Back in the Dressing Room
Nordstrom wasn’t the only store where I tried things on this week. This was one for the record books, and I’m officially bushed. How many times can an almost 70-year-old woman change her clothes in 48 hours? More than I can count. Here are a few more pieces I tried on at some of your favorite retailers.
This Chico’s linen safari shirtdress looks nice belted or unbelted. You can also swap the belt for a non-fabric option like this, which I’d prefer. This is not my most flattering color, but I like it, and the dress has an Out-of-Africa vibe that really appeals to me.
It’s also 100% linen, which will rumple as all linen does, but it feels cool this time of year, and goes with the territory. I’d prefer this look with a sandal that has a lower ankle strap, but these are beyond comfortable and what I wore for a full day of shopping.
This Chico’s denim cropped trucker jacket has a more modern shape than the classic styles, which have chest flap pockets, etc. Yes, it’s not as shapely, perhaps, but sometimes style aces out flattering. I know it’s a controversial feeling, but it’s where my thoughts are these days.
I’m wearing it with a classic, contoured, striped square-neck tank, which is a great, forever layering piece you’ll wear for years.
These Girlfriend straight-leg jeans have a nice slim leg in a great dark wash for the fall. The trend predictors say dark wash is coming back…I say it never left, and it’s the “dressiest” of the blue denim washes.
This Chico’s embellished linen popover dress comes in brown or black and is an easy way to look finished in one fell swoop. I’d only add earrings and/or a bracelet to this since it already has embellishments on the top.
Then I popped over to Ann Taylor to try on some new looks. Did I ever mention that my first part-time job, when my kids were in middle school, was working at Ann Taylor? I loved that job, and the clothes excited me because they were so much more polished than what I’d been wearing for carpool pickups and school field trips.
This lime grabbed my eye from across the room, which I guess is the whole point for brights…they attract. This tank top is lined, so the double layer makes it look and feel more substantial. The high crew neck makes a great base for necklaces, or not, and it comes in lots of colors.
I paired it with this bias-cut linen blend skirt for a column of color. The skirt comes in petite, but I only found the regular in store. It’s lined and has a flat, elasticized waistband. I topped the pair with this classic Ann cardigan in black.
This styling is intentional. I only closed the top button to create an inverted V-shape, exposing the column of color. The shape continues down in the skirt, which I find pleasing to the eye.
Full circle skirts are plentiful this summer, and I hope they continue into fall. This full midi skirt comes in black or white, in a crisp cotton blend that’s fully lined…I love details like that. It does come in petite, but again, not in the store.
*Shopping online is the wave of the future, ladies. So many of us love to touch, see, and try on clothes, but if we rely on store stock, we can’t get access to the sizes and colors we want.
I topped it with this Floral applique sweater shell, which has what looks like 3-dimensional daisies across the front. There’s a matching cardigan here, but I preferred to keep this look simple. Both just come slightly beyond the waist, which I find perfect when not tucking in.
These trouser jeans fit like a dream. They have a darted, high-waist (more designers need to use darts), which helps contour them to your shape. The gentle flare helps them hang nicely, and the cotton/polyester blend makes them soft.
I topped them with this polo top, which is soft as can be but almost sold out, so I won’t bother you with the details.
And that’s a wrap for me, so we’re driving home today. I have a few more outfits from the Nsale to share, and since it’s open to the public tomorrow, I’ll share them then.
A word about my necklace, because I’ve had a few questions. This is from an American jewelry designer named Susan Shaw. I was attracted to this because it has a genuine Buffalo nickel in the center. Many of her pieces are in gold-tone, but this one comes in both gold and silver tones. At least 3 women stopped me on Tuesday to ask about my necklace.
Have a great Friday and be sure to wear what delights you and makes you feel confident.
Thanks for the great try-on, Jennifer! I really like the look of that Chicos denim jacket. And I’m very tempted to order your beautiful necklace. Have you found that it tarnishes?
I haven’t had it long enough to know but the website says to only use a soft cloth to clean, no polishes. So I assume it will not tarnish.
You surprise me everyday with the colors you have been wearing in the try ons. I never wear black near my face and never wear yellow or lime! Those colors are terrible next to my complexion. However, you look like a younger version of me and you looked terrific in the lime column of color with the black cardigan. The white outfit also is striking on you and I can wear white. That you for this terrific try on. Go rest your tail feathers when you get home.
Thanks Sydney!
What a workout trying on so many outfits. I hope that you have someone to assist with taking clothes off hangers and putting them back on the hangers. I also love the necklace, and that it is made in San Antonio, TX. Thank you so much for all the work that you put in. I look forward to your posts every day.
Nope, I’m the only one in the dressing room 😁
Loved the dark Chico’s jeans and the Susan Shaw buffalo necklace. It’s my birthday so I bought them both!!
Happy Birthday!
I love that necklace! Thanks for linking.
I LOVE that phrase: “my tailfeathers are dragging”! It reminds me of my Scottish grandpa’s sayings. Thank you for that pick-me-up!
Thanks for doing the try-ons. It always helps to see it on a real person. I too have the Susan Shaw buffalo nickel necklace in two-tone. It is such a unique piece and living in the West, I love it.
I especially like that Ann Taylor is doing more with natural fabrics, like cotton and linen. I’m avoiding all the synthetic fabrics as they tend to look cheap and feel hot.
This is my first piece of hers but it won’t be my last, for sure. It’s so nice
Thanks for all your tryons. I can see why you would be wiped out. My favorite s were the polo top and the all white outfit. I think you look great in white 🤍
I love all white too. Ann Taylor had some nice things this time.
Love those AT jeans. I was a store manager at Ann Taylor in the 90s, and long for the quality of the clothes from those days. I had some of the pieces I purchased back then for decades through my later office career, they were so good and timeless. We had someone part-time who specifically came in to steam EVERY item before it hit the floor (can you imagine that now?). So many memories, like champagne legwear (iykyk)!
Yes, our store did too. It was a gentleman who steamed everything that came in. Things have certainly changed.
Thank you for the great post, Jennifer. You shared some beautiful pieces. I especially like the like green skirt and top. Very flattering shape. You look fabulous, btw. I was wondering if you’d be willing to share a bit about your fitness routine. I’ve been feeling like I need to change mine up lately because my body seems to be shifting the weight around into new stubborn places! Thank you for all you do!
I do pilates 2-3 times a week, try to walk most days, and have some hand weigths I use at home. That shifting is happening to me too. It’s all heading south or landing on my tummy. I think the pilates has made the biggest difference.
I miss your photos showing us what you wore that week. Your blog is always the first one I read every morning. Thanks for all your hard work!
I’ve not been consistent taking them. I’ll try to remember. Thanks for the nudge.
I have the Chico’s cropped trucker jacket and I love it. I purchased it specifically because it has no chest pockets which I find useless and unattractive on me. I love it so much I also purchased it in white. I’m 5′ 3″ and its a great length for me. I love the bracelet sleeves and cuff them back like you did in the photo. I also have the striped top in navy and in red. So useful under a jacket and also as just a sleeveless top to wear on a hot day. Its loose enough fitting and has all the attributes you described the other day. I looked for the light darted high waist jeans but for some reason couldn’t find them on the website.
Sorry, I fixed the link. The light wash I have on is here
I love the necklace so much I just ordered it. Thanks for the recommendation, love your style!
I loved it on sight!
Wow those light blue trouser jeans look fantastic on you. I’ve been getting a lot of styling emails about the Nordstrom sale but I clicked on yours because of how great you look in the jeans and cute polo top!
I admire your taste and strength; trying on clothes is exhausting, particularly when you’re trying on so many different items and styling them, too. I am grateful for your help, experience, and honest appraisals.
I have ignored Ann Taylor stores because a former neighbor shopped there, but she was taller and had a willowier shape than I do, and, as you mentioned, stores do not often carry a full stock of what they offer. For those reasons, whenever I browsed their store, I felt it was not the store for me, because the stock they carried seemed more suited to her type of figure. Yet you look great in the styles you tried for this post, and I may change my mind. The outfits you tried on here struck my fancy.
Also, I tend to lean towards dark-wash jeans, and was about to say I disdain light-wash ones, but then the photo of you in light wash with a navy-blue top and cardi popped up, and I totally changed my mind. Humble as always, I appreciate you and your work for giving me options.
Thank you so much Christine. I enjoy putting outfits together for my readers to see.
I agree with you about darts in pants. I bought a pair of khaki ankle jeans at Talbots last year and loved the fit because I didn’t have any waist gap at the back. I didn’t notice the darts until I washed them and was folding them. They are the best fitting jeans I’ve ever had.
Darts are amazing.
Love the lemon outfit on you! So cute. I would have been exhausted after all those try-ons too. Thanks for doing all the leg work.
I like that outfit too
FYI…that Chico’s popover embellished dress in brown is on sale for 53.99 down from 179.50!
I loved how each of the Ann Taylor pieces looked on you! My favorite was the yellow/lime green outfit. Please continue these “dressing room diaries!”
I liked how that one came together too! I will continue when I can get into a store.
I can see how it must be exhausting to be doing all those changes in a short time. I usually love shopping, but dread having to head to the changing room and facing reality.
That white circle skirt has such a nice silhouette and drape. I really appreciate lined pieces. They make dressing so much easier and give a better shape to clothes.
The lime color outfit looks like a lot of fun.
The Susan Shaw jewelry collection is really nice. Fun beachy pieces.
Enjoyed your post very much.