I know I didn’t actually purchase and post some of the items I put up in the last preview post, but I legitimately have all these items in boxes on their way to me via UPS, so here’s a sneak peek.

J.Crew Canterbury Bells Pencil Skirt

Love the print on this skirt. It’s bold and floral, which is huge this season. It’s an unusual saturated blue color, so it adds a slight twist to the trend. This will also be my first time trying on the new shorter 21″ length J.Crew has apparently instated for its skirts this summer. We shall see! Get it here from J.Crew for $98.

J.Crew Impressionist Pencil Skirt

I’m a bit on the fence about this print. It seems really, really bright, to the point of slight tackiness. OR…it could be a bold, saturated floral pencil skirt, and you know how I’m a sucker for these floral prints. This is also in the new shorter 21″ length. Get it here from J.Crew for $110.

J.Crew Embroidered Zafrina Skirt

I got this skirt in the Bronzed Clay color. At first I just thought this skirt was cute, but once I zoomed in on the picture, I saw the delicate and very pretty sewing around the hem. Gorgeous! So feminine and detailed. Plus it seems very comfortable with the smocked waist, and should be flattering with the full A-line shape. The tassels are just the most adorable final touch. Get it here from J.Crew for $74.50.

J.Crew “Cozumel” Flower Mosaic Embroidered Tunic

I absolutely adored this top when I saw it in the catalog. It doesn’t resemble anything I already own, but looks like something that will match and add interest to any outfit. The earthy vibe will go great with comfy full skirts and jeans. It screams summer to me! I am only loving it in the Champagne color, shown above. Get it here from J.Crew for $78.

J.Crew Giant Gingham Shirt

I literally felt like I was seeing this picture everywhere. Or maybe I’m just so subconsciously drawn to the sheer cuteness of this outfit that I kept getting drawn to it wherever I looked on J.Crew’s site. I don’t own a single dress shirt…mostly because they’re so uncomfortable for me in comparison to knits and I could never get my size right. However, I have a soft spot for cute and bold plaid, and the brown belt + black full skirt combo is one of my wardrobe staples that always looks good. So…I felt like I had to order this shirt and at least try it or I will forever be seeing this outfit everywhere and wondering whether it’d be cute on me. Get it here from J.Crew for $69.50.

J.Crew Printed Palmera Ruffle Cami

J.Crew has come out with so, so many versions of this tank every season – usually with different types of prints or ruffles. I always thought they were cute and were tempted, but since I have the same issue with sizing with these dress tanks as I do with dress shirts, I’ve always been hesitant to order a random size blind online (and I’m just too lazy to try on in stores). However, this gorgeous tank is currently only $29.99 on sale online, so I thought it’s finally time to try it and see how I can work it into my wardrobe. Some blogs have reported that the ruffles look like a blob of shredded paper, which is ugh, but it doesn’t appear that way to me online so I guess we’ll see. Snag it on sale from J.Crew here for only $29.99 (down from $98!).

J.Crew Crystal Rock Bracelet

I fell for this ginormous-stoned necklace/bracelet when I first laid eyes on it in a J.Crew marketing email. I have not seen anything like it. It’s bold but feminine, kind of quietly and shyly screaming for attention. It’s a self-contradictory piece of jewelry, which adds a lot of interest to the piece for me. I’m not brave enough to put something this large on my neck, but it’s just enough of a statement on my wrist. For the relatively low sale price it’s at now, I had to snag it before it sells out. This is perhaps the piece I’m most excited about in my small J.Crew haul this time around. Get it here from J.Crew for $59.99.

Check back in a couple days as I report back!

Today I finally received the Higher Power shapewear from Spanx that I had promised to review a few days ago. I had theorized this would be the perfect solution to flatten and smooth out your lower tummy to look better in pencil skirt or just generally to wear under skirts for better shape and more coverage for those windy days.

Well, it certainly does all those things and more. Not only was my tummy completely flat in pencil skirts, but somehow this thing created a butt for me out of nowhere. I had really never seen it before. I literally said “what the hell?” out loud.

I’m wearing: J.Crew Softspun Cotton Henley Tee, Banana Republic Pique Skirt (left), J.Crew Sunshine Peony Pencil Skirt (right), Nine West Getby Wedges

The top extends all the way up your ribcage so it doesn’t roll down when you sit or move. I guess the only con I can say about this is that it definitely feels like an extra layer of clothing, very much like a tight corset, so your skirts will feel slightly tighter and it’ll be slightly harder to bend over or sit down because you’re so held in by it. Perhaps I’m just not used to shapewear. However, it accomplishes everything it’s intended to, and I’m definitely going to turn to it whenever I wear anything I’m remotely self-conscious in. For only $36, it’s totally worth it. Get it from Bare Necessities here.

The Double Breasted Merino Cardigan is no longer on the site, but since items pop back up at JCrew.com all the time, I figure it wouldn’t hurt to post about it, especially since this apparently was not a popular item at all for J.Crew. My guess is because the whole double-breasted thing is kind of unusual on a sweater and probably a foreign concept to many.

I liked it from the very beginning. It looks slouchy and unique. I never pulled the trigger because I had theorized that it would eventually go on sale from lack of popularity/sales. When it finally dropped to $29, I snagged it. My original thought was, this would be great for those days when I’m wearing a more fitted top that may reveal that relatively small but still existent lower stomach pouch of fat that all of us women unfortunately deal with. The double breasted aspect of the cardigan would help cover that up.

I’m wearing: Anthropologie Coil Flower Tank, Banana Republic Pique Skirt, Gucci Grease Platform Sandals (Similar here)

And it does do that, especially since it’s black. However, after wearing it for the day, my worst fear came true and it instead felt like the cross-over double breasted part was accentuating that area rather than hiding it. It formed almost like a small band around it. I immediately regretted getting a Small, my usual top size, because this kind of sweater is meant to be slouchy and Medium would’ve fit that bill much better. But there’s a silver lining. It looks just like a regular, long, fitted cardigan when unbuttoned!

I already have way too many black cardigans, but at least I know that one of these days, when the problem area *goes away*, I’ll have a multi-functional cardigan. Plus, I just love J.Crew’s merino sweaters. They drape so well and they’re so comfy. All in all, I recommend this sweater if you size up or if you have zero body issues. Check back at JCREW.com for popbacks!