Lands End Cotton Model Button Turtleneck (aka camel is not my colour...)

As I said in the last post, when I got back to my parents house for the holidays, I ended up with a ton of stuff that I had ordered. It actually felt a bit overwhelming and I think necessitates a shopping hiatus for a while...


But, one of the things I ordered was the Lands End Cotton Modal Button Turtleneck (available here in limited sizes and a similar style here in a full colour/size range). I couldn't resist...they were $14.99 and provided a great ride-along to some gifts I bought for Christmas. I got a black and a camel colour. 


This was supposed to be my alternative to the J. Crew Tissue Turtleneck - I wanted to be able to layer with this tee but also wear it on its own, and let's be honest...I have too many lumps and bumps in the tummy area to wear tissue tees on their own. The LE Button Turtleneck actually looks a lot like I would think the Woolly Ribbed Turtleneck looks like (that one is mostly sold out) but a tee knit, not a sweater knit.


Fit: I ordered a small and that is definitely the right size. The perfect size, actually. For example,  I'm normally a J. Crew 8 although I can often fit into 6's at other stores  for tops (i.e. Talbots). I think LE small is a 6-8, though, so it makes sense. Essentially, though, if you're smaller than a 4 - you're out as it only goes down to XS. Fit is great - it actually fits like it does on the model! Nice and fitted, nipped in the waist, hits at low hip, sleeves are form-fitting but not tight. Well-made, nice and thin knit (but not too thin - not going to get holes or anything) that's really stretchy and comfy!


Style: Some of the key features of this top are the button cuffs and the scrunch neck. In case you can't tell from the pic, there is a ruched neck which is nice (you don't have to fold it over). The buttons are less nice...I have to say they almost (but not quite) ruin the shirt. The black buttons aren't so bad, but they look a little cheesy on the camel. Other than that, though, its a great basic layering or just casual turtleneck tee!

 On a side note...as you can see from the pictures, camel is just NOT my colour unfortunately. Although the lighting here is very yellow, you can see in the bottom close-up shot what the true colour of the shirt is. What can I do to make this shirt better for me? Even layering a more flattering colour might not work given that the neck is right at my face...










Detail Shots:

This is the true camel colour

Black buttons

I'll be posting my J. Crew GIFTS promo photo reviews soon too - but just as a teaser...The highlight of the order was definitely the Factory Merino Boyfriend Sweatshirt (or as I explained it to my boyfriend - "the sweatershirt"). Solid Colours  and Stripes available in a full range of sizes on the J. Crew Factory Store Online for $49.50 and $59.50 respectively. I got a Mustard colour solid and the Ivory/Navy Stripe and I love them...well made (it seems), nice light merino wool (ivory is a titch sheer) with a flattering style. I missed the original Merino Boyfriend Sweatshirt so I'm glad I grabbed these up after seeing it all over the blogosphere...if you didn't grab any when they were retail, or like the idea of the stripes, take advantage of the 30% off factory right now! Or get into your Crewlet and see if you can find them cheaper than $50.



This pic is a little bit of the Ivory/Navy Stripe sweater plus my adorable Yorkshire Terrier. 


Did anyone see the Factory Merino Boyfriends IRL as compared to the Retail Merino Boyfriends? I'd love to know if they compare in your eyes...

Lands End Luxe Down Coat Review (and a few others!)

I received my coat a while ago, but I could not find my camera charger and then it was exams...so, here we are. The Luxe Down Coat has been getting a lot of wear from me lately given that it has been very cold here! 


I ship everything to my parents house (its a long story...but essentially my real apartment is the blackhole of shipping by courier. Not only do couriers not even try to knock on my door, instead of just leaving a shipping notice on my mailbox in another building, I don't have a car so it is impossible to get to the Purolator/UPS/whatever depot during the 9-5 hours they are open. I've had several things sent back and now I just ship to my parents) so, when I go home, it means that I get a pile up of awesome presents from myself! 


This time, I got two turtlenecks from LE and my GIFTS promo order. GIFTS reviews to come, but LE turtlenecks will be in the next post. 


The Details:


Lands End Luxe Down Coat (available here) - $179.50 (I paid just over $115 I think given that Lands End sales are easy to come by)


There are limited regular sizes/colours left at this point, but I would assume they will come back into stock at some point. It also comes in petite and plus. 

With belt tied and hood up

Fit: I got the Spice Brown in a medium (which is a 10-12). It is TTS if you consider the numeric sizing. While I wouldn't normally consider a medium a 10-12 (in my mind it's an 8-10 or even sometimes a 6-8), this is definitely a size 10-12. For me, my hips are often a 10 and this fits well/slightly loose in the hips and quite loose on the top, although the arms are comfortable. It's not too big, its just big enough to layer a sweater or hoodie and to move around. You don't want to look like you're poured into a winter coat right? My mom also ordered a LE Coat (the Chevron Down Coat) this winter. Her normal size is XS tops, or 4 petite. She ordered an XS petite (numerical size 2-4) and it fits well. 


Style: It's a nice coat. It gives me the feeling - although its entirely possible that feeling is just warmth! The only part of this coat that sucks is that I wanted grey but it sold out. The brown is a medium chocolate brown - the picture of the hood at the bottom of the page shows the colour most accurately. It has a slight sheen to the fabric. the belt cinches the coat nicely and adds a stylish touch and the fake fur hood is cute. I don't feel like I can't go out in this coat...in fact, I want to go out in it because its so warm. 

Side view

Quality: This coat is both incredibly warm (tested to -25 Celsius for me) and has a ton of well-made details that really speak to the quality. I've included some detail shots of the buttons, fleece cuffs and the hood but I'll talk about them for a minute. The cuffs are lined with tighter fleece cuffs - provides comfort and warmth. The pockets hit at the right height and they're lined with fleece and not zippered - again comfort and warmth. I hate brushing my wrists against zippers when my hands are in my pockets. The down seems quality and the whole coat is light but has a feel of good construction.

With belt removed

All in all - I'm a huge fan of this coat and can't believe I went so long in the frozen north without a down coat! Highly recommend Lands End service and quality!


















Detail Pics:

Fleece cuffs

Button detail

Hood/true colour

Favourite Gifts

Inspired by FFM's post here I decided to blog about a list of my favourite things/best gifts I ever received. 


1. J. Crew Cashmere Zip-up Hoodie (here)
I have the heather grey from last year - it was a Christmas gift from my lovely mother and it is absolutely my favourite item in my closet. I wear is as loungewear most of the time - the cashmere is gorgeously soft and I love grey. It's versatile, though since its a sweater rather than a sweatshirt, and I don't feel bad going out with it and my jeans. It's incredibly warm and snuggly, I even sleep in it when it's cold! My usual J. Crew medium is slouchy but a good fit, although I could have gotten a small.








2. L.L. Bean Boat Tote - Medium sized Open Top w/ Long Handles (here)
I don't remember if this was a gift from someone else or a gift to myself, but I have the red with the long handles. I love this bag. It fits a ton of stuff, it is incredibly sturdy and its cute (I have a monogram). It's great as a beach bag, gym bag, school bag in the medium size. The large with the zip top could be a weekender, and the small could be a lunch bag! I think this is a classic and at such a good price, you could use it to wrap a present for someone special!

3. Pearl Necklace
This again was a gift from my mother for university graduation perhaps? My strand is about 18" of Akoya pearls in your classic size (7mm?). I wear it constantly and anytime when I am channeling either a professional or preppy vibe. I was in a sorority and I think owning pearls was a requirement or something! I am looking to expand my collection and get a strand of black pearls as well as a rope length strand (that can be doubled/tripled/knotted) and maybe even some baroque pearls for when I'm feeling dangerous.




4. Stila Travel Palette (here) 
This was a gift to myself but its lovely and a great stocking stuffer price for any ladies in your life ($13 CAD). I have the "Make an Impression in Moscow" palette which includes pinky browns and a light blue with a pale cream blush/lipcolour. It looks good on my pale skin and I've always been impressed with the quality of Stila's palettes. 








5. Bath and Body Works Shower Gels (here)
Way before Bath and Body works came to Canada, 
I was given one of these as a gift from an American friend and I loved it. I know a lot of people can't wear perfume to work but a scented body wash is a great way to wake up in the morning, and they always have festive scents, which I get really in to!








6. Leather Jacket - I own a greige leather jacket from Danier Leather in a classic jacket style similar to this one
A birthday present from my SO, my jacket is one of my favourite items (I love wearing it with my grey cashmere hoodie on slummy days).  I think the loveliest presents are those that are classic, timeless items made with quality craftsmanship so they will last a long time. This jacket is well-made and timeless, I think, so that everytime I wear it, I think of the wonderful BF who bought it for me. 




7. Tassimo Home Brewing System (here)


This was a housewarming gift from my mother (again! she gives the best gifts - probably because I am her only child so I know she spends days and days finding lovelies for me). My tassimo is my favourite thing in the world and I could not live without it. If you are just one or two in your house who drink coffee, or even one who likes coffee, the other likes tea or a specialty drink, this is perfect for you. You buy discs, it reads the barcode and spits out your drink in about 30 seconds. I know there are various types of these systems out there but now Tassimo's are on the less expensive end. I find the selection of discs good and they are carried in Walmart and all major and minor grocery stores so it is easy to get - this is a huge factor. I do not want a special stop when I run out of coffee!

I can't find my camera charger!

I was hoping to post a long awaited review of my LE Luxe Down Coat but now that I've taken pictures, my camera charger is nowhere to be found, and the battery is absolutely dead. Long story, but my camera has to be on to upload pictures to my computer (because I also lost the little adapter to put the memory card into...). *sigh*


Hopefully it will miraculously appear soon. 


In the meantime, I thought I'd post an OOTD that is an absolute favourite of mine. I'm in law school so I often have occasions when its clear that a suit or anything that looks business-y is TOO much, but also when casual just doesn't mean jeans worn in a schlubby way. This is maybe a little too dressy for class, but I have worn it out to dinner, to casual (non-job) meetings with lawyers and professors. 


Components:
1. J. Crew Distressed Sailor Tee? It's a three-quarter sleeved loose-fitting tee with metallic gold stripes that are faded and distressed towards the bottom. I got a L on a promo this summer and I love this shirt! It has just enough sparkle for me, looks great with shorts, jeans, anything. 
2. J. Crew Wool Gabardine 2-button Suiting Jacket (here) in Black, size 8. I have the full 3 piece suit (it was the first suit I ever bought) and I like it a lot. It's a great lightweight interview suit that I know will last a long time. 
3. American Eagle straight fit jeans in some dark wash that I got on sale at the beginning of the skinny jean trend before I realize I liked skinnies (similar here). These straight jeans are nice, I have to say...they don't cling but they are tuckable!
4. Aldo Black Pumps (similar here and here - although I don't really recommend Aldo shoes for comfort. Cheapness yes, comfort no.)

J. Crew GIFTS Promo Haul

Procrastinating law school exams has not helped me stay away from blogs or from the J. Crew website. It definitely didn't help me resist the newest promo - 30% off $250 and free shipping! I got a great haul that I'm really excited about for $370 (taxes, duties all in) which is pretty amazing...it would be easy to drop that much in the mall, and this is for things I've really thought about wanting for a while. 

Without further ado...

1. Factory Merino Boyfriend Sweatershirt - I missed out on the merino boyfriend sweatshirt trend and then was jealous from all the blogs, I'm hoping the outlet version will be as nice. I got the Dijon Mustard colour (hoping it'll be like honey glaze) and the Ivory and Navy striped version. 

2. Dulphine Bling Button Cardigan - I got myself one in vivid poppy as I sadly do not have a red cardigan despite loving red and one for my mom as a small gift in black pine (I think she'll like the colour - she tends to go for grey and black and this might be a nice slightly different neutral alternative). She doesn't like heavy sweaters for work either since her workplace is always heated like crazy, and this should be a nice one for her. Bought her x-small and myself medium based on the reviews online. 

3. Dazzling Deer Art Tee - Got myself this in M. I just kept picturing myself wearing it at Christmas and I couldn't get the image out of my mind.

4. Cambridge Cable Shawl Collar Cardigan - Got myself a medium in Nightfall Blue, which looks like an absolutely gorgeous colour that'll be great with my winter colouring. I love cable knits and shawl collars so I know I'll love this baby. Price doesn't hurt either!

5. Stretch vintage Bootcut Cords - ordered a 31R in these, although I'm worried it might be a touch big. I am always questionable on J. Crew bottoms. But I saw these styled in a catalog somewhere or something and couldn't get over how great the colour was. 

6. Wool Bell Skirt - Got it in heather aluminum in a size 10...hoping this will allow me to wear at the hips for length if need be although I do not mind shorter skirts (my legs being my better features). I'm also hoping this won't turn out to be an orphan skirt, but rather something I am able to incorporate into my wardrobe more consistently.

7. Leopard Patent Belt - I'm very excited about this for $13.99! Thinking it will be great with the above skirt and a longer high waisted one I have in black. 

8. Some gifts for my SO who occasionally reads this so they will not be mentioned!