Dressing Room Diary – Summer Linen At J. Jill
My local J. Jill put out new summer linen pieces, and I raced in to try some of them on. So many of you were fans of the citron color I shared Saturday that I felt I should give it a try!
If youāre new here, welcome. A dressing room diary is when I go into a local store for a try-on session to see whatās new and show you how it looks on a woman over 25. For reference, I am 5ā4ā³ and weigh around 142 lbs. I have broad shoulders with straight hips, a long torso, and long arms. I often buy one size larger on top. Youāll see me try on clothes in colors and shapes that may or may not flatter me because I want you to see whatās in the stores and get some styling ideas. I will tell you what sizes I am wearing to help you understand how things run.
J. Jill has streamlined its sizing so that every style is available as regular in sizes XS-4X. Petite and tall are still available in some popular styles, and all sizes are priced similarly.
This embroidered tunic top is a cotton/Tencil blend that’s super soft and drapey. It comes in this white with blue or green with white embroidery. The medium petite is nice and roomy on me. The cropped jeans are a super comfy pull-on style with a straight leg. They come in five colors with a nice high rise.
Same sleeveless embroidered tunic as above, this time with their linen tunic jacket. This loose-over-loose look would feel super airy and casual on a hot day. You could dress this combo up depending on shoes and accessories. This Pure Jill tunic jacket has a similar vibe as my Eileen Fisher linen dress that I wear open as a jacket.
I have several of these great linen shirts and love the shape. It’s very slightly a-lined, which keeps it airy and cool in the heat. It almost doesn’t matter what size I wear in these shirts because the looser fit just drapes nicely. This comes in six colors. I’m wearing it over a column of the citron shade. The reversible tank runs snugly, so I always size up in them. It’s a v-neck on one side and a scoop on the other. It comes in ten colors and makes a great layering piece. The relaxed linen crops are fabulous. They come in four colors with an elasticized back waistband for comfort.
Several of you mentioned wearing citron with darker colors, so here I am in the petite navy relaxed linen crops.
You can see the difference the petite vs. regular makes on me. I actually prefer the petite because they look like they’re supposed to instead of just a bit too short. They’re right at the spot where leg begins to widen for the calf.
This linen blazer is very relaxed and unlined. It’s a linen/viscose/spandex blend with stretch. It comes in pale blue or white. Since matched sets are so popular this season, I styled it with matching blue linen pants. The pants are a pull-on style with the same stretch as the jacket. They come in six solids and one stripe.
This linen shirtdress is great! The ties are long enough to tie in the back or the front which gives it nice waist shaping. This is a deep navy, and it also comes in a burgundy type red. It’s 100% unlined linen but totally opaque, so you could skip a slip.
This voile blouse doesn’t have citron in the print, but it seems to work. It’s super light and airy, so I tucked it in, but I’m not crazy about it with these pants. I’d prefer this top with slimmer pants like these in navy.
Here’s the same print in a scarf, a great tote, and some jewelry that ties the colors together.
Here’s a side-by-side of the same top, untucked and tucked into the shorts. Totally different vibe. These shorts have patch pockets and a classic zipper and button closure. They come in four colors and seem to run true to size. This size 8 is too loose on me.
This pretty linen dress is fully lined, making it opaque, which I love with dresses in general and white linen in particular. The medium is loose and large on me, so I think it runs true to size. It has white embroidery splashed across the bottom and is longer in the back than the front. It’s too large on me, so you can’t appreciate that it has darts and forward seams for shaping.
Love the voile print top ! Iād wear it with white pants or dark wash jeans. I love the citron color too! I need to go shopping!
The citron top with the dark bottoms are striking on you!!! Dress it up with gold or pearls and you have a statement there!!! Soooo love this combination on you!!!
Thanks, Katrina. It’s a fun combo
I’m 5’2″ and 135-140 lbs. depending on what day of the week it is and I carry my weight in my stomach and waist. I wish I could tie my shirts at the waist but it seems to make my belly look even bigger. I think linen is beautiful but after about two minutes in the Louisiana humidity it looks a wrinkled mess so I avoid it. I do like your style and appreciate your sharing here. Have a great weekend!
I went in and the shirts seemed to be very boxy, but I did not see the reversible tank it looks loosely fitted…It is helpful to see your post to see all the options. I just get overwhelmed and then leave . I need to go back and look for the tank
The tank is not loose. In fact it’s tight so I always size up.
Linen knits give you the coolness of linen without the wrinkles.
Yes, and I love them. I wish they made more.
JJ linen always seems to wrinkle. Chico’s carries a lot of non-wrinkle linen. It still may wrinkle a little bit but not like untreated linen.
Like many others here, I just can’t get used to the heavily wrinkled look of untreated linen.
My answer for the summer has been the cotton gauze blouses from J Crew. Soft, wash really well, no iron, heavy gauze so not see thru though did not order the white which seems to be the most see-thru color in most tops everywhere.
These J Crew tops get great reviews. I got them in almost every color.
I love J Jill for other things but not for their wrinkly linen.
I do like the light blue linen jacket and pants. I prefer a more structured look. At 5ā2āand a little busty for my size, the volume of the crops really do not flatter me and especially with a fuller shirt. I like the navy dress but the tie placement would be problematic with my chest. Everything looks good on you Jennifer! How ever do you pull off the citrus color with your blonde skin tone? I have never been able to wear yellow, green, orange or citrus. My coloring looks exactly like yours. Do you warm up your makeup for these colors because you wear them well.
I donāt wear the citrus colors. Iām just trying them on to show whatās new.
White linen dress is very nice and cool-looking on you. Lovely! As to the citron color – it’s a never-never for this person here. Reminds me of what happens when you have a bad stomachache. The tied-in-the-middle linen dress may not work for some people our age – especially with the front tie emphasizing what may be a menopausal pot. Might be better tied in the back – or not.
Consider linen prints or dark colors. Wrinkles will show less.
These clothes all look like a wrinkled mess. Doesnāt JJill steam their clothes. I agree with the woman that said Chicoās linen looks less wrinkled. You look good in the citron color, but not a fan of it in linen. Sorry, thatās just me.
I know of no large retailers who steam their clothes, other than the ones they dress the mannequins with.
I love the citron shirt & cami…if only I could wear citron, I might look at the neutral shirt. The navy tie front is gorgeous, looks so comfortable….I’ve noticed I’m adding more linen to my wardrobe, but having trouble embracing the wide leg look….my fat legs can’t handle the proportion. On the whole I did enjoy most of the looks…..
The side by side photos of the shorts (top tucked, top untucked) are amazing. I never tuck, but after seeing this, I’m tempted to experiment.
It can make a big difference!
An interesting collection – thanks for showing. I wonder if anyone else is tired of pull-on pants, although I have a JJ charcoal ‘denim’ pair that I’ve worn a lot. I like the tie-front dress: I’m not especially well-endowed so I think it would work for me. With this linen, there’s a fine line between airy and untidy: a lining or a cotton blend adds some definition.
I wasn’t really sure about the citron color initially but I do like it with darker colors. Looks great on you.
I wore the navy linen dress to a memorial service in Houston yesterday. With Keshi pearls. I felt elegant and appropriate. In the dark color the wrinkles are not too obvious and donāt bother me any way. Highly recommend.
I think the shirts look good in linen , so as not to see so many wrinkles at once. I remember a couple of years ago there were linen blends ,less wrinkles, but don’t see many of those. I really think a linen white shirt is a great piece to have.
The citron is so cute that I will be ordering today! By the way, I ordered the Jane Iredale lipstick stain, and it was miserable. It hardened on my lips and made them look like little alligators.
Jennifer-great post! Linen and cotton are the only materials to wear in hot, humid Louisiana. You look great in all of these and I will go to JJill today. I especially love the citron pants. I can see various tops I have to go with them. Happy weekend!
I tried on a lot of linen at J Jill last week. I bought the stretch linen blend modern crops in flax and will probably order the spice as well (the store didn’t have them in petite). Most of the other pieces overwhelmed me, so many of them were a-line. l loved the citron color but not the a-line shape of the shirt. I tried tying it as you did (and the models on J Jill) but I am short waisted and it was just too much fabric around my waist.
Maybe, one piece of linen per outfit will keep the style from looking a bit too unkempt. The jean shorts are no longer on my radar but I do have a lighter weight jean crop that I love.
The citron is such a dynamic color! I like how you paired it with the navy. I would add that citron necklace to my mix when I wear my favorite navy top this summer.
Love the light blue linen jacket and pants. What a classic look for summer. Also like the citron with a darker color. The pants look black on my computer and I think that would be the color to wear with it.
Love love love the tie front dress! So flattering and perfect for the season. You can’t go wrong with linen for comfort and style! I received a J Jill text the new summer items were in and appreciate your quick review! Have a fantastic Friday : )
The dress is very flattering on. I think itād look even better tied in the back.
Still canāt get past the dress where the ties extend right off the chest. I donāt like that look at all! Itās just strange placement. But I did appreciate your side by side comparisons, they were really helpful!
Same here, Sandy! The first thing I thought was that the placement of the ties was really high and strange. I wonder if it would look better or worse if the ties were pulled to the back and knotted there … I dunno.
Click on the link for the dress. The ties look better on the model. I think they work better on a tall person. You would need to try the dress on.
I looked at the dress and the models are thin and small busted so the dress is flattering on them. I think if youāre well endowed it may not be as flattering as it adds bulk right where you donāt need it. Just my thoughtsā¦
Good morning & happy weekend
Carefree linen is the way to go for hot, humid, summer days and nights !
Hope you have a nice weekendš
Good morning Pat!!
Love all the soft colors, but still wrapping my head around the (wrinkled) linen look and wide bell-bottom crops.
The crops are straight and loose, not bell bottom. Linen is an acquired taste for sure.
I like and wear some linen, just not in pants. I absolutely hate wrinkled linen pants. I have a couple of white linen shirts and two JJill print linen dresses that I love because the wrinkles do not show. I love the citron shirt and tank that is tempting me to buy!
I would love to wear linen but I always think I look like wrinkled mess……any
thoughts ?