Closet de Jules

Happy new year everyone! Hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday break. Lets start off the new year by getting right down to business!

Last month, Pantone announced the 2015 color of the year - Marsala. The color is very close to burgundy or wine. However, just like the name, the color is more on the soft, feminine and earthy side than the darker burgundy. It probably has something to do with the pastel trend that we are seeing today.

Pants: Dannie Pant - J.Crew - currently 53% off! Shoes: Signature Driving Moc - C.Wonder - currently 50% off!

Looking at Pantone's Color of the Year for the past 15 years, red hues have been dominating for a few years now. Pantone selected a very similar color but spicier Color of the Year for 2007, Chili Pepper. Compared to Marsala, Chili Pepper is a bit more vibrant - think about chili peppers vs chicken masala!

Source: RCP Marketing

Because Marsala has such a deep color tone, I prefer accessorizing it or using it in prints instead of having a full Marsala outfit that makes me look like an...over cooked sausage. Here, the Marsala color is subtly reflected in my mocs, while the scarf adds a much needed splash of color and maintains a neutral tone. Marsala also works well with many of the cooler colors. Take a look at the color guide below to see how to mix and match with Marsala.

Source: Pantone

I came across these wonderful C.Wonder mocs (sale alert: currently 50% off!) after discovering a hole in my current Bed Stu Loafers due to wear and tear. Finding a fashionable pair of shoes I can wear every day is hard to come by. Luckily, I found these mocs during my holiday shopping in the mall. The pebbled leather is extremely soft yet elegant. The padded soles and treaded outsole cushion allow me to commute in the city every day with ease. Apparently I loved them so much, that mine were featured on C.Wonder’s Instagram last week! Check out my Instagram and C.Wonder’s to see what others say about these wonderful shoes.


Here are some of my favorites that would help you style Marsala for the new year. The best part is, majority of the bags below are currently on sale! Don't wait until the New Year's sale ends.

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Glasses: No Brand (similar here and here)
Scarf: Madewell (similar here)
Sweater: Textured Zipped Back Sweater - C.Wonder (here)
Coat: Ann Taylor (similar here and here)
Pants: Dannie Pant - J.Crew (here) - currently 53% off!
Shoes: Signature Driving Moc - C.Wonder (here) -- currently 50% off!

Believe it or not, the first time I wore this outfit was earlier in the summer. I didn’t realize how “fall” it looks until I put on the jacket… which is why I held off writing about this until I wear them again today! This outfit sports very fall-like colors, burgundy and camel, they sure to remind you of the changing leaves. I know it’s still unusually green outside in DC right now with temperatures around the mid-70 degree this week, but pretty soon the whole city is going to look like...me.

Here I am wearing two of the most popular J.Crew items, the Keating Boy Blazer and the No.2 Pencil Skirt in Double-Serge Wool. What I worry about the most in a pencil skirt is the wrinkles I get after sitting… sometimes just 30 minutes in my car. J.Crew has never disappointed me with these skirts. Although I have seen wrinkles all over my colleagues’ cotton version of the same skirt, what you see in the pictures here is the worst I would get after sitting in the office for 8 hours. And they always magically go away after hanging them overnight! Do you own the J.Crew Keating Boy Blazer or the No.2 Pencil Skirt? What is your experience with them?







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Blazer: Keating Boy Blazer - J.Crew Factory
Top: Tortoiseshell Embellished Top - Ann Taylor
Skirt: No.2 Pencil Skirt in Double-Serge Wood - J.Crew
Sunglasses: Aviator Classic RB3025 - Ray-Ban
Bracelet: J.Crew
Heels: J.Crew (similar)

As a resident of the nation's capital, sometimes I take all historic landmarks and iconic views for granted. Despite the fact that I drive by Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial twice a day to go to work, I only visit them a few times a year. Last week, I attended a friend's wedding in the Lincoln Memorial. The wedding started at 7am (that's right, AM). For the first time, I watched the peaceful sunrise in DC and all the "early birds" slowly waking up the city for another busy day, including a group of soldiers warming up for the day ahead. 

Although the autumn temperatures in DC usually stay in the high 60s to 70s, it does get a little chilly in the mornings. I put on my trench coat for the first time this season and waited for the groom and bride to arrive...






 
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Trench: Zara (similar)
Dress: J.Crew Factory (here - One of my favorite suit dresses. A very versatile piece!)
Shoes: Ann Taylor
Bracelets: Ann Taylor (similar - great for small wrists!)
Tote: Ann Taylor (similar for Fall colors)

As promised, I am going to share more of my work outfits here.

After working for professional services companies for a few years, I have established a very consistent work style that reflects my personality while maintaining professionalism. The majority of my professional wardrobe is in black, navy blue, or white. These colors err on the conservative side, but they convey a message of credibility and trust.

What I am wearing today is a good representation of my professional style. Ankle pants are a big part of my wardrobe. With heels, they do a great job at helping you elongate your legs and achieving a slimmer frame. I don’t normally wear white shoes, as it’s hard to keep them from getting scratches while walking in the city. More importantly, the dark and white combination tends to put emphasis on where the dark pieces are. With a darker outfit and white shoes, this can make you appear “top-heavy”. However, in this outfit, with the help of my cream color ankle pants and the white jewelry, they even out the contrast between the darker top and lighter bottom.

This outfit is also very versatile if worn with a jacket. Put the jacket on to dress up for a client meeting, take it off to unwind during a happy hour. It could be “dangerous” to wear a floral suit depending on who you work with. I love floral. The navy and white print help tone down the playfulness a little bit and keeps the piece work appropriate.

As promised, I am going to share more of my work outfits here.



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Sunglasses: Original Wayfarer Classic - Ray-Ban
Necklace: J.Crew (similar at Ann Taylor)
Peplum Top: Ann Taylor (similar at J.Crew Factory)
Jacket: C.Wonder (similar at J.Crew and ASOS) 
Ankle Pants: Banana Republic (similar at J.Crew - J.Crew and BR run very similar ankle pants in terms of sizing. I am 5'5 and wear size 2 for both brands)
Bracelets: J.Crew (similar)
Pumps: Jiji Pumps - Kate Spade (similar or similar)

Happy new year everyone!

As a lover of dresses, this was my first time (in a long long time) trying an A-line skirt. With a relatively tall figure, I always thought A-line skirts would come off as too childish. Thanks to my friend Mian, who convinced me to purchase this one. It actually turned out pretty flattering. 









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Top: Lace Tiered Shell - Ann Taylor (review)
Skirt: Belted A-Line Skirt - The Limited (similar)
Flats: Sidewalk Skimmers - Madewell (similar)

Corals or Forest? Sea or Land?

I purchased this dress just the day before America's legendary fashion designer, Lilly Pulitzer, passed away. This post is to honor Lilly. Thank you for inspiring generation after generation in your own special bright and happy way.




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Dress: 'Wendy' Embroidered Coral Pattern Tunic Dress - Lilly Pulitzer (similar)
Blazer: The Limited (similar)
Pumps: Ann Taylor (similar)
Sunglasses: Original Wayfarer - Ray-Ban

UPDATE -- Additional J.Crew Coat Reviews:

Review for the J.Crew Tipped Peacoat
Review for the J. Crew Thinsulate Double-cloth Metro Coat
Review for the J. Crew Double-cloth Slim Trench

Mint is undoubtedly the color of this spring, and my closet must be prepared for that! After the two J. Crew winter coats I have reviewed previously, the Double-Cloth Slim Trench and the Double-Cloth Metro Coat, it is time to feature my favorite winter piece from the closet, the Double-Cloth Funnel Coat. It has a very minimalist design, just like all the other J. Crew coats, less is more. What really says “I’m ready for spring” is the minty color, a nice balance between the cooler winter nights and the greener spring days. The mint is not too green, not too pale or creamy. J. Crew really spent a lot of time looking for the perfect hue of this color, and I couldn't be happier with it.

As far as sizing goes, I normally wear a 0, but this one is actually a size 4 with some tailoring work done to better fit my torso. The sleeves are still a little bit loose, but not to the point where i felt like I needed to tailor them. I couldn’t complain about the length of this jacket, which falls perfectly 1 inch up from my knees with my 5'5'' height. The sleeve length and the shoulders can be a little off - when I purchased the coat, the only other size available was 0P, with the sleeves ending at least 2 inches above my wrists; although I went two sizes up from usual, the shoulders on this size 4 coat fits my narrower than average shoulders surprisingly well. Therefore, I recommend trying it on before making the purchase or order at least one size up and do some small adjustments after.


Update: Julia's Picks on 2015 Winter Collection:

UPDATE -- Additional J.Crew Coat Reviews:

Review for the J.Crew Tipped Peacoat
Review for the J. Crew Double-cloth Funnel Coat 
Review for the J. Crew Thinsulate Double-cloth Metro Coat

The east coast is hit by Ms. Sandy this week. As I look outside, holed up in this house, I know Sandy isn't playing around. The wind is gusting pretty hard and I’m afraid my car is going to get totaled by a tree! I even saw a couple of guys on CNN scuba diving / canoeing in their own back yard this morning... Compared to Ms. Irene a year ago, Sandy is definitely more of a heavy hitter.

The colder nights (and of course the J. Crew coat ads that spammed my mailbox literally every other day) reminded me it’s time to pull out my winter outwear again. If I remember it correctly, the Double-Cloth Slim Trench was the first winter coat J. Crew featured on their homepage this season. At first glance, I was not floored by it when i saw it on their website mainly because of the color pink. When I saw the same coat sold in store, my curiosity got the best of me and fell in love with the fit after trying it on! 

J. Crew Double-cloth Metro Coat from 2011

I owned a few winter coats, including a J. Crew one I got last year (UPDATE: review for the coat), but none of them were slim fit. The color of this coat is nothing out of ordinary. My winter fashion quest this year was to search for a yellow coat, not bright yellow, but more of the color between yellow and gold. However, the fit of it totally caught my eye! I have tried both wearing a thin dress and wearing sweater plus jeans inside; the coat fits perfectly on either way. The only thing I would not wear inside is a dress/skirt that is below your knees. As you can tell, the coat is on the relatively shorter side (3”- 4” above my knees).

J. Crew is really big on their colorful coats this winter, but I don’t think I am ready for a vibrant green or orange coat over my everyday business look yet. Not sure what to do, start with black or blue! That’s what I always tell myself.

Just discovered the joy of taking bokeh photos. I was trying it tonight with the street lights and rain...
 








My friend forwarded me this email from American Apparel earlier. What a clever marketing strategy! I was browsing different online stores today and we sure are bored. However, if you have no power and no internet, maybe this is the best time to catch up on some much needed sleep!



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Coat (2012): Double-cloth Slim Trench - J. Crew
Dress: Jules Dress in Snowcat - J. Crew
Pumps: Perfect Cutout Pumps - Ann Taylor
Coat (2011): Double-cloth Metro Coat with Thinsulate - J. Crew (2012 sold here)
Scarf: from street vendors when I visited China last year
Bag: Oxford Cross-body Bag - Kate Spade 
Old Boots - Cole Haan (similar)

Update: Julia's Picks on 2015 Winter Collection: