Anti-climactic New Arrivals @ JC B&M

I decided, after receiving an email from my PS, to go check out the new arrivals last night. A complete waste of time, IMO. I really tried hard to find something to try on to make the trip worth it, but the only thing I could find was the Zip Front dress. Looked cute on, but the seaming around the neck curve had odd puckers. For $88, and despite liking the fit, weight of the fabric and style, it was a pass. Here's a photo IRL: (still trying to get the hang of taking pictures of my outfits...) I should've snapped a close-up of the neck. It was like the fabric stretched but the thread used for the seam didn't. I guess you can sort of see it just to the left of my phone.
And here are my past few OOTD Ta-Dahs.

...for today:
I got a lot of compliments on this jacket. Could've just been from my smile from wearing the jacket. Outfit: Banana Republic jean skirt, frye boots, JC Oxford jacket, JC gray "England" Tee, dahlia belt.

...and here was my outfit yesterday:Outfit: JC gray stretch capris, JC gray silk cami, JC Berry Trim Astrid jacket, JC dahlia belt, Born flats.

But wait! My photography gets worse! Here is a botched school bathroom attempt from last week:What can I say?! It was the only mirror in school that would work. (I felt strangely sneaky going into the bathroom with my camera to take a picture of my outfit...)
Outfit: (All JC) Viridian green wool pencil skirt, gray cable cardigan, gray/white striped ruffle collar short sleeve blouse, paisley necklace, black Roadster boots.

Hope my photography gets better with practice!
Thanks for reading.

Why I stalk eBay

Hello, Spring! These purchases from eBay arrived in the mail today:
Citrus lime? (neon yellow) tulip jacket

Berry trim Astrid jacket in plum

Cherry blossom Capri pants
(Photos from polyvore and google images)

I love finding older J.Crew items on eBay. Especially when I can get them at a great price. I've purchased many awesome items that have arrived with all tags in tact. I was skeptical about the Astrid jacket, but I fell in love with it as soon as I got it out of the packaging. It's a much deeper, more saturated purple than any picture I've seen of it. It really is a gorgeous jacket. And the tulip jacket? Well, it's a bit brighter than what I was expecting, but I love it, too. I'm willing to pay $50 or less on eBay for an older, quality jacket. It certainly is better than paying $150+ for a new jacket with no signature detailing.

Side note: did anyone see the "sample" plum Oxford jacket on eBay this weekend? I watched it just to see how quickly it would sell. BIN price? $450! It did have the 'best offer' option. Either way, it was sold in a day. Boy! I'm happy to see that some sellers are still offering reasonable prices for used items. Except for shoes...what's up with that?

Since I seem to be heading into a soft rant, I'll add that I find it distasteful for sellers to resell clearance outlet items (you know the items--black lines on the tags) for higher than the online/B&M sale prices. I have to believe they picked them up for a fraction of what they're selling them for; especially if they got them from a warehouse sale. Making an offer is almost always a joke. Shame on you greedy people! I guess as long as there's a demand, there will be a supply.

On a kinder note, any other eBay "regulars" notice the JC items often listed on the eBay seller's store, "Linda's Closet"? Where does she find this stuff? I've seen some very cool items in her eBay store.

Just sayin'.

It just never ends...

Another weekend, another mission...

Quest for:

I live right in the heart of Minneapolis, so there are 5 different J.Crew stores within driving distance to me without too much hassle. Each has its perks. I find the most awesome returns, usually in the clearance section, at the Edina store, and if I'm looking for a rogue size or color, Rosedale is usually my first stop. Mall of America is by far the largest store and easiest to get to, but sizes there sell out fast. But I digress. On a mission this weekend, I visited three.

On a mission, yes indeed. For the past two weeks, I have been putting the sapphire blue Cece suede ballet flats into my online shopping cart, then taking them back out again. Just couldn't seem to leave the suckers alone. I have never purchased a new pair of shoes from J.Crew, and I hadn't tried them on to check sizes anyways. So I headed to the Edina B&M to try them on. They didn't have the sapphire blue in my size. I'm thinking, despite liking the iris ones I've tried on to gauge fit and comfort, that maybe the price is just too high. Maybe I can find something similar elsewhere for less. Surely some store out there has a pair of royal blue ballet flats. You would think.

I searched high and low for two days at three malls, some thrift and consignment stores and online for another pair of royal blue ballet flats that I liked as much. Nope. So, I bit the bullet. Thankfully, Rosedale J.Crew had the color in my size. I really hope they'll be worth the money. With my teacher discount, they were $109.

Isn't it funny how a price point like that can seem extremely reasonable and at the same time outrageously high? I love the show "What Not to Wear" and have often heard Stacy consult buyers that the true cost of an item is the price divided by the number of times worn. I guess. This blue is NOT a staple color in my wardrobe, but I think it will look fantastic as a color pop with my oranges, reds, yellows... Maybe I should keep track and see what the end value is. Maybe not.

Sometimes I justify buying at full retail price with paying low prices in thrift/consignment stores. (This makes NO sense, as I am still spending more money for more items, regardless of the prices...) This weekend I found a pair of classic capris in light gray and an older cotton/silk shirt in blacks and grays in a paisley print. Total cost for the two items? $20. Not the greatest bargain ever, but not too shabby either. And, the two make an outfit--that hardly ever happens when thrifting. As I drove home from the mall today, shoes in tote, the voice in my head told me that my three purchased items totaled $122. Divided by 3 = $40-something apiece. Hm.

Shut up, voice.

A Grrrrrrreat Tuesday!

I love being a teacher and working with teenagers. Really. The past two days have been dull for me as my students were doing a summative assessment for our poetry unit--not much interaction or conversation. But I am excited about the progress they're making toward being skilled text analysts.

Temperature here today? 57! I had to take a walk down to the neighborhood bakery and get a cookie and a coffee. I actually sat on my back deck for an hour or so when I got home. We Minnesotans know to enjoy what we can while we can, as often we get a March blast that coincides with state basketball/hockey tournaments near the end of the month. The saving grace is that we know it will melt fast. Spring is bittersweet; love the birds nest-building and the budding of plants--hate packing beloved wool sweaters, blazers and boots away for the year. I'll have to make it a point to give the boot/sweater combo a last hurrah while I can.

On a side note, I dropped off some pants for tailoring yesterday and stopped in at one of my favorite consignment stores. They usually have a few JC items; I've found some of the best jewelry there. No jewelry, but I found the green J.Crew 'school of fish' clea tank from yesteryear.

Cute, cute, cute! The fabric is so soft! AND, it's got pockets! Not the 'school of fish' skirt I hope to find, but fishy just the same!

OOTD Ta-Dah!
Tuesday, March 6

J.Crew wool capris, J.Crew herringbone Bella jacket, J.Crew orange zebra striped sweater, J.Crew sequined tank, Ann Taylor animal print belt, White Mountain black suede wedges, Dinasaur Design necklace and earrings.

Thanks for reading!