Happy Wednesday, friends! We are already halfway through the week–can you believe it?! I have been scrambling to get everything done for the big move to Virginia for my summer internship at NASA Langley, but I am so, so, so excited to see you TONIGHT at my local J.Crew store from 6-8pm. Yayy! It’s going to be so much fun playing dress up in all the gorgeous new arrivals they have! I’ve already got my eye on no less than five different things, including this adorable pineapple print skirt and this chic off-the-shoulder summer-weight sweater.
But before I get too caught up in all the pretty new arrivals, I’ve got one more summer-inspired look to share with you! So let’s get right into it!
This look is what I consider to be a quintessentially “J.Crew” look–effortlessly chic and just a little (read: perfectly) overdone. You know that look I’m talking about! The one that you would never think to put together yourself but see and LOVE from the moment you lay eyes on it. The look usually involves a mix of patterns that appear almost too busy but somehow come together to form a pristinely cohesive look, beautifully curated costume jewelry that can be worn on the “every” day, and a flawless execution of mixing formal with casual pieces. The look ends up being a perfect juxtaposition I’ve lovingly dubbed casual chic. And it’s a look that J.Crew has definitely perfected and come to be known for over the years.
At any rate, this is my take on the classic “J.Crew” look. Here I’ve paired a fun summer print pencil skirt with a casual tee (that supports the bees!), tennis shoes, and a bright neon necklace. I love how this look is perfectly wearable to a variety of functions (including a friend’s art show, or even weekend errands) while remaining super comfortable. That may be one of the best benefits of mixing dressed up with casual–hello comfort!
Pencil skirt from the work side of my wardrobe, meet tennis shoes from the weekend side. So glad you two could finally meet! 😉
While I wouldn’t wear this look every weekend of the year, I am super excited to style these everyday pieces in a fresh, new-to-me way that I will definitely sport on special occasions! I especially love that this floral pencil skirt really can work double-duty in my work and weekend wear. And you can bet I’m taking it with me to Virginia this summer. The fabric is so light and airy (it’s not like a traditional pencil skirt material), and so would be perfect for any city that tends to be hot or humid in the summer (i.e. Houston, Virginia Beach). Plus, the oversized floral pattern is GORGEOUS in person. I love all the bright colors! And does it get much better than a bow tie detail around the waist?! No. No it doesn’t! P.S. If you like more pink tones in your skirt, J.Crew just released this floral skirt in the prettiest pink and blue pattern in the same silhouette. So pretty!
My best advice for pairing two prints or patterns is to tie them together using similar color palettes. For instance here I paired the periwinkle blue of the tee with the medium blue in the flowers of the skirt. I then layered on a neon yellow necklace to highlight the little yellow bees on the tee. And since the yellow of the bees and necklace was a little more vibrant and neon than the mustard hue of the yellow in the skirt, I went with an intermediate yellow for the crossbody purse to tie the entire look together cohesively. The purse served as a fader of sorts to take the deeper, warmer yellow of the skirt up to the neon yellow of the necklace gradually.
All that being said, I know this process sounded super complicated, but really it was quite simple. It’s all about taking inventory of the colors you have to work with and only focusing in on one or two of them–blues and yellows in my case here. Once you start playing with mixing prints and patterns in your wardrobe, you start to notice trends and colors begin to just pop out at you. The whole process starts to be really fun and exciting and a challenge that you just can’t wait to take on. But it definitely takes practice and patience! (I’m still not an expert yet, but love exploring and creating in the meantime.)
And if there is one thing I learned from the Spring 10×10 Challenge, it’s that if you try something new and it doesn’t work out…how fascinating! There’s always something to be learned from trying something new–even if it doesn’t work out like you thought it would! The process is the best part!
Fashion is all about having fun, playing with colors, proportions, patterns, and expressing your personal style! It’s something that shouldn’t be taken too seriously, in my opinion. And perhaps that’s what I love most about the “J.Crew” look. It’s playful and fun and doesn’t abide by any strict rules. It’s all about taking fun, bright, classic pieces, mixing and matching them, and making the look your own.
I already can’t wait to style more fun outfits that explore this mantra this summer!
Need a few more pieces fun, bright pieces for your summer wardrobe too? Join me tonight at my local J.Crew to see all the newest arrivals and we can have some fun putting together outfits that explore your personal style! Can’t wait to see you there!
What about you? What’s your take on the classic “J.Crew” look?
You might also like…Pretty Polka Dots for Summer and A Favorite Turquoise and Yellow Look.
Photos by Noah Berg
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Get the Look…
Top: J. Crew (similar, in a scarf) | Skirt: J. Crew (in a pretty pink print, similar) | Purse: J. Crew | Necklace: J. Crew (similar, love this pink one!) | Shoes: Target
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