Poncho, Mini Camille Gold-Tone Watch, Susannah Large Quilted-Leather Tote, Portia Large Saffiano Leather Shoulder Bag, and Emry Extra-Large Leather Tote.

J. Crew Double-Cloth Lady Day Coat with Thinsulate

This is one of the best store-wide sales that I have seen this year at J.Crew. Use code SHOPMORE at checkout to take $25 off orders of $125, $75 off orders of $250, or $200 off orders over $500. This is the perfect time to pick up a new coat. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of J. Crew's colorful coats; shared here are some of my favorite styles.

A review of the J. Crew Toggle Cape is scheduled for next week, but I wanted to share a picture of it because the current promo (BESTDRESSED for 25% off) can be applied to it. I didn't find much of a difference fit-wise between sizes XXS/XS and S/M, and struggled with my decision (the smaller size looked better with longer bottoms, but the larger size worked well with skirts; I ended up keeping the XXS/XS). Having said this, I would advise that you size down if you are not especially tall (or large-chested).

I like this cape enough to have ordered it in "Heather Graphite" as well. At $148.50 (after the 25% discount), it is an incredible value.

The 25% off code BESTDRESSED works on all outerwear styles, including the Chateau Parka (see on me here), Icon Trench Coat in Wool Cashmere (reviewed here), Lady Day Coat with Gold Buttons (ordered and keeping), Majesty Peacoat (the original version has returned!) and Double-cloth Lady Day Coat.

Off the Shoulder Dress in Ratti Into the Wild Print

I decided to post separately about the J. Crew sale because I want to highlight some newly discounted styles, including the Fringy Tweed Jacket that I blogged about earlier in the week (now $59.99 with extra discounts; sizes are very limited, but it's worth bookmarking to check for popbacks, if you are interested).

Black Halo 3/4 Sleeve Jackie O Dress in Black

A quick sale update today. My favorite of the bunch is Amazon's sale on the Black Halo 3/4 Sleeve Jackie O Dress in Black; all sizes are 60% off. Read more reviews here, here, and here.

Trench Coat in Shirting Stripe

J. Crew final sale styles are an extra 60% off with code COOLSTYLES. I picked up the Leather Lace-up Ballet Flats in Midnight Poppy (sizes are extremely limited), which I've been eying for months.

The "Promotion Dress" which I mentioned is a dead ringer for the Black Halo Jackie O is 40% off with code COOLSTYLES.

Boy Shirt in Classic White

For those looking for a practical basic, these Garment-dyed Pocket T-Shirts are available in 20+ colors in a range of sizes.

More picks: Leather Enveloped Clutch, Elsie Gingham D'orsay Leather Pumps, Scalloped Carrie Cami, Laila Wedges in Suede, Denim Jacket in Calyer Wash, Leather Lace-up Ballet Flats, Mixed Plaid Scarf, and Boatneck T-Shirt in Stripe.

Also, Bloomingdale's "mystery deal" started yesterday so check your inbox for unique codes that will take an extra 20%, 25%, 30%, or 40% off select sale and clearance items. I ordered the Rebecca Minkoff Georgina Studded Gladiator Sandals (additional colorways here).

Chateau Trench Coat

Until 04/01/2016, take 25% off 1000 new arrivals, 30% off sale styles, and 50% off final sale styles with code SHOPNOW.

Aran Crags Wool Cable Turtleneck Sweater

J. Crew sale styles are an extra 40%-50% off with code SALETIME until February 26, 2016. Shipping is free on orders over $150.
 
As a stripe fanatic, I couldn't resist getting the Colorful Striped Boatneck T-shirt, Multistripe Painter T-shirt, and Striped Ponte Sweatshirt for a song.

J. Crew's sale section just received a massive update. Take 40% off sale styles with code SHOPNOW (final sale styles are an additional 50% off).

Retailers that rely on strong outerwear sales to turn profitable are struggling as an unseasonably warm December slows coat sales. J. Crew was highlighted in this New York Times report as one company that could be badly hit if sales do not pick up.

All of this spells great deals for shoppers; I am banking on more harsh winters in my future so have been making outerwear purchases as prices continue to drop.

The updated J. Crew Stadium-cloth Majesty Peacoat that I reviewed here is now on sale for $74.99 with code SHOPNOW in all colors (petite sizes only). Sizes are still aplenty in all colors and there is no minimum for free shipping through Christmas.

Please note that this is a final sale style.

Happy shopping!

Yet another color—Vintage Sky—of the J. Crew Chateau Parka has gone on sale. With code SHOPNOW, the coat is now $173.99. Sizes are still somewhat complete at the time of this post.

It's outerwear review season again!

First up is the J. Crew Chateau Parka, which sold like hotcakes last year and has been brought back in eleven (!!!) colors this year. The navy pictured here is from 2014 and is, surprisingly, not a color that is available this year.

Take 25% off your total purchase at J. Crew with code NEWSTYLE or 30% off with code CARDTREAT for cardmembers.

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I continued my pants search with a massive J. Crew order. J. Crew suits are a staple in many professional women's closets and I would be remiss if I didn't fully explore this option.

Overall, I was very pleased with the spectrum of fit available at J. Crew. I think women of very different shapes and sizes can all find pants there. I thought prices were on the higher end for basic, unlined pants but with the right discount I might just cut this search short and reorder some of these styles.

Style: Stovepipe Trouser in Stretch Wool (also available in Wool Flannel)
Color: Black/Navy/Heather Flannel
Fabric: 96% wool, 4% spandex. Unlined.
Fit: Best for those with a straighter shape and slim legs.
Care: Dry clean only

The Stovepipe Trousers would be perfect for someone with straight legs. Because my calves are bulky, the shape of these pants looked distorted on me.

Stovepipe Trouser in Stretch Wool | 00P | Navy Waist: 13.25" | Hip: 17.25" | Length: 37.5" | Inseam: 28.5"

Style: Café Trouser in Cotton
Color: Black/Navy/Desert
Fabric: 98% cotton, 2% spandex; unlined; wrinkle-prone; pockets
Fit: Best for someone with muscular/thicker legs and proportionately smaller waist.
Care: Dry clean only

The Cafe Trouser in Cotton were my second favorite style from this order (after the 1035 Trouser in Super 120s). The stiffer cotton blend gave these pants more structure than soft wool or stretchy ponte.

Café Trouser in Cotton | 00P | Desert Waist: 14" | Hip: 17" | Length: 37.5" | Inseam: 31"

One of J. Crew's featured prints and heavy-hitters this spring is a print by the name of punk floral. I couldn't bring myself to pay $398 for pajama bottoms (which, admittedly, could look amazing on someone with longer gams), the swimwear didn't really speak to me (one-piece, halter one-piece, triangle top, hipster bottom, bikini bottom, and rash guard), the dress, blouse, sweater, skirt (truly pretty) and top all sold out before I had a chance to struggle with a decision, so I went with the obvious choice: a scarf.

Scarves in fun prints are a safe bet. While I've purposefully added prints to my closet in the last few years, the overwhelming majority of my clothes are still solid colors. Scarves allow me to consider my wardrobe in new ways and expel the humdrum that I sometimes feel about a closet of relatively conservative choices.

Burberry London Mottram Trench (also here and here) | J. Crew Printed Linen Scarf in Emerald Pool | Marc by Marc Jacobs Rose Gold Watch | Forever 21 Rhinestoned Flower Bracelet (similar) | CherryKoko Dress (similar) | J. Crew Tote | Zara Basic Court Shoes

I figure I would get this post up while sizes for both coats are still aplenty on the J. Crew website. I want to show how these coats fit me as I know some of you can gauge your size relative to how things fit me.

I also want to show how the Double-cloth Lady Day Coat has changed (or, rather, how it hasn't) over the last few years.

2012 Black 00P | 2012 Fuchsia 00P | 2011 Green 00P | 2010 Taupe 0P

The 2012 version isn't vastly different from the 2011 one. I think it runs slightly slimmer in the torso and in the arms but the differences are not exactly measurable. Certainly, if you are thinking about adding another Lady Day Coat to your collection, you should stick to your size from 2011.

Vintage Berry from 2012; Oasis Green from 2011; and Warm Taupe from 2010

2010 version in 0P/Warm Taupe:
2011 rendition in 00P/Oasis Green:
00P/Vintage Berry from 2012:

waist: 13.8"; bust: 16"; sleeves: 21.8"; length: 34.5"; waistband 1.8", shoulder: 13.8"

Another J. Crew style that I get quite a bit of queries about is the Double-cloth Funnel Coat. When I first evaluated the fit of the coat from looking at myself in the mirror, I thought the 00P was a passable fit. However, upon further scrutiny I've decided that I would be better served by going up a size due to the shrunken length of the sleeves and the placement and size of the waistband. Unfortunately, I arrived at that conclusion far too late and by the time I had photos to better judge the coat the tags had already been ripped off.

waist: 14.5" ; sleeves: 21.7"; waistband: 2.8"; shoulders: 13.3"; bust: 16"; length: 34.5"

Thus, unless you are especially petite or have comparatively shorter arms, I would urge you to look into regular lengths (or possibly go up a size). The Funnel Coat also has slightly smaller shoulders compared to the Lady Day Coat so that's something else to take into consideration.
If you have other questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment. My blog inbox is flooded with spam so I haven't had the patience to weed through that mess and answer legitimate emails. My apologies if you've written in the last few weeks but have not yet received a response.

I wanted to share this sale even though at this point most of us should not be spending more money at J. Crew. There were quite a few markdowns on the website this morning so it's definitely worth it to get a price adjustment if your order hasn't shipped yet or if things on your wishlist are further marked down.

In addition to the new markdowns, take 30% off your entire purchase with code CELEBRATE and get free shipping on orders of $100+. Don't forget to use ebates for a 6% cashback. If you don't have an account and want to sign up for one, here's my referral link (you do not have to sign up using my link).

I have always been a fan of J. Crew coats and their vivid colors. All of the styles shown here are on sale online. Coats not shown here but are also on sale include the Wool-cashmere Peplum Coat, the Double-cloth Symphony Coat, the Collection Duffle Coat, the Bonded Sweater Coat and the Wintress Puffer. (if the link doesn't automatically direct you to a page with sale colors, you should perform a search)

Bow Coat | Duffle Coat | Lady Day Coat | Slim Trench Funnel Coat | Icon Trench in Wool-Cashmere | Metro Coat

One of the common complaints made about the J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer is its boxy fit, which in itself isn't a bad thing. However, for many of you I think ordering regular (if you are petite) or tall (if you are average height) lengths in a smaller size may be the solution.

I own last year's blazer in 00P (red) and this year's version in 00R (purple). The differences are not substantial but are enough to make a difference if fit issues for you are minor. The differences in shoulder (14.3" for 00P and 14.5" for 00R) and bust (16.5" for 00P and 16.8" for 00R) measurements are minuscule but the sleeve lengths (21.5" for 00P and 23" for 00R) and overall lengths (22.5 for 00P and 23.5 for 00R) are about an inch longer in the regular size.
00P (2011) vs 00R (2012)
My shape is naturally rectangular so boxy jackets have a way of accentuating my lack of curves. In this instance, I don't think the petite sized schoolboy blazer is a particularly serious offender but the regular sized version is a better fit.

J. Crew blazer, Forever 21 top + skirt, LOFT necklace, See by Chloe bag, and Miu Miu pumps

J. Crew blazer + skirt, Everly top, See by Chloe bag, and Via Spiga shoes

The Schoolboy Blazer in Wool Flannel (if the link doesn't lead you to the page with sale colors - which it should - you should look for the blazer in the sale section) is currently on sale in four fun colors for $119.99 plus 30% off (with code WISHLIST).