Yesterday I made a long-overdue trip to my closest B&M to return a few impulse buys and ride-alongs that didn't work (including, sadly, the Malabar sandals that look so cute on the always-smashing Miss A Bigger Closet here -- they didn't fit my skinny feet and looked, well, ridiculous. Drat.)
I had no intention of buying anything seeing as how I've been on a bit of a binge this spring and summer. But my PS/SA shrewdly and casually said "Hey, I do have one sweater to show you..." That girl is good at her job.
What she showed me was the very, very lightweight, silky merino wool "Merino Ethereal Ruffle Cardigan." J. Crew rather elaborately (as usual) describes this gem this way:
We're utterly enamored with this ladylike cardigan (and think you will be too). A dainty ruffle of crinkled silk chiffon trims the delicately flounced neckline, giving it that certain je ne sais quoi. It dresses up your favorite jeans and pairs perfectly with a pencil skirt. Spun from the finest whisper-weight Italian merino wool in a 14-gauge knit. Fitted. V-neck. Three-quarter sleeves. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean.
This cardi fits TTS, and has 3/4 sleeves and a wonderful drape on the body. What the pictures don't show very well at all (best, I think, if you look at the Dark Rust color) is how well JC has succeeded with the trim this time. The buttons are adorable and the crinkled chiffon truly is delicate and so feminine -- AND is a beautifully-coordinated, slightly lighter shade of the color of the wool.
The Heathered Cypress (picture above) size M came home with me, along with the Deco Patent Leather Belt in Ripe Avocado that blends with this sweater (and echoes the slight glossiness of the buttons) so beautifully. I think this color will be a lot of fun to play with and will jazz up my neutrals and my jeans this fall. Unfortunately it is the dreaded Dry Clean Only. But since I discovered Dryel (so sorry, neighborhood mom 'n pop dry cleaners, nothin' but love for ya sincerely), I'm not especially deterred by a DCO tag.
My B&M also had this cardi in Dark Rust, which is very pretty but looks similar to Glazed Pecan, and the Barely Peach, which IRL isn't as dark as it appears online -- it looks to me more like this spring's Warm Blush. Been there, done both colors enough already.
What do y'all think of this cardi? Too much like too many recent JC items (how they do love that chiffon trim!)? Or does it ring that "Welcome to my closet!" bell in your head too? :-)
I love this cardi although it hasn't shown up at my B&M yet. I have all the PS's on the lookout. Those are the exact two colors I am want to get -- the rust and the cypress. Congrats on getting them. They are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI did purchase this in black and I love it! It is as pretty and soft as you say, though it was not at our B&M. I did buy it as a ride-along and I kept it. That is what I get for breaking my ride-along rule...don't order anything in my size!
ReplyDeleteFor the ignorant among us, what's B & M?
ReplyDeleteHey Maggie, so sorry about that! "B&M" stands for "Brick & Mortar", meaning an "in real life" (abbreviated IRL) J. Crew store. Thanks for stopping by to read! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation, and for your blog in general. I'm also 50-something and looking for non-frumpy yet age appropriate clothes options here in the Triangle!
ReplyDeleteCan you post an IRL pic of the sweater on? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI bought this one too, a couple weeks ago. I got it in navy and peach. I really love it. It's much like last year's Tartine, but v-neck. I appreciate that the chiffon trim has finished edges, unlike a lot of recent J. Crew stuff.
ReplyDeletevery curious to see this one IRL. Love that heather cypress!
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