Dear J Crew...

Is J Crew mocking those with glasses 

or those without?

A while back I expressed my views on J Crew and how much I would love them to open up in the UK. Imagine my excitement when straight away one of my clever readers told me that such a thing would be happening this summer. I have been eagerly awaiting this and checking their website for updates. This week, they proudly greeted me with this message.

Well hello indeed, J Crew

Now I'm not a great one for letter writing. That being said, I did email the council 3 years ago to ask them to sort out the blocked drain at the end of the road because every time it rained we got a puddle the size of Lake Geneva. It seemed to be pretty effective as 2 years later they came and cleared it, no more lakeside views for us. So I am aware of the power of a letter. Dear J Crew, here is my latest request.

I love them too J Crew, but they are going to 

cost me a gazillion pounds to buy

Look at the lovely clothes, and then look at the not so small print. £9.95 flat shipping rate, that sounds a bit steep. It's because they are shipping from the US and so you will still be stung by horrible customs duties making clothes that are already pricey, pricey x 2 + £9.95 shipping + customs + VAT.

£9.95 shipping x 16 = a gazillion pounds to buy these outfits

Furthermore, help is provided in the FAQ page by 'Julie and her team' This worries me a little, there are over 62 million people in the UK. What happens if we all decide to buy something say on a Friday night after payday, Julie might be having a day off (because let's face it - she'll need it after dealing with 62 million people) and maybe her second in command had to go home early to take her cat to the vets. Is the rest of Julie's team going to be able to cope?

I'd love to buy this dress for my daughter, it is a mere £71.80, 

add on £9.95 shipping, import  duty, VAT, Parcelforce fees, 

and it would cost a gazillion pounds - is my maths right?

Another US store that opened the UK is my favourite - Anthropologie. Not only did they open an actual store with a living wall and glorious decor, oh and it has clothes too, they have an excellent online shop which is actually in the UK. So,

.....................................................................


Dear J Crew, please open a proper UK web shop with proper postage charges and the pound equivalent of your US prices (the above dress costs £47 on the US site). Because I don't have a gazillion pounds and neither do my friends.

Thanks everso,
Kate
.....................................................................

I love you Pond Reflections Dress

It's a while since I posted pictures of pretty things that have caught my eye on Anthropolgie. A girl has to have a hobby, and this is mine. The website is so beautiful (one of my favourites) and they are just putting up more springlike clothes - good for them in mid-January. Check out their Road Trip outfits, the whole collection is beautifully put together.

So here are a few that I like. I shan't be buying them, well, maybe one of the tops if they go on sale (they have great sales) but the dresses, if only I had a wedding to go to...

This top caught my eye because it looks very like my hunting and gathering top with extra frillyness in a Nani Iro print. Great idea for a future mod to this pattern. Love it in this print too, reminds me of some of the tops I loved at the Boden preview.

I really love this dress apart from the asymmetric hem, don't like that at all (but would it work without it?). But maybe with some sharp scissors and a sewing machine I could rectify that. No, bad idea, it would look awful. I love the candy stripes and the way they have been used in the wrap top. It is genius, remember this idea, and go forth and use it.

Quite like this dress, mostly for the fabric, I can spy 2 unnecessary buttons though, and long term readers of this blog should know how I feel about unnecessary buttons. There will be a test later.

The neckline wouldn't work for me, but I love the use of the print on this dress and the pleated neckline. It is similar to one of the girl's dress that I loved at the Boden preview.

This last dress looks really make-able to me, or maybe that is just good design. But I love the gathered neck and how this is pulled in at the waist. Something I tried to do with my dress on my pattern cutting course, but failed.

I love you Pond Reflections Dress

(I'd even be prepared to look past your terrible name)

(and your racer back which would give me all sorts of problems finding a suitable bra)

At the waist is a really simple belt that is the same as the one I used on this dress from Autumn/Winter wear for women.

You should probably have a think about making one of these tomorrow, let me know how you get on.

Quilts at Anthropologie

Iris bedding

It's been a while since I dedicated a post to Anthropologie, too long I think. So here are some pictures of pretty quilts from their bedding collection to drool over.

I am way to conservative when it comes to colour in my house, so these amazing quilts would look totally out of place, but I can admire them none the less.

Yoruba Quilt

Loving the mix of grey and yellow in this one...