I’ve already raved about this sweater jacket on IG, but it’s one of those pieces that deserves it’s own post! The quality, fit and details (the little pockets …the gold buttons!) all speak to my classics loving heart. I styled it here with a pair of cropped stretch pants, which I wanted to review along with a few other J.Crew spring pieces I’ve tried. You can see this look in motion in my Instagram video.
Sweater jacket: J.Crew Emilie xxs (review below) + tank c/o xxs
Pants: J.Crew Sydney in the cotton crop version 00 petite (review below)
Sandals: J.Crew Lucie c/o. So comfy and on sale!
Bag: J.Crew Edie c/o
Earrings: Sézane. Eying these for summer.
Sunglasses, pictured below: Cat eye sunnies and I also love the Cabana (both on sale)
Emilie Sweater Lady Jacket
When I took this out of the package, I felt transported back to the days of vintage J.Crew quality that many of us have been missing. It’s made in a tightly knit 100% cotton weave (the kind that should not snag easily) with a substantial weight to it, but still light enough to throw on for brisk summer nights.
The xxs regular fits me surprisingly well including at the sleeves and torso length, and is intended to be a slightly boxier cut like cropped tweed jackets. The dark navy stripes are both cute and classic, and I’m resisting buying multiple colors but would really love this in black!
Unfortunately I’ve yet to see this jacket ever go on sale, but I do think the quality is solid for the price. I’ll be wearing it casually with denim, dressed up for summer nights out with tailored shorts and strappy sandals, and also with work pants and trousers.
Sydney Wide-Leg Pant
J.Crew remains my go-to store to get petite work pants with no waist gap. In comparison to my other favorite retailers Ann Taylor and Abercrombie, J.Crew pants fit more TTS than Ann Taylor (which runs bigger) and the fabrics are usually more premium quality than Abercrombie (although for trousers, the AF Sloane Crepe are prob my favorite trousers at the moment).
For pants, J.Crew has 3 classic cuts that work well for me:
- Straight cut full length: Kate pants (on sale) – See on me.
- Wide leg: Sydney pants in cropped or full length. Waist + hips fit like the Kate.
- Slim ankle length: Cameron pants. Runs slim and fits smaller than the above two. See on me.
The Sydney crops in Petite are fantastic and short enough for me to wear with flats (see above). The stretch cotton material is extremely comfy and not thin, and I’m curious to try these same pants in the bi-stretch and linen blend too.
For the cotton material I have on, I liked the darker colors better than white since they’re just much lower maintenance. I traveled in the navy pair recently and it still looked fresh after a long day of travel, showing no signs of wrinkles or stains! The waist and hips of the 00 petite fits snugly on me with no waist gap, and measures 12.5” across waist, has a 9.5” rise and a 24” inseam.
Lucie Block Heeled Sandals (on sale)
These look like a simple sandal in stock photos, but turned out to be one of the most comfortable heels I own. I walked quite a bit in them around Charleston and they don’t feel like 3 inches to me due to the stable, wider block heel and how securely the straps hold my feet in. The straps each have a tiny stretchy piece which helps with fit, and the light caramel color is very flattering for my skin tone.
Sizing wise, I’m usually between 5 and 5.5 and while I got the size 5’s, my feet expanded in the heat and hang out the backside a little, so in hindsight I should’ve gotten a 5.5!
Other Spring Picks
A few other J.Crew spring piece I tried or own and would recommend:
- Cat eye sunglasses – these are actually amazing quality and substantial feeling, if you love a retro-chic look. Their Cabana sunglasses are also a good fit on me and nearly 60% off!
- Bow 1-piece swimsuit – Cute petite / short torso friendly swimsuit with good bottom coverage and adjustable tie straps. I took a size 0.
- Gingham mini skirt – so cute for a little pop of spring / summer color. The 00 regular skirt measures 12.5” across waist and has a length of 15.75”.
- Edie leather handbag c/o – another piece that brought me back to vintage J.Crew days. Crossbody strap adjusts to work perfectly on my shorter frame. See it on me worn crossbody-style.
- Wide-leg linen pant – on sale. these were a favorite and EP reader best seller last year! Length is great for wearing with flats and sneakers too. See them on me.
