america hot: Shopping J. Crew

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Shopping J. Crew

It's a J. Crew day (there's another J. Crew post after this). Is it just me, or have they seriously upped the design ante over there? I remember when all you went to J. Crew for was cable-knit sweaters and chinos, and now I can't walk into the store without falling in love with something. And I'm in high school (not exactly their target market). Here's some of the stuff from J. Crew I'm currently lusting over:

Safari Splash String Bikini, top $46 at jcrew.com, bottoms $44 at jcrew.com, Liberty Wiltshire Ruffle Bikini, top $56 at jcrew.com, bottoms $54 at jcrew.com, Stripe Linen Beach Short, $58 at jcrew.com: I'm still in the market for a swimsuit (pathetic, I know), and I am very picky. Very, very picky. Which is why I'm so surprised that I love both of these! I'm always up for an animal print, done in a non-tacktastic way, and this neutral leopard print fits the bill. The string bikini is just the right size, and has this great exotically chic vibe. The Liberty print bikini is the complete opposite, of course, but I'm a sucker for Liberty print florals and ruffles. The best part about these ruffles is that they're subtle (and thus flattering), and how can you not fall in love with that cheerful print? That would make me actually want to put on a swimsuit, and that's no small feat. Since the weather in LA is heating up (when it's not being a bipolar 50 degrees), I'm continually reaching for shorts. Of which I have two pairs. If I had the bank account to back it up, I would totally spring for these linen shorts. The linen makes them relaxed and comfy, and the tiny, engineer stripes make them adorably retro.

Embossed-cotton dip-dye Lorelei Dress, $110 at jcrew.com, Poplin Cargo Jacket, $98 at jcrew.com, Tissue ruffle V-neck tee, $32.50 at jcrew.com: I'm still not over last season's ombre craze (remember those Prada bags? Sigh.). What I love about this dress is that it's so clean and simple, but the dark blue ombre at the bottom makes it unique and investment worthy, and I adore how it looks like one giant ink spill. This army-green cargo jacket would be perfect to throw over a slightly dressy/girly slip dress, but works just as well for running errands, going for a walk, etc. For those of you how love embellished tees and are too lazy to hunt down the perfect necklace in the morning, this tee is perfect. The ruffles at the neckline keep this v-neck from being boring, and are the perfect accessory all by themselves.