Dressing Room Diary: Summer Brights at J. Jill for 2024

There’s no doubt that color lifts the spirit. Even though I wear neutrals more often than not, I feel a spark of joy when I see myself in brighter colors. I spent some time at the mall last week and spotted a slew of summer brights at J. Jill, which I couldn’t resist trying on.

A dressing room diary is when I go into a local store for a try-on session to see what’s new and show you how it looks on a woman over 25. For reference, I’m 5’4″ and weigh around 145 lbs. I have broad shoulders with straight hips, a long torso, and long arms. I often wear one size larger on top. I’ll tell you what sizes I’m wearing to help you understand how things run. J. Jill has streamlined its sizing so that every style is available as regular in sizes XS-4X. Petite and tall are available in popular styles, and all sizes are priced similarly.

I’m always a fan of the third layer, which adds interest to an outfit. This white eyelet tunic offers a lightweight summer option that could go over so many things…think of a bathing suit, or leggings, or an exercise outfit to take you to Pilates. It’s 100% woven cotton with cotton embroidery. I was impressed that the patterns match in the front because that’s a good indication of quality. I’m wearing it over a soft Pima cotton tee in paradise pink. It has elbow-length sleeves, which I know is a reader favorite. The shoulders are fitted, and it’s gently shaped at the waist but skims the torso. This tee comes in 12 colors plus some stripes in reg, petite, and tall.

I’m wearing it over these slim-leg crops, which are not cropped on me because these are the regular length with a 25″ inseam. They’re a pull-on style in cotton/modal with 5% spandex, so they’ll retain their shape all day. This wardrobe workhorse also comes in black or navy and would make a fabulous travel pant. See also- Best Travel Pants for Women to Wear On Your Next Trip.

Here’s the same eyelet tunic over the jeans I wore into the store. These high-rise straight-leg jeans have a relaxed vibe and are currently 30% off. The fabric is a blend that includes Tencel, which makes them softer than 100% cotton jeans. I reach for these a lot this time of year. They come in two other colors and have been a great investment piece in my casual wardrobe. I love that these petites are the perfect length for me because, at 5’4″, many petites are too short.

I’m wearing this layering tank, which reverses from a V to a scoop neck, depending on your needs. These tanks are quite fitted, so I always size up to a medium. They’re meant to be worn under things, so expect them to be snug. I tried on the large, and it was huge through the arm holes and fell off my shoulders.

I’m seeing cotton gauze everywhere this summer, but this is the first horizontal stripe I’ve spotted. This top is a pull-over style with set-in sleeves that are fitted through the shoulder. The brand calls these a cap sleeve, but they’re longer than what I associate with a cap sleeve. The fabric is 100% cotton and comes in a navy & white stripe. I paired it with these easy wide-leg linen crops in the color Branch, and they also come in white or blue. They have a flat front, pull-on waistband, and side pockets. The inseams are: 25″ inseam in regular, 24″ inseam in regular 2X, 23″ inseam in petite and 27″ inseam in tall.

I tried on this dress last month in a regular length in persimmon and orchid color. Both are really pretty, but I was delighted to find the petite one. This blue option is just gorgeous. It’s a fabulous dress for a hot day, which covers what you need to be covered in a breathable, cool fabric. I think I would belt this to give it some extra shaping. The blue is strong enough to hold its own with black sandals and a black belt or natural, which goes with everything.

I spotted this pretty embroidered jacket a few weeks ago but didn’t have time to try it on, so I’m glad I did this time. The cheery blue pops against the white for a fresh look you could layer over so many things. It’s fully lined and shaped with darts, set-in sleeves, plus side pockets. I’d like it over a white tee shirt dress or a tank and a pair of jeans. It would also be pretty over this airy cotton gauze skirt.

I’m styling it with these split-hem pull-on shorts and the white tank for a column of color. These are knee length, with an 11″ inseam in regular, 10″ in petite, and 12″ in tall. The fabric is a cotton/linen/rayon/spandex blend with a nice amount of stretch. They also come in navy.

I’m a huge fan of cotton gauze and take every opportunity to try the sets on. This split-hem tunic comes in this navy, a lighter blue, yellow, or white. It’s a gorgeous weight that hangs nicely in 100% cotton. I’m wearing it with these straight-leg ankle pants in the same navy and this cotton striped tee. I love wearing shirts like this open as a third layer but would also button it closed and tie it at my waist. The Pima stretch cotton tank also comes in 7 great colors. It’s looser than the reversible tank shown above and skims the body nicely.

This peony pink was irresistible, so I had to try it on. This everyday linen shirt is a wardrobe essential to wear summer after summer. It comes in 3 solid colors and 2 stripes. I layered it over this matching reversible tank and experimented with styling it two ways. I like it tied over the tank for some waist shaping when worn with these double-faced jersey, cropped pants. I have these pants in navy from a few years ago and love them. They have a nice drape, and the fabric is substantial enough to hide lumps and bumps. The pintuck seam down the front adds some structure, which helps them look more polished.

I think this cotton gauze jacket is a fun piece. I like it over my jeans, but the fabric also lends itself to going over a soft skirt, long shorts, or even a dress. It skims the body and is slightly shaped at the waist. This is black and it also comes in a delicious strawberry color.

MORE SUMMER FROM J. JILL