Sveta's Blog

In addition to NAS order I also placed an order to Brooks Brothers taking advantage of the sale and using opportunity to pick it up on the border. I planned to go to the BB store in the mall, try them on and return what does not work. Well it did not work out this way: when Suz and I were done with NAS fitting room and went to look for BB store we found out that it closes at 7PM and it was already past that :-(
So I had to take everything back with me to London and try on next day. Two short sleeve sweaters were a bust: they were too short and also they had an old fashion vibe. I will return them next time I am in US (Good BB has 90 day return policy!)
The third SS sweater (pic 1) has potential I think. It is too short for pants but should work with skirts and also with faux-tuck with some pants I think. It has the wider band on the bottom which makes it more modern that the other two. It also has an interesting silver semi-sheer stripe which adds the textural effect.
It will replace an old purple tank which is too short for me.

Pic 2-3 Tailored white non-iron shirt. I own a single BB shirt and I love the fabrication but it is a bit snug in size 10 - and also short because the style is fitted (the shortest of them all). This shirt happened to be a single one in stock and only in size 12 so I decided to get it. I love the black piping on the front. It does not feel snug and I think the length is passable (but maybe I am kidding myself?) This shirt will replace my size 10 shirt which I am giving to my sister.

Pic 3-4 Tailored purple stripe non-iron shirt. This is one size up - size 14. I decided to try a different size to see how the fit is. Suz told me that she would never forgive me if I don't keep it so I obeyed... I don't see big difference in the shoulder fit but it has more ease through the body and a tiny bit longer. It will replace Anthro tencel denim shirt which has uncomfortable sleeves.

 I am keeping them anyway and took the tags already but would love to know what you think.

This round of my NAS purchases is mostly essentials and therefore pretty boring. Three items were from the "needs" list and two fro the "wants".
pic 1-3 NYDJ ponte skinny pants. One of the "needs": I got rid of my Gap leans because they were too tight and needed a pair of ponte skinny pants to wear with tunics and tall boots. Suz assured me they are not too tight :-) I would not wear them with a shorter top like this IRL, just happened to wear one at that time.

pic 4 features 2 items: Halogen red skirt and Only Mine polka dot sweater. Both of them were purely wants! I was looking for a red skirt for years and this one is perfect in color. I also ordered a purple one but it was too muted for my wardrobe but the red was a keeper! My not very comfortable teal lace skirt is going out to make room for this darling (pic 5)
Polka dot sweater was also on my wish list for at least a year just because it is fun! It is also very soft and nice quality and I hope it will work well in my wardrobe. I have sized up to XL: L was fine but I would not be able to layer a shirt under it comfortably and this is how I like to wear sweaters now.This sweater is replacing my brown lurex sweater which is too stretchy for my liking (pic 6)

pic 7-8 Foxcroft white shirt This is purely an essential replacement for me. My current single white shirt has seen better days and is really embarrassing to wear. I was on the hunt for a longer white shirt for ages. This one is not non-iron but pretty crisp and I hope long enough. It is a bit roomy through the body and I am not sure yet if I should tailor it more or not.

pic 9-10 Born combat boots in charcoal to replace my deceased Steve Madden boots (pic 11). This was the need #1! However this is the item I am still not sure about. I love the color (dark bluish grey) and the comfort is great but I am not sure about the look because the toe looks very round and big. True it adds to the comfort level as my toes have a lot of room to move and not squished and I need these boots mostly for heavy walking activities. Even if I hesitated I still got them because I have such hard time to find anything in my size. I decided to keep them for now and see if I get used to the toe shape: if something better comes along I can always return them (they are already gone in my size from Nordstrom). I am also encouraged that Angie likes them and thinks they are good for me so I am hopeful here...

This concludes my NAS haul. As you see I did not get anything very exciting, for that you have to wait for Suz's post! :-)

I always prepare for NAS. I love to have Angie's picks to guide me but I feel that I need to do my homework as well. I need to identify what I need and what I want: otherwise NAS would be too overwhelming for me. I did it last year and it helped a lot to avoid expensive mistakes. This year I have added one extra category to my list: what should leave my closet when I keep NAS goodies. I am starting to follow this "one in / one out" rule religiously now to avoid closet overcrowding.
Some of my goals for this season were to add more colors and also add some interesting pieces which can revamp my style. I think this first NAS installment fits this requirement. These all were "wants" from my list:
1 - 3 Pleione striped cross-over top. This is just a purely fun piece. It fits the requirement of adding interest AND color - kill two birds! I tried it with semi-tuck in #1 and untucked in #2-3. I should work with all my jeans and trousers but maybe not the skirts. The blouse in #6 is what left my closet to make room for it. I have this blouse for 2 years, did not wear it much last year and did not wear it even once this summer. I think I am over this style so it goes (to my sister).
2 -3 Vince Camuto loafer I was looking for some fun printed flats and these filled the bill. They are very comfortable and I think I will get a lot of wear out of them. They are replacing my animal print pumps (pic 7) which give me bloody blisters on the balls of my feet :-(
4 -5 Vince Camuto tube skirt. After much agonizing I went with wide striped purely because it is more fun! This skirt is replacing my flared black skirt which is a tad too short and too tight for the moment (#8).
4-5 Munro Robyn booties in cranberry. Comfortable, manageable heel and refined enough for me. I also think they look good - and fun!:-) They are replacing my very old Clarks tan boots which were torn inside (#9)

This is the end of the first installment of my NAS goodies. Stay tuned for more!

This is my traditional "NAS extravaganza" post I am doing for the 4th time. However This NAS was very special for me because I had the best shopping mate YLFer can dream of - Suz ( after Angie of course! :-)  )
It was a very busy day from the morning. The border crossing was very busy and took longer than we anticipated. I also had a couple of packages to pick up on the border, then we dropped into TJ Maxx so I can try the shoes from Zappos on and send them back while still in US. Alas both pairs of Angie's Wow pumps did not work for me I so we also had to stop by the UPS store to ship them back right away.
Because of all these logistics it was past noon when we got to the Nordstrom. We decided to have lunch BEFORE we hit the Customer Service and we were so right: it was a whirlwind after that!
So here we are at the CS. Suz and I said our last names ad SA said with a feeling: " Oh yes, we are waiting for you" :-) Pic 1 is what was waiting for us in the back room: my pile is smaller - just the stack on the left, the rest is Suz's :-) OK, I have to add that all my shoes went to shoe department for some reason so they would make another pile like this as well :-) :-)
As my shoes were not in CS we started with Suz's footwear. You already know about her tall boot woes and yea, I was responsible that she did not get SW Panache dress boots which could have been altered to the height she needed: I was a somber voice of reason :-( ....but I have to add that she did end up with some beauties there (I would leave it to her to disclose those, this is just to build up the suspense!)
After we were done with Suz's shoes and returned the pile she did not keep we were transferred to a stylist dressing room. It was quite a parade with 2 SAs and us carrying all our stuff in multiple bags downstairs! We decided to share a fitting room for an instant feedback  - and pic 2 is how it looked in the process!
Long story short the whole process took us over 5 hours of trying on and making up our mind. We were totally exhausted by the end and lost the count of number of SAs we worked with: it seems they changed 3 shifts while we were in that room! Honestly I was surprised the sun was still up when we were done...:-)
So the next pictures are some of my misses.
pic 3/4: Elie Tahari Minka jacket. I have ordered size 12 and then warned by Angie that the sleeves are very slim I also ordered size 14. Well 14 was huge and 12 was on the bigger side as well and sleeves were not tight at all. This is size 12 in the pictures. I wanted to try size 10 but they did not have this jacket in the store in any size! It is a beautiful jacket and a very good quality but I decided to pass; I felt it was a bit too short on the back for me and this is pretty noticeable when a jacket has such a defined waist. For such an expensive piece (for me anyway) it should have been perfect - and it was not. 

pic 5/6: Halogen seamed sheath in purple. The color was great, the fit was good and it had about 1" to let out for the length which would bring it to the knee for me. However I passed as well because of the lack of sleeves and because I decided to stick to my budget and wardrobe size rule this time.

pic 7 Mural bomber I wanted to love it very much but I coud not get past the feeling of this faux-leather on my skin which I did not like at all. In addition it was really hot for me: I was sweating after having it on for 5 min so it was a no go. However I really like the style so I will be looking for another cool bomber in a different fabrication.

pic 8 Another Mural piece - faux leather vest, not a part of NAS but on sale. Loved the style and the length was good but again could not stand the faux-leather feel. It was sad because this vest would be a workhorse for me so again I am on the lookout of a similar piece with a better quality.

pic 9 SW heeled oxfords (cannot find them online but I think they made Angie's pick list). They were so comfortable and such a great quality but I had to pass because of the color: I just have a hard time to make black footwear to work with my style even though my  hair is dark. If they were 2-toned black and white or cream and tan I would snatch them in a heartbeat!
I don't have pictures of other things which did not work for me like Olivia Moon striped knit blazer (somehow I did not feel it for my style), Trouve purple blazer (felt too cheap), Trouve leggings ( I felt like a cat-woman in them), NYDJ mixed media "Megan" jeans (the rear fit was very weird on me)...

We did not leave the store until after 8PM. I managed to lose and then find again my Nordstrom card and that was the sign that we need to go home! Border crossing was pretty smooth and fast on the way back(even though we had to pay the sale tax) and we got home around 11PM so it was a VERY long day.
I will leave to Suz to write about her experience as a first timer :-)
I will do a separate post on the stuff I kept (or maybe 2 posts...) so stay tuned!

Thank you for reading my novel!

I have already ordered shoes from NAS and now considering the clothing. This is what caught my eye from online selection: I would appreciate any feedback if you have seen them in person.

One of my style goal this year is to add more color into my wardrobe. At some point the most of my clothing was in color but for the last 1.5 year I had a shift towards more neutral. I think I am ready for another shift now as I reached to point of neutral saturation: I crave more color. This winter I decided to update my closet with more  of my best colors; deep purple, cobalt and red - both true red and deep wine color.
1. I did not like Halogen seamed skirts last year but this time I decided to try them again in case they improved: I love versions from 2 years back. I have my eye on purple and red.
2. More Halogen skirts - these ones patterned midi. I like red and blue patterns.
3. Ditto dresses - I have one cranberry red dress but the rest are neutrals.
I have my eye on Tahari, Halogen in purple and Calvin Klein. The first ones are online only but have anybody seen or tried on CK dress?

4. This striped blouse  I like bold black and white stripe but I am afraid it would feel pretty similar to my striped shirt so I am considering the red.  Will it work for me as well as B&W would?

I also want to wear my tall boots more often this winter - and enjoy them - so I decided to get some fun leggings to update the look. Has anybody seen these Trouve mixed media? My biggest concern if they stretch a lot..

I am hearing that this is Jacket NAS but so far there are not many I feel from online pictures. I am not interested in leather jackets - is there anything interesting you can see working for me? The one of the few I like is  this Elie Tahari but I am afraid the waist can be too high for me. Anybody has seen it IRL - will it work for longer waist?
Another option is Trouve in purple - all my jackets are neutrals. Any feedback?
I also like Mural bomber but looks like it is running small so may not be a good fit.
Another bomber - this time knit in navy/black. Anybody has seen this one?
.I think this is pretty much what I am considering to  order and will appreciate any feedback.
Thanks,

...that there are 3 days left only until an Early Access for NAS! Where did the time go, it seemed ages until it still...
This is my 4th NAS and I think  I am changing how I shop it.

The 1st one was a wild ride: I bought a lot of stuff because I was excited and fashion-deprived for so long, it was like a therapy. Unfortunately just a few items survived the following purges, really I was not thinking clearly in all my excitement.
The 2nd one was a mixed bag. I still got a lot of stuff but I was more selective and thoughtful so it worked out much better. However some stuff was not of the quality I prefer so I have trouble enjoying them.
The 3rd one was the smallest haul so far but everything I kept became a workhorse. I got and kept one pair of booties (SE python), one pair of Kut BF jeans (my very first one) and one pair of straight leg Paige jeans.

Now what do I plan for my 4th NAS? I don't want to get many things but I want them to be real workhorses for me. My budget is smaller this year and I cannot afford costly mistakes. I know what are my wardrobe holes so I would look for those but other than that what should I look for? I would like to get one or two what Angie calls "landscape changers" but I have no idea what to look for?
I am definitely going to focus on footwear again as it is a real pain to find anything interesting in my size. I would like to focus on flat and low heel footwear (under 2") because my feet are the happiest in them but judging from the NAS catalogue they are going to be scarce. :-(
Do you have any suggestions for "landscape changers" for me? Do you have any thoughts for yours you would like to share?

If you remember I had a bag revelation when I had to return a beautiful white satchel because it does not fit my life style? The result was a realization that I need a big tote for work. I often walk to work and I carry lunch with me every day and gym clothes 4 times a week. I hate carrying more than one bag so it all should fit into one - and look good in the process: no gym bags for me!
My Monty cousin tote (pic 8) was the one which filled this bill the most - and I end up carrying it almost every day. I am not a bag lady but I like to have some change in bags from time to time. Also while Monty cousin is big enough to fit my lunch and yoga clothes when I pack gym clothes with running shoes it is too overstuffed and cannot zip. I need at least one more tote which is bigger and can fit all my stuff comfortably. |It also should be a very versatile color so I can pair it with almost all outfits - until I get more of them :-)
I found 2 totes which work for me in size and which style I quite like. Now I would like your opinion: is any of them is fab enough and versatile enough for me?
pic 1-  -4 Danier silver tote 
IRL it is shinier than on the online picture but not as quite as in my pictures: I think the closest one is #4. I like that it has this pebble or fish scale texture (pic 1) but is it a lot of bag for me?  I know sci-fi is on trend now but I would plan to use this bag for years - can I?

pic 5-7 Charles & David tote from Winners.
I bought this one last Sunday and could not make up my mind. I was not sure I want a black bag, especially for summer. Today I decided to return it, came to Winners and tried it once more before the mirror - and suddenly was not sure if I should return it. I found another one like this but in purple and thought it would be better but then I realized that black and light snake skin contrast makes it better for me.
So here I am with two bags and cannot make up my mind which one should I keep if any. I hope for a collective YLF wisdom - what say you?

Have to run but want to get your advice: which Gap biker jacket to keep if any?
They are the same size but one is regular and another is Tall.

1,3,5 - Regular
2,4,6 - Tall

Sorry, my Photoshop was lost when our hard drive died and I did not have time to install it again: it would be easier to see them side by side

Sorry for the brevity of this post - have to run pick up my hubby!

Thanks a lot!

ETA: added pictures with jeans - I want to know if I can wear a shorter one with jeans as well as with skirts. Thoughts?

7,9- regular with jeans

8.10 - Tall with jeans

...and you know what: this brand is not friendly for tall gals! I am almost in tears here because the quality is so great...see for yourself.

1-2 Merino short sleeve sweater.
I though it may be a great layering basic for fall - winter...look at the length! It should work with skirts but not with pants and jeans, right? This is so sad because I love the color and the wool is soft and very lightweight - ideal for layering.

3-4 Snake print sweater.
This is the same sweater Angie and Ceit have in thistle pattern. Too short!!!! Also sleeves are too snug - I prefer to have some ease in sleeves for a sweater. In addition it is itchy. This one is going back for sure!

5-6 navy slouchy t-neck
I LOVE this sweater. It is so soft and cozy  - but again short! It also fits more oversized on the model I think.

7-8 silk shirt
This is the only one with a good length for me. I want to try more sit down tests to ensure it is not too snug over my hips but other than that I really like this shirt. It has Peter Pan collar and I like it!

I am strongly considering to keep the silk shirt. I am definitely returning the snake print sweater. However I am on the fence about the short sleeve sweater and t-neck. I looked at the website again and they are not much longer on the models as well...maybe they are supposed to fit like this?
Help me please, set me straight!!!!!

ETA: I have made up my mind on CM stuff this morning. I am keeping the silk shirt and navy t-neck (I actually wore t-neck today as it was COLD). I am returning snake print sweater  - well that was obvious. I am also returning the cobalt short sleeve sweater. While it has enough width in the body it cut too close in the shoulders and arms and I like more ease there in sweaters. I know now that I like to add some short sleeve sweaters for winter but this is not the right one. PPP prevails! Thank you all for your help - and especially Angie for pointing out the problem area of the cobalt sweater and saving me expense and frustration of owning a garment I would not be happy wearing.

I posted about these silk Hilary Radley sleeveless tops here. Unfortunately size M was cut too high under arms which made it uncomfortable for me.
I went back today in hope they restock - but no luck :-( However I liked the orange color so much I decided to give a try to a long sleeved silk shirt. It is the same fabric and color but the cut is simpler. I sized up to XL to get more length and slouch.
My main reservation is the collar. It does not button to the top - I have it buttoned up as much as it goes here. It is possible to add 2 more buttons but there is only one extra button attached... Also is it too short (my usual fear...)

What do you think? Please be brutally honest! Should I keep or return?