I won!

Last week I entered a giveaway. Well, ok, this is a regular occurrence. There are a lot of giveaways in facebook groups I frequent, and I enter many of them. Some I really want to win (ahem, In The Pink's $500 shopping spree), some would be nice to win, and some I really don't care about the prize but it would make a nice gift for someone.

Last week Purse Lady Too had a giveaway. I don't think there was a specific reason for it, she just had one. All you had to do was share the giveaway information on your fb page and comment that you had done so, and you'd be entered. The prize was one of Lemon and Line's rope bracelets.

So I entered. Why not? The bracelets are cute, they're not exactly anything I'd go out and buy, but again, nice possible gift for someone.

Now, Purse Lady Too is really cool. I think Bird told me about her. She sells lovely little stationary goods, including Lilly, Kiel James Patrick, Fornash, etc. Lots of great things. And she likes to offer special deals often! I made my first purchase last fall, I bought a bunch of things on sale that I used as gifts. And included in the box (mind you, I didn't buy all that much, maybe $40 worth), I got a free lobster notepad! too cute. I gave it to my mom as a stocking stuffer. But that little free gift got me hooked.

My most recent purchase was on Leap Day, when there was a free Lilly tech case/wristlet with a purchase of $65 or more. I stocked up on birthday gifts for 2012 and planned to give the wristlet as a gift, but when I actually saw it I decided I can't part with it.

Too cute! Perfect for the beach.

So I want to spread the PLT love. Go sign up for emails and like her on facebook, and be the first to hear about her upcoming specials!

But back to the giveaway.

Well, wouldn't you know, I actually won! I never win. I used to be good at guessing the number of jelly beans in the jar because I can do some quick math, and I have a secret trick for tea cup auctions, but I never win random giveaways! I was excited about the novelty of winning, not so much about the actual prize. Again, great birthday gift for someone. But then PLT contacted me to ask what color and what size bracelet I'd like. Um, size? Get this- these Lemon and Line rope bracelets come in different sizes. Whoa! I love bracelets but they're just so hard to fit right. Either they're huge and fall off, or they're tiny and more like a large ring. I checked out L&L's size chart (which, btw, isn't the most user-friendly thing, actually go as if you're about to purchase a bracelet, then there's a drop-down menu where you select the size and it tells you the measurement of each size in inches).

I selected my color and size, and PLT shipped it off to me immediately. I received it a couple days ago, when I got home between choir rehearsal and going out to dinner, opened it up, put it on, and kept it on for the rest of the day. I'm quite fond of this bracelet! I predict I'll be using it quite a bit this summer it's a great, colorful, casual accessory. Perfect for the CT shore. There's some give to the length because of the rope and the knot, and it has a neat-looking clasp (although L&L would have you believe it's the best clasp since sliced bread, super easy to put on, etc. It's not all that easy. It could be worse, but I have to fuss with it a bit to get it to close). The size of this is perfect, I like my bracelets a little loose, and it is. I just hope it doesn't get all weird if I get it wet!

I'm wearing it today, since the pink in it is the same shade as my pink Elsa.

And speaking of giveaways, I won another one a few days later! I won a Fornash fishy necklace. Another perfect-for-summer accessory! I'm a roll! I need more giveaways to enter before my luck runs out!

Jeans, and how I deal with them.

Many people say they hate bathing suit shopping. I don't. I never really have. I'm far from happy with my figure, but over the years I've been lucky to find two brands of bathing suits that always have at least one style that works on me- Lilly (duh) and J Crew. I've gotten to the point where I can even order online. It's a big relief.

But one thing that's just impossible to fit is jeans. Pants are ok, it's something about the denim or the rivets or the seaming... I don't know, but jeans are awful to shop for.

I think this is fairly common. I mean, that's why there are so many different fits of jeans. Curvy fit, straight fit, relaxed fit, boyfriend fit, skinny, slim, petite, cropped, long, flared, bootcut... oy. I've tried on all of it. I got to the point where I found a pair of jeans that fit, and I bought 3 pairs. Then I went through a phase where I bought 2 sizes. Then I saw that sometimes sizing up makes them wearable, but I might have to belt them. All of this worked for a while, but of course when they started to wear out, I went to get more, only to discover they no longer make that style, or anything close to it. Ugh!

When I try on a pair of jeans, if I get my normal pants size, the waist/butt fits perfectly, but the legs are so tight I can hardly pull them up. If I size up, the legs are perfect but the waist is huge. If I try on anything flared, that scenario is more exaggerated. If I try on skinny jeans... well, it's the opposite, sizing up makes the waist fit nicely but the legs are weird and baggy. It makes no sense!!!

Over the summer I found a pair of really cute new without tags size 12 Lilly jeans on ebay, they were misspelled so not very easy to find, but I found them, and I got them for $29.99. They have adorable pink and green stitching on the back pockets, and they were kind of a consolation for a pair of size 8 jeans I bought at Nordstrom Rack a few years ago, completely forgot about while I was that size, and then had no hope of fitting into again. Well, like I said, lately I size up in jeans, and these were that up. They arrived, they're lovely- they look completely brand new, they're that good bootcut fit that I love from the pre-skinny jeans days. They fit perfectly through the leg.... but the waist was enormous. We're talking Jenny Craig commercial enormous (ok I exaggerate, but it felt like that!) There was no way I could wear them. So sad!

So I tucked them away while I tried to decide whether or not to sell them.

A few weeks ago, I went through a big closet purge- wear it or sell it, that's my motto now. I found these jeans again, tried them on, but I just couldn't bear to list them. Legs fit and look great, but the waist is too big to actually wear them, just walking around the house makes them fall down.Aren't they cute?

And then came my brilliant idea.

If you have a skirt that's just a tiny bit too big, how do you alter it? Take in the seams a bit. Easy peasy, just one seam on each side. Why not try that on a pair of jeans? The only obvious issue is the super thick denim.

I made a seam on each side, first about a 1/4inch in on each side, reducing the waist measurement by 1 inch (the pink seam), and then it was still too big, so I made a seam another 1/4inch in, reducing the waist measurement by 2 inches (the green seam). I stitched over the existing seam again, just to reinforce it.

The seams are kind of hard to see in these photos. This isn't a fool-proof fix, however, because pulling jeans on and off puts a lot of stress on this area and these seams, which is why I sewed again over the innermost seam. You'll probably need to resew them after a handful of wears. I had to urge my sewing machine along by turning the wheel thing with my hand, when the motor fought the foot pedal, but that's the same as when I sew something that has 6 or more layers of fabric, and other than that, sewing these seams takes just a minute and is very easy and straightforward.

Here's how the jeans look after the seaming. You can see the little indents on each side from the added seams. Honestly, the first time I put these jeans on those indents felt a little odd, but by now, after wearing them a handful of times, I don't notice it.
Over the weekend, I was going out with the girls, and the pub we chose is fairly casual, so I wanted to wear jeans- but what jeans? I found a pair of trouser-style jeans from White House Black Market (the only item I own from there, sadly), but these were a pair I bought after I decided I needed to size up in jeans- I tried on the 12s, too big. So the 10s: roomy, but there's no way I can still be an 8, I was sure of it. So I bought the 10s, and wouldn't you know, too big. The wide legs make the legs look fine, but they were another pair I had to belt. Well, on Sunday afternoon, the light bulb went on, and I sewed these up too. I'm wearing them as I type, so I can't show you any photos at the moment. I didn't have to take these in quite as much, only about a 1/4 inch on each side, and they fit perfectly. I'm so excited, yet another pair of pants available in my closet. :)

So if you have this same problem of baggy waists in your jeans, get out your sewing machine, or go to a friend who can let you borrow it for 5 minutes. It's such a quick and easy fix, and might open up a whole other section of your wardrobe. Also, it's a great way to salvage your old pants after losing a little weight- but I wouldn't suggest trying this to reduce the waist measurement by more than 2-3 inches.

Spring is in the air, part 3!

And I'll probably need a part 4, too. E.A. Davis has a LOT of spring in stock! They were unpacking a lot of it so I think even by today there are many more styles there.

Last Friday I had a meeting in CT, and afterwards I really felt that I needed some retail therapy. Yet, still being unemployed, retail therapy has to mean only trying on clothes (although I admit, I did buy a roll of Do the Wave wrapping paper. For my etsy shop! "Business expense"! I'll get some cupcake wrappers in that and I have a fab new item idea but I'm having trouble finding of the materials. I think I need to be brave and visit Home Depot.) I took the very long drive from north-central CT over to Wellesley. It was a long drive. I stopped at Marshalls and bought a bag of caramel corn... which I promptly devoured before I got home. Well hey, that was my lunch and snack. Fortunately, there was no traffic getting to Wellesley. (totally different story for getting home from Wellesley... Note to self: don't leave Wellesley or anywhere around Boston at 5pm on a Friday)

This wasn't such a successful trip, I really only liked one new thing, and improved my opinion on another. I also tried different sizes of the one thing I truly plan to buy, so that I can purchase online if a sale pops up sometime in the next 3 months (I'd like to get this for my birthday in June!). And I was a little tired when I got there, so I only had one round of trying on.

First up, the Cherry Dress. (In Prep Green Twinkle, for $268)
I really like this print. I'm not entirely sure it's the right green for my complexion, but it might have just been the dressing room lighting. This is a size L and fits comfortably, so I think fits true to size. I think the cut is pretty flattering, but the flutter sleeves aren't for me. I think this would be a great, easy dress to throw on in a hurry and still look lovely. I wish it were about $100 less, though! It seems awfully expensive for what it is- even though I think it's the same fabric as the Blanca and Blayneys, it doesn't feel as nice as those.

The Carolyn, in Shorely Blue Lavish Lillys, for $118.
This is super cute!! I'm in a L and it's roomy but not overly so. It's a good length for 5'6-me, and for the low, Cassie-like price, this is definitely an adorable dress to throw in on a hurry. I feel that the cut is far better than the Cassie, more fitted and less smock-like. The ruffled button placket is super cute. Unfortunately, I'm not such a collar person, so I probably won't get this... if only it had more of a nehru collar or a neckline like an Elsa! But the body of the dress is splendid, and I approve of the cute little ruffles on the sleeves.

The Ferra, in Call Me Kitty, for $198.
Sorry for the blurry picture, I had a horrible time getting a decent picture of this one. Why, you ask? Well, this is a size 12, but I couldn't zip it past the waist. My arm is clutching the dress to me so that it doesn't fall down. Not cool! This fit about as poorly as the Franco, although at least the bottom half looks fine. It comes in a 14, but the store didn't have one (actually, now that I think of it, the largest size I've seen there in my spring visits is a 12! Hmm, that's not good.) Other than running very small, this dress is very cute, but it's a little short on my 5'6 frame. So sad! I love this print. It's very me, since some people call me Cat, and I do love cats. The only other possibility this print comes in is the Delia, so that's on my list for my next visit.

Amberley, in Prep Green Twinkle, for $228.


I'm not sharing a picture of me in this because it was worse than the Ferra. It basically had the same problems in fit and length, but without the pretty bodice to save it. Very sad. Size up, size up! The 12s in both of these seriously had about 5 inches of space between the sides of the zipper. That's ridiculous!

Let's get back to something cute.
The Parker, in Lagoon Green Birds and Bees, $228

This is very cute! Fits a tiny bit snugly, it was tough to zip up at the bust but fits more or less comfortably. I wouldn't size up, but I might wear spanx or a different bra. I thought this was cut pretty well for me. The skirt's a little more poofy than I need, but really this fit the way I'd hoped Eryn would. The straps were too long, but that's normal for me, and the V-neck is flattering without being too low (I'm wearing the same Not Just Fringe necklace as in my last trip- convenient coincidence!). I probably won't get it, but I may look for it when spring goes on sale!
(I just remembered- this fits like the Chichi! Which I adore. Poofier skirt and has that cute rosette at the waist, but otherwise like the Chichi! No wonder I liked it.)

Here's my favorite from the day:
Adeline in White Sweet Daisy Eyelet, $228
This is a little snug. That day it felt like maybe I should have tried a 14 (but again, not in stock! geez) but looking at this picture it looks ok. Maybe I just need spanx? The bust was tight, but the way it's cut you can just spill out a little to relieve the tightness, which I'm doing here so it doesn't look crazy. It's pretty low cut, and you can see the edge of my demi bra, so I'd need to rethink undergarments for this. But the best thing is that I looked much better than the model in this-hahahaha!! I may be a little chubby, but I'm not awkward! This is a possibility for paging, although I'm not sure if it's too low-cut. Chichi is a little low and that's been fine, so maybe this would be ok.

Now, they had a few things on sale- a few. The Valentine's murfee for 50% off (SO tempting!!!!! But I left it there), a couple Minnies dresses in the Valentine's print, and the Estelle Love sweater.
Which, fortunately, I didn't really love. I mean, it's ok, it's not bad, but I just didn't LOVE it. So I was glad, because I had wanted it and was sad I couldn't get it, and now I can't afford it. So that worked out well.

I also revisited Joycee. You may remember in my last spring post that I didn't much care for the Reef Me Up Joycee. The shoulders were weirdly tight.

Well, today I tried on a larger size.
Scorpion Bowl Joycee, size L.
Size L feels good. It's roomy (quite roomy) but the shoulders feel right. So I tried on the same thing in M.
....fits well. A little roomy, but not too roomy, and the shoulders feel... right. Really?

Don't you feel like I'm wearing the same top in both pictures? I'm not. The first really is L, the second really is M. Let's revisit the M Reef Me Up.
it's hard to tell in this picture, and it's hard to say if the shoulders were super tight in this simply compared to the awesome Via I'd been wearing for all the bottoms I tried on, or if they really were tight. I didn't grab a Via this time to study that aspect.

But I dunno. I guess I conclude that I can wear EITHER M or L in Joycee. Just like in the Bidi tank, either M or L fits. Somehow that just doesn't seem right.

But at least it widens the possibilities for shopping sales!

Speaking of sizing oddities, I didn't photograph the Mariana this time, but I tried on SOM in 10 and 12. Remember I tried on Bloomin Cacoonin in 10 and 12, and decided I preferred 10, but SOM I only grabbed as 12 and thought it fit right? Well, without a doubt, the Mariana in SOM size 10 is TOO SMALL. I need a 12 in SOM. But I need... a 10 in Bloomin' Cacoonin'? This is just too confusing! Dresses should not vary in size in the same season! Last year's Adelson can fit different than this year's, or my 2010 Shell We Dance Blayney can fit completely differently (I need M) than this year's Starry Blue Drama Queen Blayney (size L is a tad snug), but things can't vary in the same season! Step it up, Lilly.

But Lilly, remember that I love you, even with all your peculiarities. After all, it gives me a great excuse for this fake retail therapy afternoons :)

What I Wore

I've been feeling kind of down lately, so for the past few days I've taken a little more care with my attire. I can lift my spirits by being a little more purposeful about pairing this scarf with that tunic top, rather than just throwing on whatever shirt is at the top of the clean-but-not-yet-folded laundry pile (does anyone else hate putting laundry away like I do? really, it's just such a horrible chore, yet I don't quite understand why I hate it! It's not that hard). I have a health problem that is both a huge deal and not a huge deal. It's not life-threatening, I'm not going to die. Yet it's a chronic thing and I'm having trouble adjusting to that. I'm going to the doctor today to see what he can tell me, and then I'll probably try to make an appointment with a specialist in Boston. I feel like karma's really shortchanging me here. I mean, isn't it enough that I can't find a job, I have to have a big health issue too?

So I'll try to ignore and look as pretty as I can.

Here's what I wore 2 days ago. We went car shopping and out to dinner. And Pansy scampered by as Clint was about to take the photo, so I snatched her up and she agreed to pose.
Vivi top in Let's Get Gingky, recently acquired from PPR, size S. Yes, you read that right, Small. This runs HUGE. I plan to take out the elastic in the sleeve cuffs, but I'm not sure if I'll make them a full, open sleeve or just replace with looser elastic. I'm wearing Lilly jeans that I got on ebay in August but only just altered so that I can actually wear them- they were a bit big, but I didn't really want to get rid of them.

For Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day was chilly, so I had to do a lot of layering. Pink tissue Elsa (M), cashmere Shere sweater coat (L) and Serenity murfee, with my Key to My Heart necklace and my Tiffany's heart key necklace- normally I don't layer necklaces but I figured Valentine's Day is a good day to do it with my heart necklaces! The Shere was a gift from my mom, and it's heavenly. I don't think it's the most flattering thing ever on me, but it's cashmere and warm and ruffly so I don't care.

I can't remember exactly what I did this day... probably just boring, generic errands.
Bess mock turtleneck, Society cords in cameo white, and my new Shaken N' Stirred necklace. I also threw on a murfee because this was just too much solid neutral colors, but of course with my pink She's a Piston murfee you can't see the necklace! The pants are a bit big and definitely need to be hemmed, but you can't really tell here. I got the Bess on ebay for $11 and am very glad- what a simple but comfy and well-cut top!

I took this picture after returning from choir. Choir rehearsals tend to be a bit chilly, so I had to throw on this cardigan- Cassies aren't really made for New England winters, even mild ones like we're having now.
Navy cardigan (possibly a Paley) and Cassie top in starry blue Drama Queen, with Key to My Heart necklace. This Cassie is the XL I got and shrunk in the dryer. After another couple washes without going in the dryer, it's getting a little roomy again, but I really love this solution- especially since I'm worried we'll forget and accidentally throw one of the size L Cassies in and shrink it. Worn with jeans and docs.

This day I'm pretty sure I had no reason at all to spend time on my outfit, aside from the desire to do so.
Pink cotton Elsa, new Fornash fishy necklace and my mom's Take Me Away murfee. Worn with jeans and brown suede boots.

Today I have a doctor appointment and am wearing my navy Echelon tunic, pink She's a Piston murfee, and the Lilly jeans. This Echelon tunic is kind of funny, it's a rather heavy knit so you'd think it'd be warm, but it's really not! And the sleeves are so full that it's hard to find a sweater that can fit over it- I'm glad wrapping myself in murfees does a lot to stay warm.

Spring is in the air, part 2!

Tops and bottoms!

The fun did not stop with the shifts, oh no! I'd heard that the State of Mind Patch was available in Callahans, but little did I know, it's also available in Bermudas! I am not a callahans girl, I don't do short shorts (when I was a size 6 I did a bit, although to be honest, I mostly wore short skirts when I was a 6), so you can't imagine how happy I was when bermuda shorts started coming back. I feel like I should share a photo of me in my fave cut-offs from 1993, but aside from it being potentially embarrassing (you know that awkward phase all kids go through? yeah, it lasted til I was about 20, but age 13 was probably the height of the awkwardness), it's not digital and not in my house. But bermudas, love.

My favorites from this collection (i.e. stuff I do plan to buy, and possibly even (gasp!!) pay full price for:
State of Mind Bermudas
Via Tunic

I unfortunately didn't try on a huge number of Spring tops and bottoms. I think I got a little overwhelmed! I tried on stuff that had caught my eye, not really stuff that others might like to see on a non-model..... I guess I'll just have to go back for round 2!

Roslyn Skirt in Bloomin' Cocoonin', size 10
and a Roslyn skirt in State of Mind Patch, size 12

I love the little open latticework detail on the top one, so cute! I'm not sure what size skirt I'd need. I often size up so that it doesn't sit too high on the waist, but I think the size 10 looks better. They both felt fine- although since the bench was covered in clothes, I didn't do a sit-test. But really, I probably wouldn't buy either- I'm bad at skirts, I never know what top to wear with them, since tucking in tops looks awkward on my frame.

Bermudas in State of Mind Patch, size 10
Sorry for the blur! But I do love these. They fit like the bermudas I bought last summer. The material's thinner than the solid green beans ones I have, but not as thin as the green bean daisy print. Very comfortable and the rise is perfect for me. All around awesome.

I am also wearing the Via tunic in size L (... I think. ugh I knew I should have written it all down!) Well I love the Via tunic. It fits me like the cotton Elsa (which is why I think maybe it's a M), has cute cotton ruffles along the neck opening and 3/4 sleeves. Slub cotton. Love love love!

Alima tunic, size L
I really can't remember what size this is! Oh no! However, I didn't like it. The shoulders are VERY tight, in a really weird way- at my shoulder caps they're tight, not like across the shoulders their tight. It just felt really uncomfortable. I was disappointed!

Bella top, size L
I thought this would be like a Cassie with cute ruffles on the sleeves- like the Somerset is a ruffled sleeve Cassie. It may be the print, but I don't really love this top. It runs a little small, and it seems awfully long.

Allison top, size M

I grabbed a M because they didn't have a L, and I think it's just a hair tight. The L would definitely be too big. Aside from that (which is only a problem if I move around too much, anyway!) this is a super cute top!

The pants I'm wearing are the Elaina Cigarette pants, size 12. not in love. They're kind of baggy in the thigh but fit nicely in the waist. I didn't bother trying the 10s because I thought they would just annoy me. ;) I have to say, however, normally pants are too big in the waist and tight in the thigh. So this was just weird.

Ok, now some non-spring!

Joycee Tunic in Reef Me Up, size M
oh man, this made me sad. I was SOOO excited to try this on, finally. I see all these pictures of people in them, and they're so cute. But the upper arms/shoulders were ridiculously tight on me! I think the body fits me perfectly, so sizing up wouldn't fully make sense. I could wear it if I stretched out the arms and shoulders, and I do that that's a valid option, but after taking off the lovely and perfect Via tunic, the Joycee was a disappointment. I will still get one if I can find a M on sale, but I may just start hoping they come out with a printed Via.

Standing Ovation Roslyn, size 12
Oh it's so cute!! I totally would have gotten this if I could afford it. Even with 70% off, it was still more than I could realistically spend.

Silk Elsas, size M
Boy, I love the Follow the Pink Road print!
These were marked down to $47 each, so I got all excited. But... I just don't love them! I don't know. I felt like the sleeves were just too huge and they looked all balloony on me. But was I crazy or just tired from a long day of shopping? Because I loved the resort pintuck Elsa:
Maybe I was crazy. or maybe all the ruffles were just too much- even for this ruffle-lover!

Then I tried on a Connell Wrap sweater, size L
I'm on the hunt for this now! I loved it. But it was still $50, which, yes, is a good price, but not for me that day. It won't be great in winter, but in late spring it'll be perfect! I loved the drape and the fact that it just feels like an expensive sweater.

And last but not least, the item I actually took home with me :)
Cassie in Drama Queen, size XL
yes, it's too big, but it was also $19, and I've been looking for this print.

But here's something exciting:
I threw it in the dryer! And look, it's now the same size as my Thrill of the Chaise size L!
So now I'm on the hunt for an XL Cassie in Dress Rehearsal.

Spring is in the air! (part 1)

Exciting day today! my, my. I decided today was the day I was going to run over to E.A.Davis in Wellesley to see the new Lilly Pulitzer spring line for myself. I had a nagging fear in the back of my mind that they might not even have spring out yet... since it'd only debuted a few days ago. I was tempted to call and check, but then I decided there was still quite a bit of resort I hadn't tried out, so it wouldn't be a total loss.

Well. I walked in and spring was there! yippee! Straightaway I saw a rack with Ricci shifts in the new State of Mind print, so I immediately grabbed my size. A sales associate was standing there and said something along the lines of "well you know exactly what you want!" The people that work there are lovely, but they don't seem to understand the mind of a true Lilly Lover. She was flabbergasted when she saw all I wanted to bring into the fitting room- she actually said she wasn't sure it would fit! There were 3 hooks and a small bench, so she did have a point...

I'm doing this post in 2 parts... there's just far too much to say to fit into one post. Let's start with the dresses, and this weekend I'll tell you about the tops and bottoms.

Let's get started.

Oh first, here's what I wore yesterday: my Let's Get Gingky Jonah, purchased from RLL last fall. LOVE this print, I'd been searching high and low for a Blayney in it, but once I found the Jonah I was content (except... every so often I see a Vivi-like top in this print and I would very much love to have that! If you come across one in M or L, let me know!!) I'm also sporting my dear Not Just Fringe necklace, an ebay purchase, and my brown suede boots. I generally wear boots with this to try to winterize it- I worry that it's a little light for winter. Come April I'll pair some ballet flats with it.

Here's my dressing room... lots of clothes! And not that big!


In this trip, I didn't end up going back for round 2, the saleslady helping me was very confused by the amount of clothes I was trying on in round 1, and I just felt kind of awkward about it. Also, there were actually other customers in there, unlike the other times I've been for my try-on-clothes-for-my-blog trips.

Ditra, size L, in Shorely Blue Purring Jacquard. Resort 2011
I thought I'd hate this. I'm not wearing the belt because belts don't work on me (I should probably take a picture of me in a belt so everyone can see how ridiculous it looks), but I actually kind of liked this. It's a little roomy, but I like the little cap sleeves. It's a heavy knit. I won't buy it, I didn't like it that much.... well, unless it shows up on smartbargains or RLL for $30!

Another Resort dress, Jia, size L in Coral Siesta
Hmm. Kind of sad about this- the L is a little snug, and it requires spanx. It's definitely cute and flattering, I just wish it were looser. I think I may be between sizes! They didn't have an XL to try. But I'm definitely thinking about buying it- I can deal with spanx!

Here we go with some spring!
Whinnie, size L

oh love! This is so cute!! I'm not a huge fan of the Whitaker, I think the one long sleeve and one bare sleeve doesn't really work on me, but a one shoulder ruffle does. This reminds me of the Sondra, from my last trying-on-clothes post from VT, which I did like, but the ruffle was kind of huge and accentuated my broad shoulders. I thought this smaller, more delicate ruffle worked on me- sorry the picture doesn't show it better! I'm definitely trying for that big dressing room next time. This size L was just roomy enough, I think it's TTS. I'm not in love with this print though- I mean, it's pretty, but it's not very Lilly. However, I wouldn't mind owning this dress.

Allura, size 10

AHHHH LOOOVE!!!! The 10 is too small, but they didn't have a 12 :( You know, I used to hate these stupid little cap sleeves. I don't know if Lilly just does a better job or I've changed my mind, but I'm loving the little capped sleeves these day. I think this dress has a great structure- look, I have a waist! Granted, it's too small, but still. I would be very happy to own this- it's be awesome for DAR meetings!

Here comes my favorite style!!! Mariana, in Bright Navy Yum Yum.

size 12

and size 10This dress feels exactly like my Navy Look Lady Ricci- the fabric is the same, the dress fits the same, etc. Oh I love it. I was surprised at how it fit, however- the 12 wasn't huge, but for some reason I'd also grabbed a 10. I don't know why... ESP? The 10 was even a little roomy in the waist/hips but the bust was just barely right. Honestly I think I'd probably by the 10 and wear a different undergarment, rather than buy the 12 and take it in. But I'm not sure.

And that leads me to the next dress,
Mariana in State of Mind Patch, size 12
This is the one I hope to buy. You what's funny? I didn't look at a single price tag. I have no idea how much this costs- yes I know I can go on lp.com and look. (ok, $228). I wish I could wait til this is on sale, but I'm very afraid it won't stay in stock long enough to go on sale. So... I may tell everyone this is what I want for my birthday. I think this is a fab, very Lilly-like print (I think navy yum yum is Lilly-like too, although for some reason, caterpillars freak me out, and I don't think I could wear them. It's like bees, I can't wear anything with bees). Many people have been concerned about the length of Mariana. I'm 5'6, and I think it's a nice length. It's see-through up higher because of the lace, but for my, not *too* high.

And speaking of State of Mind patch, here's Ricci, size 12
I have to say, I don't much care for the neck of this Ricci. The whatever they are kind of looks like my upper chest is in jail. I do, however, love the little bow on the shoulder. And I did like it better on me than on other Lilly lovers, models and the hanger. I think you need broader shoulders to pull the jailbars look off.

And... I don't really remember how this fit, I was so focused on the jailbars! The 12 fit, I know that- in the picture it looked like it fit fine, so perhaps it's a tad smaller than last year's Ricci? I'm not sure.

Unfortunately, they didn't have any Adelsons in State of Mind, and I didn't notice that they had any at all until I was paying- so I couldn't finish the State of Mind shift trifecta. Hopefully next time!

Shailene, size 10
Going into the store, Shailene was at the top of my list. But I think I'm between sizes! This is a 10, and it just barely fits. I can zip it up fine (usually I have a problem zipping anything with sleeves, and then once it's on it's ok), but the hips are a little snug- which is rare for me. But I do love the placed floral print. Like other things this spring, the floral isn't super Lilly, but I think the placement is. They are very clever at creating these slimming lines! Geniuses.

Adelia Dress, size 12 (I think?)
Oh this one's so pretty! Pretty print, great structure and silhouette... only... SUPER low-cut V there. That dark thing you see in my cleavage is my Not Just Fringe necklace. My Not Just Fringe necklace should not be higher than my neckline. I'd probably need a plunge bra with this. Which means... not for me. (unless I wear a boob tube, I just bought a couple on Hautelook today! Thanks to McKenzie for announcing that sale was coming up!) Or I might just sew up that V, because oh man I do love this dress.

Somerset, size L
yech. Notice my pursed little mouth, I am not pleased with this dress. I was hopeful, because I love the little ruffled sleeves! But I will say, if you love the Cassie, you will love this dress. I hate the Cassie, I'd do better to wear a potato sack. I feel gross and fat in this. The Somerset is not for me.

Kariana Sweater Dress, size L
I don't love this enough to buy it, but I liked it far better than I expected to. It's so cute on the models! But I think it accents all the wrong things on me. It's also a bit tight, but I don't think tight enough to size up. It's a pull-on style and there's ribbing along the waist to nip in but still be stretchy.

And unfortunately, that's the end of spring. The remaining dresses are from Resort, and one from Fall I never tried on before. If you're only looking for Spring, stay tuned for my tops and bottoms post, which will hopefully pop up early next week. I'll post on Lilly Love when it does!

Resort Ricci, size 10 (i think? I knew I should have written this down!)
Cute!! I love this one. Hoping it goes on sale. You know, I think I am in a size 10 here, because the 12 would probably be looser.

Joy Knit Tunic, size L
Not in love. It's cute, but it looks like a beach coverup, not even like a run-to-the-grocery-store kind of dress. Perhaps I should have tried a M.

Kris dress, size L
I love the colorblock line on this one, but it's too tight! Size up, size up! They didn't have an XL, though. It seems like an easy dress to throw on in a hurry and still look cute for dinner.

And last but not least (well, kind of, because it didn't fit), .... Sage, size 10.
I've wanted to try this on ever since J bought it in the New Year Cheer sale and sent me a picture of her in it- she looks fabulous!! I look similarly fabulous, although not quite as much because I couldn't zip it at the waist. So now I'm on the hunt for a size 12.

Unfortunately, I didn't walk out of there with a dress, my budget couldn't handle it. But never fear, I did get a top! I'm even wearing it as I type this. Don't get too excited, it was on the 70% off rack so it's nothing new or exciting- well, I guess 70% off would make anything exciting.

So stay tuned for my Spring 2012 tops and bottoms report! I may need to visit another store after I compile a list from lp.com of all the other things I need to try. Such as Adelson, Parker, the white dresses, and I still have not tried on the Adriana from Resort.