jcos studios bag

Through the Fog

December 14, 2015 by jessica 11 Comments

To say it’s been unseasonably warm in southern Wisconsin would be a bit of an understatement. It feels like spring with 60-degree temperatures, almost-constant rain, and foggy evenings. I know I’ll regret wishing for snow the moment flakes start to fall, but I really want a white Christmas this year … just a half inch that melts on Dec. 26. On the bright side, it has given me the chance to bring lightweight jackets out for another spin and wear shoes without worrying about snow and salt damage!

This grey wool shift has been a perennial favorite ever since I purchased it back in 2009 or 2010. I can’t think of another piece in my closet that has had such longevity. It’s a classic shape, has pretty brass buttons on the back, a flirty little ruffled hem, and makes for the perfect backdrop to new jewelry, like these gorgeous pieces from Ben-Amun. They’re from designer Isaac Manevitz’s “Roman Coin” collection. The collection is marked by pewter coins set in brass, reminiscent of treasured archaeological finds. You’ll learn more about the designer in this week’s “Behind the Baubles.”

Painterly Plaid

November 2, 2015 by jessica 20 Comments

From what I saw on Instagram, many of you had a fun Halloween weekend! I donned my sleepy Holly Golightly costume at work on Friday (with longer shorts, so I wasn’t inappropriate) and was only marginally embarrassed to discover that my coworkers didn’t know who I was masquerading as. (Apparently they need to brush up on their knowledge of iconic American films.) Dave and I barely left the house on Halloween. We played Yoshi’s Woolly World, carved pumpkins, watched The Babadook, and ate too much holiday candy. I also watched the debut episode of Wicked City starring Ed Westwick. I couldn’t believe the reviews that poo-pooed anything starring Chuck Bass! But, it really is that bad. Maybe even worse. It doesn’t mean I won’t watch a few more episodes, though.

We had an unseasonably warm kickoff to November yesterday with temperatures in the 60s, giving me the excuse to wear this dress sans tights. It was an impulse purchase at Anthropologie a couple of weeks ago and I’ve already worn it four times since. It’s such an easy piece to throw on and feel pulled together instantly. In addition to loafers, I’ve worn it with cobalt flats (similar to these), boat shoes, and sneakers — and it looks great with all of them. In fact, I suspect this versatile dress will transition well into spring with sandals and a white tote bag. (C’mon, I can’t be the only one already yearning for warm weather!) It runs a full size large. I’m usually a size 8 and opted for the small.

Windowpane

October 12, 2015 by jessica 19 Comments

Windowpane-Dress-7

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you already know I fell in love with this dress Friday afternoon. I’m so crazy about it, in fact, that I wore it to a baby shower on Saturday and again on Sunday to run a few errands and stop at an open house. It’s technically a tunic and meant to be worn with pants or leggings (pfft…), but I’m 5’7″ and it’s definitely long enough to wear as a dress. (Don’t worry, I double checked by layering my favorite black skirt underneath and the hemlines met.) It’s also the softest sweater dress I have ever worn. The cream and black colorway is sold out online, but our store had the full size run.

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linking up with Rachelle, Jenna, and Caryl

Ruffled

October 7, 2015 by jessica 13 Comments

Well, my hair was curled when I left the house … not so much after a few minutes standing outside in the wind! Oh, well, ’tis the reality of blogging, right? The other reality is that I’ve been wearing this dress at least once a week since purchasing it at the beginning of September. It’s such an easy piece to throw on for those “I have nothing to wear!” days and nothing is as forgiving as an a-line swing dress for “not-so-skinny” days. This is basically how I’ve been wearing it on the weekends (bring on the big jewels!). For work, I usually layer a button-down shirt underneath (love this and this) and slip on my favorite flats.

Review: JCOS Messenger Bag With Lock

October 1, 2015 by jessica 14 Comments

I recently purchased this JCOS crossbody bag, a knockoff of the ubiquitous Chloe “Drew” bag. Now that I’ve been using it for a month (outfit photos coming soon), I wanted to share my thoughts on the piece for anyone interested in snagging this trendy style for a fraction of the price. (Though, I’m jealous of those who have $1,850 laying around for the original!)

Shipping took a ridiculously long time. I placed my order on July 29. It shipped on Aug. 21 and arrived on Aug. 24.
The quality is fantastic. The leather is thick, the hardware is sturdy, and the stitching is uniform. The metal clasp is attached with screws and, as you’ll see in a photo below, there’s a leather strip under the flap that reinforces the handles.
The clasp didn’t get as scratched as I thought it would over the course of the month.
On the original bag, there’s a turnlock that secures the bag before you slide in the metal bar. That’s not the case here. Sometimes the bar slides out and the bag hangs open. It’s not often enough to be a nuisance and nothing has fallen out when it happens. I’ve found that putting more items in the bag makes it less likely to occur.
The knotted chain at the handles can sometimes undo itself if the bag is tossed around too much. It’s easy to retie.
Of course, there’s the concern about “being inspired by” (::cough::knocking off::cough::) an iconic design. I struggled with this a bit, but decided that it didn’t bother me too much because it doesn’t pretend to be an original and, as I said, I’m in no position to spend almost two grand on the original. You can judge my questionable ethics, though.

Bottom Line: If you’re crazy about the design, but can’t fork out $1,850, go for it. It’s a fun ’70s-inspired saddle bag for fall.