A Few Things That Caught My Eye This Week
And one that came home with me…
While returning an online order to J.Crew yesterday, I spotted this sweater on a display table at the front of the store. It’s one of my best colors in the Spring palette, and I love that leopard print heart detail. It’s the same cut as the crewneck cashmere sweaters I’ve been wearing almost daily, and the sizing is consistent. (I’m wearing a Small.) Available in sizes XX-Small to 3X.
If you prefer something a little more neutral, here’s one in a classic stripe (ivory/navy).
Spring Things
Women’s Ponte Knit Pants & Jackets
Following up a bit with Wednesday’s post, I’m a big fan of ponte knits for travel. But so often, you only have a choice between black and….black. So I was glad to see that Eileen Fisher has included more color options in the new ponte knit collection. This color is called “Bramble.” It’s a soft, neutral beige.
I happened to see a few pieces on the rack at Bloomingdales yesterday, though only the jacket seems to be showing up online. The fabric is lighter and drapey. It has a refined look, almost like a twill. The jacket is a straight cut, but has some seaming on the back and sleeves so it’s not oversized. It’s offered in Misses, Petites and Plus sizes from EF.
There are several styles of pants in this ponte knit fabric, a straight leg, a slimmer “slouchy” pant, and a cropped wide leg style. All three are available in Misses, Petite and Plus sizes. (Bloomie’s only had the straight leg pants in Misses, so I didn’t bother to try on. I have those slouchy ones on order in Petite and will report back.)
If “Bramble” (beige) isn’t your thing, all of the pieces are offered in Black, and the Jacket, ponte knit Slouchy Pants and Wide Leg pants are also available in this cool grey color, “Zinc.”
I liked the look of this “honeycomb” jacket, and if it had been available in Petites, I might have bought. I’m wearing the Misses small here, and it felt too long (sleeves and overall). But it’s a really nice lightweight jacket that could be a travel-friendly piece for Spring or early Summer. (Seems to only be available in Misses at the moment, here’s something similar in Plus.)
Red, She Said
I think I’m all set for our trip to Puerto Vallarta in two weeks. This linen/cotton swimsuit cover up was on backorder and just arrived. It could also be worn as a tunic (or for me, a dress), or an open jacket over a tank top. I wasn’t sure how this ran size-wise, so I ordered both the Small and Medium. Kept the Small. It’s also available in white and a bright nautical blue, sizes XX-Small to 3X.
And to finish up with another bit of red, something for the fans of “Nantucket Red.” These pants are not as orange as they appear here (at least on my monitor). The color IRL is softer and in that Nantucket Red/faded coral zone. The fabric is lightweight and has some stretch. I don’t think these will be as cropped on most people as they look here (model is 5’10”). If you love that color, and prefer your pants with a more fitted silhouette, you might want to give these a try.
What fabrics are your favorites for travel? Are there any colors you’re always on the lookout for?
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Susan—how do the J Crew sweaters run not being petite? I haven’t tried them because usually missy sizes are too long overall and the sleeves.
Hi Rose, some styles can be a bit long for me but this one is just short enough that it works.
That sweater is so cute on you. I am dying to get to Red Leopard. Hate that I missed getting an appointment while they’re in New York, but hopefully I can get one next time they’re in the US.
The red t-shirt with heart ensemble is a perfect outfit. I would love to see how you would accessorize it. I have my own vision of jacket, scarf, jewelry, etc. The whole thing is just too cute. Good buy!
The leopard sneaks?!? Love! What brand?
Hi Kathy, thanks! These are from Taryn Rose, but seem to be sold out now. Here’s one with a similar look: Leopard Slip-on Sneaker
That leopard heart with your shoes, Susan is awesome. What a fun casual look…so glad you bought it!
Love your new sweater. Perfect for you! Also love your leopard shoes. Might be one of my favourite outfits on you
That leopard heart sweater is one of the cutest sweaters I have ever seen!
I am always on the lookout for true green and blue violet in medium to dark shades. Sadly, they are not common, especially in clothes suited to the tropics.
I have a tortoise shell necklace. Any ideas of how to style it?
Hi Mary, that’s pretty difficult to answer without knowing what your style is, the length of the necklace, etc. In general, tortoiseshell is a nice neutral that works with casual and relaxed outfits. I love the look of a tortoiseshell link necklace with a striped tee.
I notice that your strip shirt shows through the white Eileen sweater. I love the sweater, but sure am tired of clothes being made of such thin fabrics that our bras and pants show through the fabric. Am I alone in this? I feel as though soon we’ll all be wearing ‘the emperor’s new clothes’.
Hi Barbara, with this piece, I think that’s intentional, as it’s really a summer-weight jacket.
Love that sweater — especially the heart detail (not too big) and your pairing it with the straightforward leopard skates.
BTW, I am growing infatuated with all the neutral top/bottoms from last season and extending into spring 2020 in so many cool and warm shades of beige that, depending on the shade, suit springs and summers and autumns (I think … ?).
Anyway, they’re appealing to me. As a summer who’s finally committing to her summerness, I’m finally appreciating that all beiges and even browns are not alike.
You know I love that sweater on you! Fun buy in your color!
Beige doesn’t suit me at all, but that cool grey certainly does. Zinc is another word for Parisian-roof grey. That is a good colour for many women who’ve grown out their greys. Perhaps it needs a brighter scarf though, except for true minimalists. One problem – are there no pockets?
I also like the leopard heart. I don’t wear full-on leopard because I’m a cat-lady (cat rescue etc.) so it would look too cutesy. I’m sitting a neighbour’s spotted cat (part-Bengal) now. Too orangey a red for me though. The red jeans are better, they’d be at least full-length on me (I have shorter legs and a longer torso than you, at about the same height).
Love the new sweater with leopard heart. It looks so great on you without being too cute.
I love the swimsuit cover -up from J. Crew, thinking about it as I am headed to Greece this summer for two weeks of sailing.
I do travel with a lot of linen clothes in hot climates and they work. I do not care about the wrinkles. I take a lot of tops and some dresses in linen. The whole affect is elegance. The rest of my vacation wardrobe in wash and wear pants, jeans and crop pants.
Oh that jumper with the leopard heart is goooood! Love it with those sneakers.
I also applaud the red(ish) dress for your holiday. Great buy.
Greetje
I love both Eileen Fisher and ponte knits. Unfortunately the new EF Flex Tencel Ponte collection seems to be “dry clean only”. This is too bad, because her older ponte was so easy to wash.
You look great in the orange sweater. It matches you in both style and color.
ooh, that is a bummer about “dry clean only.” I’m really surprised, honestly, and had assumed these would be washable as all of her older styles were. I’ll double-check the care tag when I receive my pants to see what it says.
Yes, the tencel ponte is listed as dry clean only. Tencel can get quite “stiff” when it’s washed – maybe that’s why? Hmm – I wonder if gentle handwash is an option -would hate to ruin these beautiful pieces. And the sweater looks just great on you, Susan!
I “found” you recently via The Vivienne Files, and I’m so happy I did. I scrolled through some old posts and was so excited to see your color analysis story. I had my colors analyzed 36 years ago, just before my wedding. It was quite the thing back then. I still have my little booklet of fabric swatches. Some find the concept limiting, but it was an eye-opener for me and made such a difference in helping me look and feel my best. I’m also a “spring,” so it’s great to see what you’re finding. That red in today’s post is killer!
Love that sweater on you! Adorable with the leopard kicks. Question: have you tried the Blade Green or Pale Guava in the J. Crew sweaters? I’m wondering how the colors work for you, since we seem to be well matched. And I have to tell you that once again, I went ‘shop-looking’, and the fact that I now simply skim for color before I even considering picking something off the rack makes things so much easier! That’s tahnks to you. So – thank you!
Hi Blyma, thanks! The Blade Green is close, but not quite enough yellow in it for me. The Pale Guava is a winner. I think it looks better for me when worn with a lower-contrast bottom (i.e. lighter wash jeans or camel pants).
Thanks, Susan. Yes, that Pale Guava looks delicious! Interesting; I probably wouldn’t have thought about a lower-contrast bottom, but I absolutely see it. Pretty sure I never would have considered camel. The only problem I have in reading your blog (besides desiring the great clothes and travel) – is that I’ve realized how few of my clothes actually ARE in colors that work for me. Sigh. I’ll just have to go the slow route to rebuilding. I’ll think of it as taking the French approach: fewer things, absolutely suitable to ME, better quality. Built over time.