All in the Family

Amanda has this blouse, my sister has this blouse, and I will soon have this blouse. So, given its popularity, it seemed logical to share the blouse with you, the public at large. In Amanda's case, the blouse came her way as the spoils of photo shoot. (I want a job where you get pretty blouses for free. I get things like books on disruptive innovation or conflict resolution tool kits.) My sister, a fishmonger (not really, but it's a profession that doesn't get enough press and is fun to say), had to purchase it for herself and, as it turns out, for me as a birthday present.

Look at the cute gimmick, I mean detail, on the sleeves:

I think this top looks absolutely adorable paired with the walking shorts in the first picture, but I know that if I wore those to my office, it would not be the win-win-win situation - more like a "go home and change, young lady" situation. Disruption has its time and its place, apparently.

Like Hotcakes

You know who sends me the most email? Not my mother, not my boss, not my cousin Amanda forwarding her company's frequent reminders to visit the, no lie, bar they operate right there in her workplace ("keg tapped at 5!"). Instead, I hear most often from my good friends at J. Crew, of course! What feels like several dozen times a day they email my various email accounts simultaneously. And pretty nearly every time I hum a line by Sheryl Crow, "looks like she's found a new religion/ studying the kabbalah in her J. Crew." And when I click through the email I usually see that the$80 flip-flops have been reduced to $69.99 and turn away in disgust.

But today I did see some things, including this shirt, that are quite reasonably priced. Cheap even. I know, it's another shirt. But shirts are so easy to buy - you hardly need to try them on. And they rarely make your ass look big. And, aren't they just so much more fun to look at on here than a plain pair of walking shorts ("Notice the cute fly front. Pay close attention to the the waist band with fully functioning belt loops.")? At $9.99, from $42, this shirt is literally being purchased right before my eyes and there was not a good variety of colors (white) in medium by the time I went to snag my picture. It did come in at least a groovy orange, two shades of pink, gray and white - but that was all of a couple of minutes ago. But a good wrap shirt is like a good friend; it is forgiving. So you are really a medium but they only have large in the color of your choice, tie it a little tighter. So you were a large when you sat down to the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, but you are getting up 2 waffles, 3 pancakes, and 6 pieces of apple french toast richer, loosen it a bit. And, anyway, your nearby bricks and mortar J. Crew may have a better assortment in stock. But I wouldn't dilly dally.