J.Crew is very, very good right now

Here's everything I'm loving

I, probably like many of you, have had a long history with J.Crew. I started shopping there at age 12 or 13, long before I found my true personal style, and when the brand was synonymous with seersucker, gingham, chunky necklaces, and colorful cardigans.

At 18, I moved away to college, at which the student body (myself included) was a sea of colorful Lilly dresses, Jack Rogers, Vera Bradley, and–God help us all–Croakies.

And then, at 19, while studying in Rome, I came in to my own, style wise. (Likely story, I know.) I ditched the colorful dresses, packed away my rainbow of Lacoste polos, and filled my closet with black and neutrals (and maybe one single gold-threaded pashmina). Maybe it was drastic, but felt just right.

Since then, I had been on sort of a hiatus from J.Crew–until the arrival of their newest creative director, Olympia Gayot. Her crisp, downtown energy and fresh direction for the brand has really been doing it for me, especially in the neighborhood of affordable basics.

I also really appreciate that J.Crew carries extended sizing, at least online, so that when I’m sharing something I love from the brand, it can potentially work for most of my audience and not just those who fit into the standard sizes 0-10 or 12 carried by the majority of contemporary and luxury brands.

The latest drop for summer–with its array of embroidered and lacey white pieces–has me really excited. Sharing some of my picks below.

Philomena Dress, $168

There are two sides to my personality: the side that only wants to wear varying shades and layers of black, and the side that loves Edwardian lace and pointelle, and anything white or ghost-like. This dress, obviously, falls into the latter. It reminds me a lot of that Prada dress from last summer, and dare I say I prefer this one, sans logo.

Collection sheer maxi dress, $198

Per the above comment about enjoying anything ghost-like, I bring you the below. I love how light and flowy it appears, without being too sheer. I might style it with a black shoe–or a pair of black combat boots–to roughen it up a bit.

Pointelle tank top, $39.50

Never underestimate the power of a good, simple tank–and I find myself constantly reaching for anything pointelle throughout the warmer months. I love wearing mine under a big, white button down (left unbuttoned).

Gwen lace-trim slip skirt, $118

I love a vintage slip, but sometimes they look *too* much like lingerie. So I love this one, which comes in a variety of colors. I might style it with a simple white tank, or an oversized graphic t-shirt.

Garçon classic shirt in eyelet linen, $148

Eyelet feels very nostalgic for me, which I love, but I feel like it’s rarely executed well in non-vintage pieces. I love the structure of this shirt, which features just the right amount of eyelet (in my humble opinion). I wouldn’t personally pair it with this skirt, but that’s just me.

Collection Santorini bag with feathers, $248

Let’s be real: I wouldn’t be me without at least a whisper of a black feather.

Embroidered mini dress in linen, $168

This little dress, for some reason, reminds me of my Nana’s vintage linens and tablecloths. I don’t ordinarily spring for floral motifs, but something about this dress is sweet without being saccharine.

Short-brim boater hat with ribbon, $79.50

As someone who does not willingly put her face in the sun, hats during the summertime are a must. I love the vintage feel of this one–it feels very old Dior to me.

Scalloped-trim shift dress in linen, $168

The summer heat possesses numerous destructive properties for me, chief among them, exasperation-fueled loss of creativity when it comes to getting dressed. For that reason, I love having a closet full of easy pieces for these very instances–and a simple linen shift fits the bill.

Collection sheer v-neck sweater, $89.50

Although I love sheer pieces, I do think it can be overdone and tacky sometimes, so I tend to steer clear of it. That said, I love the look of this little sweater.

Maxine eyelet shift dress, $168

Ditto the above about the virtues of a shift dress, I love this one for its vintage-inspired eyelet details. It looks like something you might find at a flea market, which is usually where I source my favorite lace pieces from.

Athena dress in cotton poplin, $148

Poplin anything is a summer staple for me–I love its volume and the way that it hangs. I also love this dress–which comes in white, too.

Maxine crochet-knit shift dress in linen, $128

This little shift also has a lovely vintage feel to it.

Scoopneck shift dress in cotton poplin, $98

If it’s not already clear, I love pieces for summer that are simple but also can be the entire outfit, like this little black poplin shift. It’s nice–when your brain is the temperature of a fried egg–not to have to think too hard sometimes about what to wear.

Collection crochet sweater dress in metallic silver, $298

This is probably a bit of a wild card for me, but I’m already picturing it styled in a multitude of ways (which is what I mentally have to do before justifying a purchase).

Open-weave foldover clutch, $89.50

This little woven clutch is giving me chic lunch bag.

Lace-trimmed crop top, $69.50

I, for one, am not a big fan of crop tops, but I’ll make a rare exception for this one as it reminds me of a vintage Victorian nightgown. I would wear it under overalls, without a doubt.

Semicircle rattan clutch, $119.50

It’s no secret that I die for anything that gives even the subtlest nod to Jane Birkin, including a straw/rattan/raffia bag of varying shapes and functions. I love the structure and simplicity of this one.

Handkerchief midi dress, $168

I absolutely love a pintuck detail on a white dress such as this one–and I love how roomy this is. During the summertime, it’s great to be able to create your own wind!

Soleil pant in linen, $98

I’ve personally found that some linen trousers tend to be itchy (just me?)–thankfully, these do not. I have them in red (shocker, I know!) and they’re comfy as can be. I’ve found they run on the roomier side and sized down.

Mini bubble-hem skirt in cotton poplin, $59.50

I used to love a bubble hem in high school and college, and then they sort of disappeared. I am here for their renaissance.