Dressing Room Diaries: Leopard and Sweater Blazers

Happy Friday ladies and welcome to another edition of dressing room diaries. This is when I go into stores and try on what’s new, so you can see how the garments look on a woman over 20 who is much larger than a size 2.

My hair gets trashed, the photo’s are grainy and horrors…I’m occasionallyĀ in bare feet. I don’t know about you, but I need to take off my shoes to try pantsĀ on.

I don’t do dressing room diaries because I’m planning to buy these clothes. I do it to show you the proportion, color, and some fit issues, alongĀ with styling combos so you can shop the collections armed with a bit more than their website gives you. I occasionally do buy things and if I do, you’ll see me style it later with what I already have in my closet. For reference, I’m 5’4″ and weight around 143 pounds.

This week the dressing room was cramped and the lighting was dim, so the pictures are iffy. I’d seen lots of things I liked on the J. Crew website so I was anxious to try things on for size.

Jennifer of A Well Styled Life wearing J.Crew merino sweater in leopard print with cropped flares
leopard sweater –Ā  demi boot crop jean

This leopardĀ sweater fits true to size with a crew neck and slightly cropped sleeves. It would be great dressed up or down…like with these crops. Like it or not, crops aren’t going anywhere soon so I’ve started trying some on. These are theĀ cropped almost bootcut, flares. The rise is high but the legs are about 2″ too long on me. They’re not long or short enough to have the right proportion without hemming. Demi cropped boot cuts look cute with booties or ankles showing.

After this, I put my own jeans andĀ sneakers back on. Whew, no more bare feet.

Jennifer of A Well Styled Life wearing silk leopard blouse from J Crew
silk leopard blousestraight jeansbeltshoes

This shirttail bottom leopard shirt is a customer favorite. The small camel with black print is not an in your face print, so easy to wear. It fits true to size and is available in classic, petite and tall. I’m wearing a regular 10 and like this length for me because it’s long enough to wear out over slim pants. I tucked the front in so you could see how that changes the proportion and makes my legs look longer, so I look taller.

Jennifer of A Well Styled Life wearing J Crew leopard cardigan over NYDJ black jeans
leopard cardiganĀ 

Continuing the leopard theme I tried on this cardigan. It’s a cotton/poly blend in warm tones and feels heavier than I anticipated. The sleeves felt borderline too short in this medium. This is loose fitting so I would suggest sizing down. The website pictures make it look like a straight shape but it seems more rounded to me.

Jennifer of A Well Styled Life wearing ivory sweater blazer by J.Crew
leopard blousebelt –Ā sweater blazer

J. Crew sweater coats are very popular. They’re a great weight to span the seasons and available in different lengths, tons of colors with multiple collars and closure options. This one has cropped sleeves that are almost full length on me. I’m wearing a medium and need the small. It comes in 8 colors and is extremelyĀ popular. Here is a double-breasted version in leopard print.

Jennifer from A Well Styled Life wearing Juliette collarless sweater coat in wysteria
Sweater Coatstraight black jeanssneakers

**Size tip- these run large. I’m wearing a medium on the left and an XS on the right. The shoulders are huge and sloppy in the medium and I had to fold up the sleeves. The XS fits perfectly so I came home with this sweater coat.Ā While writing this post, I noticed it’s discounted 30% (online only) so I promptly orderedĀ it and will return this one. Why not take advantage of sales?

J.Crew is offering 30% off many things (online only) through March 9, with the code SUNNY.

Have you tried a sweater blazer?

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

24 Comments

  1. I just received my Leopard sweater this week from Kohls. Mine is light weight and I will be wearing a black tea under it with my black pants or jeans. It looks almost like the one you tried on.

  2. Janne Bradley says:

    Live the leopard shirt with cream jacket. I love dressing room diaries. Must check this store out next time I’m in the USA. . Thankyou.

    1. As I look at the pictures, I like it more and more. They have nice things.

  3. I like the leopard print blouse and the leopard print crew neck sweater. I would style both with a black jacket to tame the animal a bit. The cardigan is too much print and fabric for my taste. I have a J. Crew sweater blazer, from a previous season, I like a lot. It’s a shorter high hip length, which I prefer.

    1. Theyā€™re a great weight sweater blazer. I may need more than one.

  4. Gloria Saenz says:

    I donā€™t usually read blogs but I love yours! It is so informative and full of great tips and photos. I love that you tell us your height and weight so we can go from there. You are a beautiful woman. Thanks for keeping it real.

    1. Thank you for being here Gloria! Thatā€™s so nice of you

  5. Love sweater, jacket length, bought one in pink. Seems limp, how do I, wear without it looking draggy?

    1. Put a crisp white blouse under it with solid weight jeans and pop your collar. Add structure to the other garments so things donā€™t drag.

  6. I love that sweater coat and the sweater blazer. Unfortunately, too warm for Florida, has wool in it.

  7. LOL, when I first started reading your blog I thought that you actually bought clothes every time you did a dressing room diary. I was a little depressed because no way can I afford to buy that many new clothes. As in, shopping every week? Uh, no. I did eventually figure it out, but glad you clarified here!

    I really appreciate your hints and advice. I do think of them when I shop now. Thank you!

    1. Lol! That would be an insane amount of clothes. Many bloggers order tons of clothes, style them then return them. Itā€™s another way to show whatā€™s new. I imagine itā€™s time consuming so I prefer to do DRD for you. So happy you like it Debbie. Thanks for being here.

  8. The leopard blouse with the cream sweater coat is a definite keeper!

  9. Bonnie Hall says:

    I have black and white leopard print sweater by Raefella which I wear with so many different colored turtle neck tops. Also have Talbotā€™s Perfect (elbow length) leopard print blouse with the colors cream-black-grey. Even looks good with beige pants as well as black and grey????. I like prints. I am 5ā€™3ā€ and weigh 138 and wear 14 tops and 10 bottoms, so I like to keep prints small. Thanks for your tips!

    1. Small prints really help petite women to not look over whelmed.

  10. Susan Gowan says:

    I love the white coat and the clean lines but doubt I would wear it. Never ever been a fan of white. Didn’t even wear it for my wedding! I do love the pink on you and find a pop of pink cheers me up. The leopard prints are nicely styled but not for me. I am a stripes/solids or polka dot kind of gal.Have a great weekend , Jennifer!
    Thanks for your diaries. So many helpful suggestions!

  11. I love those sweater coats, and the orchid? pink? color is gorgeous on you!

    1. Thanks! I fell for the orchid immediately. Such a happy color.

  12. Love the animal print with the ivory sweater coat. I find some of their styles boxy on me, so I appreciate the pictures before ordering. Thanks!

    1. Many of them are boxy so proportion makes a big difference.

  13. Ruby ann Oxford says:

    The sweater jacket looks really good on you!! I am too short at 5ā€™ but would really like to have one.

    1. Nicki Cormier says:

      I hear you! I am 5ft tall. I used to be 5ft 2 ins Due to age related shrinking I feel I am too short to ā€œrock this style.ā€

  14. I like the white with the leopard blouse alot…a great way to transition animal prints into spring.

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