New Preview of Feb Offerings + A Nice Note from CS

Peeps, you know you've gone off the deep end of the J.Crew Cliff when your Personal Shopper is sending you emails about what's coming up. No, I don't have a J.Crew card. I just shop there way. too. much. Hi, My name is Marisa and I'm a J.Crew-a-holic. My wonderful PS, Marisa (we share a name, J.Crew actually found me a PS with the same name. That's evil), sent me a few images of what's coming out in February. I saw a few of the pieces in the Look Book that went out recently but it's nice to see the images all styled in the open.

On top of all of this, I got a nice note from Customer Service. Here 'tis:

This email is in regards to the Toothpick ankle cord, warm maple in order # xxx. I’m sorry to say this item was cancelled from your order because we didn’t have the item available to ship. These cords will not be in the shipment with all other items from your order.

Because this is an inconvenience for you, I was able to locate these cords in a retail store. The same form of payment will be used that would have been used on the original order. Once this item has shipped, which will be in the next few business days, you will receive an email confirmation.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any questions please reach out to me.

How nice is that?? I feel so special today!

The J.Crew Agenda has a long, lost cousin!

I've wanted to do a post on the J.Crew Agenda that came in the mail as a free gift since I got it a week ago but just didn't have time. Now that bags are unpacked and I have time to take some pics, we all need to sit down and discuss.

So all this time, when J.Crew says in their little blurbs that they got the cashmere from this such-and-such mill, and it's the same mill where uber-designers also source their material, I've always been a little skeptical. No, I don't think I'm being lied to, but I don't totally buy into it, I tend to take it with a grain of salt and go, yup, got it! & move on.

Not so this time peeps. It hit too close to home. Above is the 2010 planner I received from J.Crew. Below is the 2009 planner I had last year. When the J.Crew one showed up, it looked eerily familiar.
Interiors: check! Same font, same style, everything down to the maps in the back is the same.

Except for the interior. See, last year's planner interior cover looked like this:

Because it was Tiffany & Co.

But J.Crew sourced Graphic Image, Inc., who happens to make the same planner for Tiffany. Except my J.Crew was free. & the Tiffany was, well, as you can assume, just a teensy bit more. The only true differences I could spy between the two are that the Tiffany cover is leather and the J.Crew is pleather. Also, the year on the J.Crew planner appears to be printed, whereas the year on the cover of the Tiffany planner is embossed.

So, OK. I'm a believer, J.Crew. Nicely played. As an individual who had purchased the Tiffany planner last year, I am really impressed with your offering, especially since it was a gift to me and I totally appreciate it.

I actually wore that?

Oh dear, fellow bloggers. Today's OOTD pics were simply horrahs. First, it was composed of mainly black and navy. & we all know how those colors photograph in a dimly lit room at 6:30am. On top of that, the room was still in a state of Post-Europe calamities, with bags and luggage everywhere. Completely not blog-worthy. Ugh.

But I promise to get on the ball tomorrow. No more slacking. I have no clue what I'm wearing but whatever it is, it will be photographed and posted!

Ok I'm Ready!

Peeps, I am so thankful for your being there for me out there in blogland. I was feeling down and out in my last post and you all have truly made me feel bolstered. I have since slapped some cold water on my face, told myself to get a grip and have decided to get with it and be positive about moving. This is not such a bad thing.
Let's list why.

1. It's Hawaii. There could be worse places to be. It's neither too hot nor too cold. There's always a breeze. The weather is perfect and the place is a melting pot. You want authentic roast duck? Got it. You want some seriously high class gopply-goop? It's got that, too (in spades). You need High Tea at a fancy pants hotel? Check. You need just a barren and deserted beach where it's just you, a kayak, blue-green waters and a paddle? You can have it. In other words, peeps, I shouldn't complain. There are places in this world that are far worse.

2. If you're in Government, Hawaii is a major player. For Hubs, he'll be returning to a great department with peeps he knows. On top of that, the department is at the Regional level (a level of command higher than where he is now). For myself, there are opportunities with higher commands, as well as numerous govt agencies that all call Hawaii home. I'm lucky I have a network of peeps here. We could have gone somewhere where I knew no one professionally. & then what?

3. We are fortunate that Hubs' job still allows us to live pretty well. In other words, if we have to pay for private school, we'll still be able to do it. I may not be making multiple J.Crew orders and I'll definitely have to make some sacrifices, but we can still keep a similar lifestyle even while I'm job-seeking. We are very, very lucky this way. Especially in Hawaii where a gallon of milk is close to $7. (Ridiculous!)

4. This is a new adventure! Even though we've lived in Hawaii most of our lives, we get to see the place and the people with new eyes. Since we've sold our home there a few years ago, we've got the opportunity to choose a new place to live and create an entirely new life. We're young, we've got a good, solid network of individuals around us - and family & friends - and we're ready to get out there! This is a positive thing!

Everything happens for a reason. I definitely believe that even though I know how corny it sounds. If we had the opportunity to stay in Japan longer, we would have taken it and been very happy and comfortable. But maybe this is the kick in the tush we needed to get ourselves motivated again!

Is it that time? Really?

No, I haven't joined hula lessons. & I'm not traveling to Hawaii for vacation. It appears that my husband's overseas contract is coming to an end and our time in Japan with it. Looks like we'll be headed back to Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of 'Oahu. Mixed feelings. Mixed feelings. Let me tell you, peeps. Upon hearing the news from Hubs, I cried my eyes out for about an hour, had a glass of scotch, and then took a nap. Which made everything just marginally better.
I should be saying to myself, It's Paradise! But instead I'm a little humdrum. First of all, y'all know I like my plans, and a move right now was not in the cards for me. Or atleast I didn't think so. Hubs and I thought we'd be in Japan for atleast another 2 years and were ready to bunker down. Japan has been good to us and has allowed to save some dollars, not to mention being excellent for both our careers. Our original goals had been to stay in Okinawa, move ourselves up the ladder near Tokyo, and follow that with ending up in D.C. Given circumstances out of our control, we find ourselves heading back to Hawaii 2 years early and are unsure of our long term goals. The timeline has definitely been shot to sh*t. & there are the distractions. Being "home" in a place with gorgeous scenery, family, and old friends is fraught with them. For 2 career minded peeps who love their families, what do you choose? The path of least resistance and comfort - home - or the path that takes you to what you work hard for everyday?

My other issues stand mainly with the insanely high living expenses, housing expenses, and tuition expenses (The public school system is on average in such shambles most parents who can elect private school for their kids). Our 6 month timeline gives me some time to find a new job, while Hubby must adjust to working with individuals from the past. All of this, coming from an organization like mine with wonderful people and and an excellent work environment is hard to stomach.

It's new and it hasn't sunk in yet and I'm still trying to adjust to the reality of what this means for us. Keep me in your thoughts if you can. I'm a person slow to accept change and need excel spreadsheets riddled with formulas to calm my nerves.

I'll keep you updated on the latest here.

Is there such a thing as too much bling?

Swag, meet my fellow bloggers. Fellow bloggers, meet my bling-alicious swag. It's possible I went off the deep end in the bejeweled-sequined-glittery-sparkliness category of crazy. Some may ask, Is there even such a place? & I'm here to say, Yup, I'm pretty sure... & I think I could draw the map to its exact location. While immersed in Christmas spirit, I may have gifted myself a little something here and there (Tries to withhold own giggles). & those little gifts - mostly tees and sweaters - seemed to have a common theme.

Shown (All J.Crew, of course):

Sequined Peakaboo cardigan, or, the one with the sequins going down the front of the placket

The Florentine (?) tee, or, the one that looked like a large bejeweled angel wing going down the front.

The Antler tee

The Starburst (?) tee, 2 colors, blush and ivory.

The sequined pocket long cardigan

The crushed glitter minaudiere in Copper

Somewhere along the path of staunch preppy-clothed-preferences, I have gotten a taste for the sparkly-sparkly. Like a full-on magpie. The funny part is, I arrived home from Europe to numerous -- and I do mean numerous -- J.Crew boxes. With the free shipping offered on top of the discounts, I seemed to have ordered numerous "little" orders. & when all the mini orders were opened, I had to laugh at how single-minded I had been.

Up-close of the sequined pocket cardigan. Like having little darling coin purses dangle from your cardi. I have to say the bling on this one is extra fantastic. The sequins are laid out rather randomly with no precise pattern, are a mercury-silver color and have a clear bead sewn on top of each. I love when the sequins are laid out all mish-mash like this.

Here's an up close of the peekaboo cardi. The color is more taupe than the slightest off pink I had thought I would have received but I wouldn't kick it out of bed. As Goldmember says from that Austin Powers movie, "It's a keeper!" The sequins as you can see are see through and in straight lines, which I think gives a nice lengthening effect. An illusion I don't mind given my short torso. Although I usually don't prefer the in-a-row sequin thing, I do like the subtlety. It's actually rather subdued bling.

& there is not one ounce of subdued anything in this minaudiere. It was a total sale item, $29.99 I believe with 20% off. A great deal for a little bit 'o swag. I was wondering how well the glitter would stay on this thing. I envisioned receiving this with glitter flakes everywhere but it is much sturdier than it looks.

I did remember this time to take a picture of the interior, which is lined in a fabric I will call, Not J.Crew Canvas. It's not silk but it's perky and dressed-up enough of an interior to match the bag's exterior.

Well, ladies. January better be a festive month, because I've gots me some bling to wear out and about. I will try my best to take IRLs of these when I style them or put outfits together. Let's just hope I've got the sparkly-sparkly out of my system!

Resolutions I can stick to & a quick recap of 2009

I'm one of those chicks who must make resolutions at the beginning of the year. It's a deal-breaker if I'm expected to trudge through a whole three hundred and sixty five days without a plan.

In 2009, I resolved to meet 10 mini goals. Some are pretty usual... Curb the shopping addictions to realistic levels, lose 15 pounds, save some money, etc. Others were funner, like Visit one place you've never seen before, and be more patient with the Hubs.

Moi, April of 2009, 'Iao Valley in Maui, Hawaii. Stop looking at my triple chin. It was the photo!

I can say I've definitely hit some of the goals of the year (Saw Paris, Venice and Rome for the first time; Saved a dollar or two), though not all (I lost a whopping total of 3 pounds this year).

This year, I'm setting some realistic goals. Some may say I'm lowering the bar. I say it's like J.Crew's vanity sizing. A quick self-esteem booster (though frustrating in its own right).

Here are this year's goals:

1. Do not set a budget for anything new that will enter my closet. But instead, choose pieces that will work with what I've got, don't go over board in the spending arena, and choose quality over quantity. Most of all, choose things I will love for YEARS. The worst of the worst is buying something in the heat of the moment only to see it in the giveaway pile 6 months later.

2. Go to the gym at least 3x a week. I have no excuse. My little guy is either picked up by my hubby or at Afterschool Care. Why not? & there doesn't have to be a specific pounds lost to make me happy. I want to be healthier (seriously) with more energy. As I get older and wake up with an ache or pain - or two or three - this truly means more to me. I'd like to just stay where I'm at, size-wise. It's my happy size. I can imbibe, have some wine after work, eat some great food, and still fit into the goodies in mah closet. I may not look perfect and their are things about me I would love to change, but I'm not going all Oprah and do the yo-yo thing. Contrary to what they say in Devil Loves Prada, nothing's wrong with a size 6!

3. See a place I've never seen before. Heck, it worked last year, right? There are places in the US I've never seen (Boston, for instance!) that I would love to check out.

4. Save at the pace I do now. It's working well.

5. ... Do we have to set a "5"? Isn't 4 enough? Yes, 4 goals is good for me.

I'm looking forward to a happy 2010.