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Try-On Haul & More Favorites On Sale

Good morning, friends! I tell ya, this week has been a doozie. I think I said that last week too. I guess I should be happy I’m busy, but I feel like I can barely keep my head above water.

Anyway, today I’ve got a try-on haul, and I also rounded up more of my favorites on sale. If you missed it, I rounded up a bunch in yesterday’s post, but I’ve found even more.

Bloomingdale’s is doing a Friends & Family Sale, and Nordstrom has tons of markdowns right now. Plus, J.Crew is doing 30% off + an additional 15%, and Madewell is doing $75 jeans.

Let’s get started!

Banana Republic Try-Ons

I placed a big order during one of Banana Republic’s sales, and I found some really nice pieces.

Banana Republic Cotton-Blend Bell-Sleeve Sweater

This sweater is super soft and luxe. It feels like it has a decent amount of cashmere in the knit, but it’s 58% cotton, 42% polyester. This is good news for those of you who can’t tolerate wool!

I really like the relaxed yet boxy fit and the contrast ribbing on the neck, cuffs, and hem.

It is 23″ long, which is perfect for pairing with higher rise jeans and pants, and the flared, bell-sleeves are a fun detail.

I also appreciate the traditional on-shoulder seams. It’s very flattering without being fitted.

It comes in a bunch of colors. I ordered the camel and the light grey, and both are gorgeous neutrals, but I kept the camel. This sweater runs true to size; I have the small.

VERDICT: Kept the camel.

also wearing: Good American Good Legs High Waist Crop Skinny Jeans and Jeffrey Campbell booties (last year)

Banana Republic Boat-Neck Sweater Top

This sweater is also very soft and comfortable, but it’s a thinner ribbed knit with a body-con fit.

I love the boatneck and raglan sleeves, and this soft lilac color is so pretty. It also comes in a bunch of other colors.

I was tempted to keep this one, but I decided that I’d probably be uncomfortable wearing it — trying to suck my gut in and hold my back straight the whole time. Life is too short for that!

VERDICT: Returning.

also wearing: Good American Good Legs High Waist Crop Skinny Jeans and BR Soft Loafers

Banana Republic Soft Loafers

These shoes are cute on and very comfortable, but they feel plasticky. If you’re picky about the quality of your leather, I would pass on these.

That said, I love a snake print, and this one is a nice combination of taupe and black tones. They are true to size; I’m in the 8.

VERDICT: Returning.

Banana Republic Merino Turtleneck Sweater in Responsible Wool

I ordered this, thinking it would be a nice closet basic for layering this winter. I tend to purchase chunkier knits, but sometimes it’s nice to have something thinner like this, for layering under blazers and cardigans.

Here, you can see it layered under a denim jacket.

It’s a very nice quality piece, and I love the fit and the classic cut with the raglan sleeves. I also like the slight texture to the knit, which adds interest.

All that said, I decided to return because I found it kind of rough and itchy. I hope I don’t regret it — I can see myself wishing I had it for outfit styling down the road. Sometimes I’m too eager to get my returns out of the house, and later on I wish I had kept some of them.

For size reference, I’m wearing the small.

VERDICT: Returned. I hope I don’t regret it.

also wearing: Paige Hoxton Transcend Vintage High Waist Crop Skinny Jeans (25% off) with Remi Mules (54% off) and VE Alicante Boho Cuff

Banana Republic Washable Merino Turtleneck Sweater Dress

I know I don’t style enough dresses around here, and I had high hopes for this one, but I’m kind of meh about it. It’s a little shapeless, and I don’t care for the length on me.

Here you can see it with pumps, although wearing it with booties (as shown above) is more modern.

It is very comfortable, I will say that. Even though it’s wool, I found it soft and easy to wear.

Here is me trying to stand *just so* to get a flattering fit, LOL! Proof that mirror selfies are not always the most accurate judge of fit.

VERDICT: Returning. I’m sure I can do better.

also wearing: Aquatalia Tilly Booties // Marc Fisher Zala Pumps (25% off)

Amazon Fashion Try-Ons

I get a lot of questions about how to shop Amazon for fashion, and honestly, I’m not a fan. So much of it is fast fashion straight from China, and I don’t really care to support that.

That said, I feel like you get a decent value with Amazon’s proprietary brands, and I find their quality to be pretty consistent. The brands I look for are Goodthreads, Amazon Essentials, Daily Ritual, and Lark & Ro.

Also, Amazon owns Shopbop and Zappo’s, so you can also buy some of the well-known national brands on Amazon, although I usually prefer to purchase directly from the retailer. I don’t know why; I just do. You can see where each item comes from, beneath the product title.

Amazon Goodthreads Women’s Lightweight Vintage Cotton Dolman Blouson Shirt

I don’t wear a lot of long-sleeve t-shirts, but it occurred to me that they can be very useful for layering under puffer vests and utility jackets during the fall, so I decided to order a couple.

I wanted to try this cotton dolman top because I like the texture in the fabric, and I typically like a dolman sleeve.

Turns out, it feels a bit more like a drop shoulder than a dolman, and I don’t care for the banded waist.

I don’t know why I don’t have more pictures from the front, but I think you can get the idea.

VERDICT: I returned it, but it’s decent quality for the price point. Definitely worth considering if you need something like this.

also wearing: Goodthreads Women’s Mid-Rise Crop Straight Jeans with P448 John Low Top Sneakers

Goodthreads Women’s Mid-Rise Crop Straight Jeans

I saw another blogger who was excited about these, so I figured I should try them. Even though I prefer to pay more for premium denim, I like to have some budget-friendly denim options to recommend.

The fit is quite good, but I didn’t care for how they felt on — very stiff. I’m also not a huge fan of the wash, but it’s decent for the price point. They’re TTS; I’m in the 28.

VERDICT: Returning, but they’re a solid choice for the price.

also wearing: Amazon Essentials Women’s French Terry Fleece Crewneck Sweatshirt with P448 John Low Top Sneakers

Amazon Essentials Women’s French Terry Fleece Crewneck Sweatshirt

This sweatshirt is really cute, and WOW, is it ever soft!!! I like the stripe design and the on-shoulder seams. It has a traditional fit, not oversized or slouchy, although you could size up for that, I guess.

In fact, I would recommend sizing up, only because I felt a little constricted. I know it looks like it fits right — and I think it’s probably the right size, but I wasn’t quite comfortable in it, despite how soft and cozy the fabric is. (I’m in the small.)

VERDICT: Returned, but only b/c it felt a little small, plus it will probably shrink. I recommend sizing up if ordering.

also wearing: Goodthreads Women’s Mid-Rise Crop Straight Jeans with P448 John Low Top Sneakers

Goodthreads Women’s Heritage Fleece Hooded Tunic Sweatshirt

Now, this I love. The tunic length is nice for a change, and I like how it’s long but not schlumpy. It has some shape through the waist, plus I like the raglan sleeves.

The hood isn’t super heavy, like some hooded sweatshirts can be, and this color is a really nice muted red.

Here it is with jeans. You could put a quilted vest over this, and it would be perfect for ball games (or in my case, marching band performances) this fall.

It’s even cute from the back… nice job, Goodthreads!

By the way, this is the Russet Brown, but it reads as a muted dark red to me. It’s true to size, or you could size up for a slouchier fit, as shown on the model. I have the small.

VERDICT: Keeping!

also wearing: Goodthreads Women’s Mid-Rise Crop Straight Jeans // Zella Live In Joggers with P448 John Low Top Sneakers

I have a few more to share, but I’m having trouble with Lightroom this morning. Blergh! So let’s move on to Friday Sale Finds!

Friday Sale Finds

In addition to the ones I shared yesterday, here are some more favorites on sale this weekend.

Remi Mule – TTS; 54% off!!!

Vionic Sandals – TTS; 40% off

rag & bone Dre Slim Fit Ankle Boyfriend Jeans – size down; 40% off

Sam Edelman Hazel Pumps – size up half; originally $140, now $51.45 in cart

Stuart Weitzman Nearlynude Block-Heel Leather Sandals – TTS; originally $398.00, now $298.50

AG Farrah High Rise Skinnies – TTS; originally $215, now $161.25

Paige Mayslie Joggers – size down; originally $209, now $156.75

Eileen Fisher V-Neck Shift Dress – size down (wearing XS); originally $248, now $91.14 in cart

Marc Fisher Zala Pumps – TTS; 25% off

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30 Responses

  1. I’m so excited for Becca and the marching band, and that y’all get to go watch them tonight.  CONGRATULATIONS!  My three favorites are the first sweater from Banana Republic, the striped sweatshirt and the tunic from Amazon Essentials.  I agree that the sweater dress did nothing for you.  My mom would have said it looks like you are wearing a potato sack.  Have a fantastic day!

  2. I’m not a fan of Amazon clothing purchases either. I find it hard to sift through them, and being petite, they usually don’t fit well. I’m also not a fan of cheap material, so I try to shop at the more main stream solid stores.

  3. Great post! I’m consistently disappointed by Amazon clothing value. The fit and quality are iffy. I like the hoody tunic, but online didnt see it in red, just russet brown.

    Enjoy the marching band performance! I’m happy Becca gets to enjoy a high school memory making event. Especially during a pandemic.

  4. Have so much fun tonight at your daughter’s marching band show tonight. That’s wonderful that the school worked out a way for family members to see the performance. 

    I had a question on the Goodthreads Hooded Tunic. Are you wearing the russet brown? I didn’t see any colors in the reddish shade and wanted to check before I order. 

  5. Thank you for finally saying something about Amazon and China. It’s such a trend these days for bloggers to buy from them, but every time I like something it seems to be a really strange brand name which I assume is from China (maybe that’s wrong to assume). Just bugs me a bit. Thank you for pointing out which brands are Amazon proprietary. I do shop Amazon and have found at least one sweater that was decent…anything else was inconsistent with sizing.

  6. I never shop for clothes from Amazon.  It’s a company I prefer to not support.  Having said that, the hooded tunic is cute. 

  7. That’s exciting that you get to watch Becca perform! Kudos to TPTB on making this happen in a safe way. Have a wonderful weekend, Jo-Lynne.

  8. I always enjoy these posts! I didn’t care for the sweater dress, either. I find that sweater dresses look better above the knee. Honestly, I don’t like the knee-midi length on anyone. However, I am starting to like the look of booties with a dress. I’d love to see a post on this style and what works and what doesn’t for those of us who are no longer 19. I am looking at these two dresses and wondering how they would look with booties. A review of which style booties work with dresses would also be great.

    https://www.sanctuaryclothing.com/collections/dress/products/feeling-prairie-dress-autumn-nights?variant=32471255842867
    https://www.garnethill.com/tiered-silk-dress/563183?listIndex=2&uniqueId=563183

    Thanks, Jo-Lynne. Enjoy the concert!

    1. Yeah, that style is definitely popular this fall, and it looks great on some women, but it really doesn’t fit my style aesthetic or flatter my body type.

      I could play around with it, though, and see how it looks with different booties. I agree, they are the right shoe for that style of dress these days, but it could be hard to pull off over a certain age.

      This is something I struggle with as a “style blogger.” I realize my looks are all so similar, and getting more so year after year, lol. But as I get older and really hone in on my personal style and what looks best on me, it’s hard to incorporate a lot of variety into my looks and still stay true to myself. So then it becomes more of a personal style blog, less of a resource… I don’t know. I’m always trying to find a balance that works.

    2. FYI  Fashion Jackson or the Sister Studio (Jennifer Reid) might be more in line with your choice of dresses and boots. 

      1. Yes, I love FJ. I just fall into the trap of wanting to copy her looks and then not being able to pull it off b/c I’m not blonde, 5’10” and a size 2. 🙂 I will check out Sister Studio.

        I’ve been noticing people doing the dress/bootie thing, since Colleen’s comment. Trying to find someone our age doing it well. I feel like I see them everywhere until I try to go back and find them. I will try to keep a list from now on, and report back. 🙂

        1. I know! I’ve never been a size 2 nor that tall but I get ideas from her looks. Pinterest might have some looks that you could add to a post to help visualize booties with dresses above. 

  9. I like the BR Boatneck Top, what size are you wearing? Too bad the turtleneck sweater is itchy, it looks beautiful, but if you think the fabric is rough, I’m sure I would too. I wouldn’t be able to stand that feeling around my neck. I also don’t shop Amazon for clothes, except I will buy lounge wear occasionally. The striped sweatshirt is really cute!

  10. So excited for you to see your daughter perform live! My daughter is a senior and she is in the marching band here in Michigan and they just increased the allowed capacity In stadiums to 1000. They canceled all of their MB competitions a while ago and we have been watching them live streaming. So we will get to see them perform live in October!!

    1. How nice that 1000 can attend. The 250 includes band members and staff, so that really limits the attendance in the stands. I don’t really get the 250 rule – we are outside, and wearing masks, and it’s a large area. It is easy to social distance, and parents want to be there and will be cooperative. But anyway… no one asked me!

  11. Love hooded sweatshirt. This post gave me lots of good ideas for what I already have. Thinking about sweatshirt though.

  12. Jo-Lynne,

    I always enjoy your blog but I especially loved it today when you were so excitedly talking about attending your daughter’s marching band performance. I am currently a stay home mom but my profession is middle school/high school band director! I LOVE marching band and band parents! Now my own son has started playing trombone and I can’t wait until he gets to do marching band someday 🥰. Band kids are the best IMHO!  I know how hard those kids (and directors) have to work to get a good show on the field.  I hope you enjoy the performance and that your daughter has a good marching band experience (in spite of stupid Covid). ❤️🎶 🎵 PS I am a saxophone/woodwinds player

    1. Hey Kendra! How cool is that!?! I was never in band (the choir was my thing) but two of my kids have thrived there, and I am SO SO thankful! We are so blessed. Our middle school and high school band directors are both exceptional — not just as musicians, but they are also gifted in their ability to relate to teenagers. And you’re right that band kids are awesome too. The older kids are supportive and nice to the younger ones. I’ve been so impressed. I really don’t know what David and Becca would have done without their band community. I think Caroline would have found her home in the concert choir if she had gone to high school in our district. I’m hoping she gets to experience that in college.

      1. With all the bad news in the world, hearing that truly makes my heart so happy! Band can be such a wonderful developmental experience! I don’t know when I will go back to being a full time band director, but whenever I do I know one thing for sure- thanks to you I will be a very STYLISH  band director!😀

  13. I love that tunic sweatshirt! Such a nice color. Adding a vest would be a great idea. Enjoy the band performance.

  14. Thank you for directly addressing clothes shopping on Amazon. Almost every time I’ve purchased clothing from Amazon, I’ve been extremely disappointed, even with the proprietary brands. The items I’ve purchased haven’t worn or laundered well and have ended up looking like crumpled rags in no time. This has led me to believe that a good number of the positive consumer reviews I read beforehand were not legitimate. For this and other reasons I’ve become very intentional about avoiding fast fashion and instead looking for higher quality items that are manufactured in the United States. Your blog has been very helpful in this regard, and I hope you will continue to consider ways to help us learn more about where our clothes are coming from and why that’s important to understand when making decisions about what to buy. Some bloggers have no qualms about showing items that are going to fall apart in a month as long as they look cute in the moment. Thank you for not doing that.

    1. I admit, I really struggle promoting fast fashion and Amazon “dupes” – but then, I wonder if stuff at LOFT and the cheaper stuff at Nordstrom is really any better. I realize not everyone can fill their entire wardrobe with investment pieces, so I try to find a balance in the items I feature, but the older I get and the more I know, the more I want a small, highly edited wardrobe of quality pieces, not a bunch of fast fashion that I throw away at the end of every season. I’m trying to slowly move that direction, while remembering that I have a broad audience with a wide range of budgets. All that to say, I appreciate your input.

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