LOFT Finds and Deals

Sorry I've been MIA from the blogger world here lately.  Between vacay's and getting back to a semi-normal schedule - and still adjusting to having two little dudes to take care of during the day instead of just one! - there really hasn't been a lot of extra time for me to spend on the computer!  sheesh!

Anyway, I'd like to share some IRL pics of some LOFT items I've purchased in the past couple of weeks!

**Right now LOFT specials are: Buy 1 regular price sweater, get one 50% off.  Also, 50% off sale.  There are other promo prices on things such as the cords I review below!  Happy shopping!**

Knit Blazer - $128

I'm wearing a size 2 here.  ANYWAY - the fit was terrible - a huge miss!  The bust area was very large on me and in all, the jacket just didn't do anything for me. The inside lining is cute, though!

Modern Slim Fit Cord Pants - $59

(on promo for $39 right now)

I really wanted some off-white cords and the toothpick ankle ones at J.Crew haven't gone on promo yet, so even with 20% off I was waiting.  I tried these in the meantime and I really like them.  I'm wearing a size 2 here.  It's a little tight in the waist (everything is right now!) but fit well in general.  I will be getting about 3" hemmed off so they are true ankle length.  I didn't try the Petite version to test the length.

Chunky Tweed Mini - $69.00

(on sale for $49 + 50% off right now!)

I am wearing a Petite 4 here.  I wanted the length to be shorter so it wouldn't look frumpy with tights.  In the end, this went back.  Too much fabric that doesn't lay nicely.  This seems to be an issue with me and skirts lately!  I did like it with the Scalloped Zip J. Crew cardigan, though. :)

Cowl Neck Sweater Dress - $89.00

I am wearing an XS here in the brown color.  I just love this.  I love the neckline and the fact that it's fitted (not tunic-y) but without being too tight in the waist area.  The color is great!  Now I just need to get a belt small enough to wear high at the waist! (I have a million brown belts, but they're all too big to wear that high!)

Colorblock Tunic w/ Shoulder Zip - $59.00

I don't see this online at the moment.  Talk about flattering - I love the color blocking on this one!  Not sure it's long enough to pull off with just tights, but leggings or skinnies look great!  This is still in both stores by my house.  I am wearing a size small here.

Fall Dresses from Boden - And An Important Fashion Question

I recently attended a Boden Trunk Show at the home of a friend in the neighborhood. It was pretty cool because you could see almost of all Boden's fall catalog in person, try it on, etc... which is a huge advantage over the online guessing game I'm usually playing about colors, sizes, materials, quality, blah blah blah.

So, I took advantage of this trunk show, which was a great way to introduce my closet to a new brand:

"Closet, this is Boden. Boden, this is closet."


"J.Crew, be nice to Boden. Boden, don't be intimidated by J.Crew, there are more of them, momma has enough love to go around, plus you might be higher quality and less expensive."


(am I the only one amused by this? probably... moving on....)

I ended up purchasing a couple of sweater dresses and a long sleeved tee (not pictured) and everything arrived at my door within a week! Yea! I wasn't going to get anything for myself, only my son, but I was a sucker for the 20% off you entire order and free shipping both ways. What can I say?

This is a merino tunic, which could also be paired with skinny jeans. The sleeves are longer, I just have them scrunched up in the picture! This dress is thin enough to wear indoors in the winter and not burn-up!

I just love the coloring of this dress. I plan on pairing it with my new gray suede mary jane heels and tights, or gray Cardi Uggs to dress it down! I found the waist band to be slimming and the length (just past my knees) to be very comfy for colder weather!

The biggest plus to these sweater dresses (the mod-print one is actually called a tunic, but at my height, what's the difference?) is that they are cut slim enough to not look frumpy, but they do not cling too much (aka: you can wear them on Thanksgiving without looking prego! Also, see question at the bottom of this post!)

Boden pieces tend to run a big long and have a lot of material in my opinion, making most of the clothing more suitable for a taller women, but these dresses fit very nicely and are long enough for me to be comfortable in the cooler fall and winter temps. (There is no petite option in Boden that I'm aware of, but I think some pants might come in lengths... that I would still need hemmed ;)

*Bottom Line: I really enjoyed the experience of shopping in a friend's home and seeing these clothes in person before buying! I will definitely keep an eye out for Boden items in the future. Remember, the sizes are European. I ordered a 10 (US 2/4) in both of these dresses, so I feel their sizes are pretty much right on!

**Question I've be meaning to ask: What's a girl to do about the tights/leggings-induced tummy roll when wearing them under dresses, tunics, etc...? I'm getting to the point wear I'm willing to try maternity leggings and tights just to see if they won't create that gut-roll effect! I even notice very slim young ladies where you can see the waistband of their tights and it really bothers me! Any ideas, ladies? Pa-lease tell me you know what I'm talking about!!!