Lands' End - Nine Days Shopping

I'm not a proponent of shopping during the Nine Days. I know that Ashkenazic custom frowns on the practice, while Sephardim have a bit more wiggle room. But, in my completely non-rabbinic opinion, a deal is a deal and there are some deals worth sharing during the Nine Days.

I received a large Lands End order in the mail on Monday. I cannot emphasize it enough that I LOVE MY PURCHASE! I haven't been this excited about an online purchase since I received the Lands' End clothing mentioned in this blog post from December 2011. Yes, it has been that long since I loved a ton of clothing at once.

Here is a breakdown of what I received and why I love it. I found every item of clothing to be consistently sized. For those who are unfamiliar with Lands' End's sizing, think of it as more your "happy" size than your default size. I know I will get grief from my friends for posting this, but I'm 5'8", 125-130 lbs and my Lands' End size is solidly an XS or a 4. Their sizing is a tad more generous than Gap's, but it's not a full size more generous, so if you're in between sizes at Gap, size down for Lands' End, if that makes sense.

If you do order Lands' End online, I recommend clicking through Ebates or a similar site in order to earn cash back on your purchase. Lands' End regularly offers 3% cash back through Ebates, but a promotion today offers 6% cash back.

And now for the fashion.

Women's 3/4 Sleeve Sport Knit Dress



I am so excited about the Women's 3/4 Sleeve Sport Knit Dress. It's currently $19.99, no coupon code needed. I found that my collarbone was covered in all three colors I bought - black, navy, and cobalt. And, at 45" it easily covers my knees when I'm sitting. This dress got an enthusiastic reaction from my husband who tends to be very honest about how clothes fit and look on me. (I actually love that about him because I'm often my harshest critic.) He volunteered that these dresses could be worn to a special occasion. While I wouldn't wear them to a black-tie affair, I definitely think they're nice enough to be worn by guests to most frum weddings. I will have to figure out a decent way to tie the sash, but it's relatively thin, so I hope I'll eventually be able to copy the bow on the model. This dress is also available for $24.99 in a navy-with-mini-white-polka-dot pattern. It wasn't available in XS when I placed my original order, but it is available in XS now. I'm thinking of replacing the plain navy dress with the polka-dotted one because it's a really cute design.

The negative with this dress, which is a negative of any dress that gets shipped in little packages is that it arrived wrinkled. These will likely go through the washing machine and dryer before I wear them to get those pesky wrinkles out. (Alternatively I may just tumble dry them after splashing them with some water.) But, the bigger point here is that they're machine washable tznua-off-the-rack dresses for $19.99 - $24.99 and they're backed by Lands' End's Guaranteed. Period.® policy.

Finally, this dress is unlined and made of cotton. If you don't want panty-lines, I strongly recommend pairing this with Spanx (but watch for thigh bulges) or Hanky-Panky-like no-show lace thongs (including Victoria's Secret The Lacie Thong). You could also try wearing a skirt slip, which would allow you to wear a slightly wider array of undergarments with this dress, but you would need to pay attention to lines at your waist from the slip.

Women's 3/4-sleeve 1x1 Snap Boatneck



Comfortable, well-fitting, tznua 3/4-sleeve cotton knit shirts aren't always easy to find. Lands' End is a favorite of mine partially because they regularly make shirts that fit this description. At $12.99 currently, these are available for an awesome price. I already received one in black and after Tisha B'Av, I'm certain it's going to be one of my go-to shirts. I love it and it's impossible to have too many black (and white) shirts. This shirt is available at $12.99 in seven colors, although not every color is available in every size. I'm planning on ordering more in "Raspberry Ice" and "Purple Beet." This shirt looks great with the Sport Knit Skirt featured next.

Women's (Pattern) Sport Knit Skirt



Here is the 27" long Women's Pattern Sport Knit Skirt. It is the same material and pattern as the midnight-with-white-dot Sport Knit Dress discussed above. I'll likely be returning this skirt because it's not as practical for me after I have a dress in the same pattern, but it's very cute. It goes great with the 1x1 Snap Boatneck as seen in this picture. The only negative is that the price is currently $14.99 when it was $10.99 on July 22, the day I placed my order. C'est la vie! It's still a great value. You can also find this skirt in four non-staple solid colors (pink, cobalt, eggplant, and white) for $14.99.

This skirt is not for everybody.  The smooth elastic waistband does not have much give over the hips and I really felt I could break the elastic with time. Sizing up just resulted in the waistband gapping, which did not look nice. I also recommend the same undergarments I recommend for the Sport Knit Dress.

Women's Ashby Essential High Heel Shoes



Clothing is great, but you also need shoes. Shoes are so important. We demand that our shoes be cute, match our outfit, and define our personalities. But we don't always demand comfort. Well, I think we should. And these Ashby Essential 3.25" pumps are some comfortable heels. They're currently $37.97, but I paid $27.99 on July 22 for them. Hopefully, the price will drop again. But, even at close to $40, these shoes are WORTH EVERY PENNY!

First, these shoes are 100% leather - from the upper to the liner to the sole, these are leather. Second, they're very padded inside. I think they're similar in comfort and quality to my Cole Haan Air Violet pumps for which I paid $147.90 in February 2012. Admittedly, the Air Violet pumps are black patent, and I didn't think the black Ashby Patent High Heel Pumps were comfortable, but the nude Ashby Patent pumps were keepers. I found the shoes fit true to my normal shoe size of 9. There is a slight amount of gappage on the sides of my feet, but not more gap than I find for any $100 - $200 pair of shoes.

Merona by Target Hits the Bullseye

I'm not usually the biggest fan of clothing from Target. I often find the fit is off and the materials leave a lot to be desired. However, I still look at the clothing because sometimes there is something surprising. This season, there's a lot to like by Merona.

Take, for example, the Merona Women's Oxford Blazer in Solids or Patterns. The regular price is $34.99, but you can get it in-store this week for $26.24. Online, they currently cost $30.00. These blazers are machine washable(!!!), have a great texture, are not at all shiny, and would make excellent sweater replacements at the office. Some even have cute hidden design details! For example, the Gazelle Brown jacket has navy body lining, white-and-navy-striped sleeve lining, and the lining under the collar is bright pink! (Note also that Gazelle Brown is a bit darker in person than what is shown online. It's more of a pure taupe.) The sleeves of this jacket are also long, which is awesome for us tall women! They're shown in-store with the sleeves slightly cuffed. This is one of the few lower-end jackets I've found that have sleeves that fit me correctly, so if you usually find yourself in the "awkward sleeve boat" this may be the casual jacket for you! I bought it in the White Dot (shown) and the Gazelle Brown. I'm thinking about also ordering it in "Black" and "Green Marker." It's true-to-size.



Obviously, in the office, you'll want a nice shirt that's versatile to go with your blazer. This shirt should be able to be worn by itself when it isn't cold or be able to look nice under the blazer. Well, Merona has the shirt for that, too! And, it's only $9.00 on-sale this week both in-store and online ($12.00 regularly)! It's the Women's Boatneck Tee in Solids and Stripes. While I found the "Fresh White" color to be a bit too see-through for my taste, I though the "Black" (shown) looked lovely and I want to order it in "Rubenesque Red," which is really more burgundy in color. This shirt happens to be a bit oversized, so I recommend ordering the size you purchase t-shirts in at Talbots or Lands End. I found the shirt covered my collarbone (but just barely) and was fitted, unlike shown on the model. It also used extra material to close part of the boatneck, which almost appears like a wide-sleeved tank top is being worn underneath the shirt.



While I didn't find the Women's Jersey Knit Wrap Skirt in my store, it looks pretty awesome. I'm considering purchasing it in black. It appears to hit just below the knee. I believe this skirt would be a great complement to the blazer and shirt shown above.



There are many more items at Target that you may want to consider. There's also a lot of clearance in-store right now; MLB apparel is currently 50% off at my local store and has been for over a week. I've bought my children summer games at up to 90% off, and I bought a birthday present also on a great clearance deal. If you haven't gone shopping at Target lately, you're really missing out!

3/4-Sleeve Tops from Ann Taylor

If you follow my Facebook page, you may have seen a post from two weeks ago where I mentioned a big Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor LOFT sale prior to July 4. I bought a ton of shirts. While I found that the LOFT clothing was generally sized pretty large, and so almost nothing fit me, Ann Taylor was sized just right. And their tops were perfect for work, Shabbat, and a wedding.

First, the wedding. If I'm attending your wedding on August 6, here's a sneak peak of what I'll be wearing on top. I'll be wearing the Twist Waist 3/4 Sleeve Top from Ann Taylor. It's regularly priced at $48. I bought it for 30% off but it's currently 50% off with the code "CHIC50" through Sunday, July 14. I'll be wearing it in black, but it's also available in violet and teal. I'm pairing mine with a slate-blue floor-length satin skirt by JS Collection that I purchased a number of years ago now. When I wear it to work, I'll just pair it with a cute skirt. I'm debating purchasing it in the other two colors because my husband loved this top on me. (Note: I found it covered my collarbone in front. It is a boatneck on the sides.)



Another Ann Taylor top I loved was the Drape Neck Top. I purchased it in blue (shown) and teal and I thought both looked great for Shabbat or work. I found the drape neck didn't fall down at all, although I haven't been able to wear it for a full day yet. I purchased it when clearance items were an additional 60% off. Clearance items are currently only an additional 30% off. I purchased it for $20, but it's still a great shirt for $35.




Finally, I also highly recommend the Crew Neck 3/4 Sleeve Cardigan. I bought it in three colors: teal (shown), bright blue, and coral (no longer available). The colors are beautiful and I'm planning on getting lots of wear out of these cardigans at work and on Shabbat. I bought them for $24 each when they were an extra 60% off. They are currently $42, which seems a little high to me, but they also seem to be great quality.



All the items I bought were washable. I hate going to the dry cleaner (and the fees they charge). I bought other styles; some I liked and others I didn't. But, there's such a big array of 3/4-sleeve tops on their website that are perfect for work and shul. I haven't seen a collection this great in a very long time. And none of them are 100% cotton. That's the best thing about what they are offering, in my opinion. Everything is truly dressy.

Ann Taylor offers free shipping on $175+ purchases or $8.95 flat-rate shipping for cheaper purchases. Note that they may ship items in multiple shipments without sending shipping confirmations. LOFT offers free shipping on $125+ purchases or $8.95 flat-rate shipping.

Gymboree's Little-Known Adult Clothing Line, Shade

You may not know, as Gymboree has an oft-overlooked and oft-ignored women's clothing brand called "Shade." The store sells misses and maternity sizes, with most clothing items being on the relaxed-side; think Ann Taylor Loft meets J. Jill. Nothing is too exciting, the regular prices are relatively high for what the clothing is, and Gymboree spends absolutely no time or money marketing it (unless, of course you count one Facebook post in December 2011).

Shade has 8,523 likes on its Facebook page, which isn't too shabby, but isn't great, either. (Note that Gymboree's Facebook page has over 437,000 likes.) But, many of those who like the page liked it before Gymboree purchased Shade. See, Shade started in 2004, joined Facebook in May 2010, and by the end of 2010 had closed. Gymboree bought it and reopened it as an online-only store in mid-2011. And then ignored it, as I perceive it.

Why would we be interested in Shade? Shade was founded in 2004 by two Mormon women in Utah who got tired of not being able to find modest clothes (sound familiar)? They designed a few basic shirts and their sales increased by 30% per month for awhile. Even non-Mormons liked to find shirts they didn't hang out of on top and didn't show plumbers' cracks on the bottoms! Holy cow!

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they closed toward the end of 2010 and Gymboree bought them and brought them back with only making "minor" alterations to Shade's basic design style (read: lower necklines and some alterations to swimwear, I believe reading awhile ago). So, in a bid to get more customers by having more styles, they may have alienated the brand's most loyal customers while not making much of an attempt to get new customers to replace them.

Now here comes the Tznua Fashionista part of the whole story: The website currently looks like it's having a fire sale. Like, the clothing is dirt cheap. With free shipping and free returns. I don't know what this means for Shade's future prospects; Gymboree hasn't said they're closing the site or anything like that publicly. But, based on my infrequent visits to the site, it seems to be treated like the step-child of an indifferent step-parent.

Because of the irresistible prices I just placed my first order. Here's what I bought for a total of $27.32, including tax. (Still not quite sure where that tax is doing there.) There are more tznua clothing options on the site that I didn't buy because I didn't love them for me.

Note: Please pardon these less-than-crisp images. That's how they are on Shade's site, no joke. When I say the site doesn't get the attention it deserves, I'm not kidding. When you're on there, read the descriptions and see what doesn't make sense. I just have to shake my head.

The Drawstring Maxi Skirt

At $11.99, this item is a steal. It only comes in "Black." It says it's shiny satin, but it has a drawstring, so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to wear it for nicer occasions or if it's casual. But you know what? I don't care. It was $12 and it's a 40"-long skirt!



The Stripe Boatneck Slub Tee

This pretty little shirt cost the budget-busting amount of $5.99. I would have preferred to try it in a small, but it was sold out, so I settled for the extra-small. It says "free returns" anyway, right? (Note to my friends reading this: if it doesn't fit, feel free to try it on if you want to buy it off me before I return it.) I bought it in the "White/Fawn Stripe" color. The "White/Peach Stripe" color was already sold out when I found it.



The Slub Polo Shirt

The last item I purchased was this polo shirt for $7.79. It has buttons all the way to the collar, so it can be closed to the neck for super tznius-ability. Or, you can live dangerously and leave a few buttons unbuttoned. But if you go this route, here's a warning: it may lead to mixed dancing (the horror!), and we all know what that leads to... yeah, less reading of my blog. So, keep needing to search for those super-tznius clothing items we all love to hate to go shopping for! Anyway, I bought it in "Whisper Blue" because "White" was sold out



One final note: I have a newish general policy of not posting sale clothing and clothing in limited sizes on my blog. These items generally get short snippets on Tznua Fashionista's Facebook page instead. This warranted a blog post because of the nature of the discounts and how little-known the brand is.

A Suit for Business Travel

If your job requires you to travel, you need a suit that will travel well with you. But where do you find a quality suit that's tznua and can travel? Jones New York has you covered. JNY makes washable wool/poly blend suits. In other words, suits you can throw into the washing machine and the dryer. And if they get wrinkled in your suitcase, you can always use the iron hiding in your hotel room's closet. Next time that delicious plate of fettuccine alfredo lands on your lap at dinner, you can still wear your suit to that early morning meeting the next day.

Making these suits even sweeter this weekend, Jones New York's website is offering a "Buy More, Save More" promotion through MLK Day. Save 20% on your purchase of two items, 30% on your purchase of three items, or 40% off your purchase of four or more items. New customers can get an additional $20 off a $100 purchase with code "JNYEM9". Accessing the JNY website through Ebates will give you 2.5% cash back. Standard shipping is free with a $99 minimum purchase.

Here's my four-item shopping bag for professional business travel.

My first pick is the $229.00 Washable Wool Tuxedo Jacket in black. It's sleek in a Mad Men-inspired way. I love the single button closure and the notched collar.

My second pick is the $119.00 Washable Wool Skirt in black. It's a classic a-line skirt in a material that coordinates with the jacket. It can be worn with almost anything to almost anywhere. It's timeless, sophisticated, and a great length at 29". If you prefer it to be shorter, you can bring it to your local seamstress or tailor to make it the perfect length for you!

My third pick is the $64.00 No-Iron Easy Care Boyfriend Shirt in white. As the name says, it never requires ironing and is fully machine washable and dry-able. It's 100% cotton, which is the fabric I prefer for professional button-down work shirts. And, it buttons all the way to the collar. If white's not your style, this shirt also comes in seven other colors.  It's a can't-miss for the working woman.

My fourth pick is the Fitted Diamond Button Front Shirt in Raspberry & White, on sale for $49.00. It's washable, although it may require some ironing once you reach your destination. It's an interesting print and a nice change of pace from the basic white shirt. It comes in four other colors if raspberry isn't your thing.

With the 40% discount, the total cost for all four pieces is $276.60. The coupon code brings the cost down to $256.60. In other words, for less than the regular price of the suit alone, you can purchase the suit and two shirts this weekend. With the savings you can even splurge on accessories!

In Honor of Hockey Season

We're all big sports fans in my family. As soon as Shabbat was over, I turned on my computer to purchase Spring Training tickets for our team whose tickets went on sale this morning. Even our 2-year-old is sports obsessed.

In honor of the first night of hockey season and our 2-year-old's excitement for hockey on TV, today's post features the tznua clothing available from the National Hockey League's online shop. For those who don't know, the NHL had a lock-out for the second time in eight years because the owners and players couldn't agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. The owners and players finally came to an agreement about two weeks ago. Practices resumed soon afterward and the regular season began today. Instead of the usual 82-game regular season, hockey will have a 48-game season. And, games will be played in relatively quick succession for hockey. Because the games will be played on less rest, there will be no inter-conference games until the Stanley Cup Finals.

So, if you're a hockey fan, this is for you. While it would have been nice if the NHL ran a promotion on clothing as a nice gesture to their fans, they didn't. So, the items featured in this post have the inflated prices we've come to expect from sports teams. Some individual teams have or are running promotions at their retail stores and/or inside their stadiums. The Pittsburgh Penguins probably ran the best promotion by offering fans free food at their first four home games and 50% off team merchandise. Descriptions of promotions for a few other teams can be found on the NHL's site.

I will post pictures and links to the tznua Washington Capitals clothing because my husband's favorite team is the Capitals. If you want to see the clothing available for other teams, you can choose to shop by a different team on the NHL's site. Clothing styles generally are the same for every team, but the logos and colors may be different.

First, here's a cute 3/4-sleeve raglan tee that's $42.99. It should wash easily. Majestic Athletic clothing is generally true-to-size.

Second, here's a more affordable long-sleeve shirt by Lee Sport that's $21.99. It's 100% cotton, so it should be comfortable. I would presume this shirt follows Lee's size chart.

Third, here's a hooded tee by Old Time Hockey that's $44.99. The hood is great for those times you just want to momentarily go outside or run a quick errand without needing to take the time to do more than putting your hair in a ponytail to cover it. I cannot comment on how clothing from this company runs, but it's based in my home state, so it must be good.

Finally, since hockey jerseys are long-sleeve, I'm including them here. Women's jerseys are $99.99 for a replica jersey with no name or number on the back, $124.99 for a ready-made replica jersey with a superstar's name and number on the back, or $149.99 for a customized replica jersey. Please note that you may need something underneath to cover a slither of collarbone depending on how the jersey fits you.

Let's hope this is an exciting hockey season and that it was worth all the wait! And may this not happen again when the new CBA expires. In other words, hockey, learn to work out your differences without resorting to lock-outs, strikes, and other forms of work stoppages! You'll sell more clothes if you do.  :)

P.S. If you haven't already, please like our new page on Facebook!

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale

My favorite sale of the year is Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale. It's Nordstrom's only sale where they discount products meant for an upcoming season and discount wardrobe staples. This year, they have some pretty great tznua high-end designer dresses on sale, as well as a designer skirt and a few shirts.  I'm highlighting my favorite five items from the sale, but there are other tznua items on sale that are a bit more trendy and do not suit every taste.

The Anniversary Sale begins July 20 and ends August 5 (prices go up August 6). Nordstrom credit card holders can shop the pre-sale in stores and online going on now.

First, the dresses.

I love this dress by Lida Baday.  It will be on sale for $599.00 and cost $1,060.00 after the sale. I know it seems pricey, but a tznua suit by this designer at Nordstrom costs $1,295.00 for the suit jacket and $625.00 for the skirt. So, this dress is a relative bargain at $600. And while my lawyer friends wouldn't necessarily be able to get away with wearing this dress in a courtroom, I think that this dress would be a great suit substitute for most job interview and job-related presentation situations.  This dress is made of wool and is fully lined, so you may not want to add this to your summer wardrobe, but its tailoring is impeccable.

Also of note is this jersey dress by Michael Kors in "blackberry."  This dress will be $799.00 on Anniversary Sale and $1,395.00 afterward. Surprisingly, this dress is not lined, so I'm not 100% certain how forgiving the top will be, but I believe the tailoring of the bottom will be very forgiving. It's definitely much more expensive than the lower-end Ralph Lauren dresses available last winter (the American Living version was featured on my blog in February). I wouldn't recommend it as highly as the Lida Baday dress, but if you're a big fan of Michael Kors, any tznua dress by him is a great find. The dress is also available in black for the same price.

Next, the skirt.

I know first-hand how hard it is to find any tznua pencil skirts. The ones that are long enough are generally way too tight. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found this skirt by Nic + Zoe. Other than the fact that it's a matte dark brown and not black, it's pretty much a perfect pencil skirt; it's slimming, interesting, and not tight. It's like a pencil skirt miracle! And at $78.90 for the sale (and machine washable!) it's a steal compared to it's future regular price of $119.00.

And finally the shirts.

So you're probably waiting for me to post an item that's affordable to the masses. I have it right here. This long-sleeve cotton crewneck tee by Caslon, which comes in 15 different colors, is only $15.90 on the sale and $25.00 after. I can attest that these shirts are made incredibly well. They do not shrink when washed properly, they are a perfect length, and will not ride up to show your back or belly. They also last forever. Plus, Nordstrom provides free standard shipping for every purchase, so you won't have any surprising costs when you checkout!

The last featured shirt is a dressier long-sleeve crewneck tee by Norstrom Collection in stretch modal fabric. It comes in two colors - ivory and red. It will be on sale for $64.90 and cost $98.00 after the sale. This shirt is intended for situations where cotton isn't dressy enough - such as at work, at shul, or to wear under a blazer.

Full disclosure: I was employed by Nordstrom throughout much of college. They were a terrific employer and the job has helped me get every job I've held since. I have not been paid by Nordstrom since 2004 and I don't get any commission from my blog.