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Dressing Room Diaries- Linen and Chambray

Happy Thursday ladies. I seldom buy items when I do a dressing room diary but this week I did order some pants because I’ve been updating what things I need for our sweltering weather.

If youā€™re new here, welcome. A dressing room diary is when I go into a local store for a try-on session so you can see whatā€™s new and how it looks on a woman over 25.

For reference, I am 5ā€™4ā€³ and weigh around 134 lbs with broad shoulders and straight hips. I have a long torso and long arms so I often buy one size larger on top. I try on clothes in colors and shapes that may or may not flatter me so you can see whatā€™s in the stores and get some styling ideas. I tell you what sizes I am wearing to help you understand how things run.

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For more info and to shop each item at no additional cost to you, you can click the red text.

linen and cotton outfit from j jill on jennifer connolly of a well styled life
WEARING /Ā  PIMA 3/3 SLEEVE SCOOP NECK TEE /Ā  LINEN/RAYON KNIT WAIST PANTS

The above photo illustrates why I wish brands would stop putting drawstrings at the waist of pants. These pants already have an elastic waist so the drawstring serves no purpose other than for show…and an unattractive show it makes. I simply snip mine off, but it would be nice if I didn’t have to. Anywho…these linen pants are a great weight and very comfy. They have an adjustable tab hemline you can unbutton to add 2″ to the length. They come in 3 colors, sizes regular, petite, women’s, and tall. I’m wearing a misses XS so they are roomy.

The top is Pima cotton with the always popular 3/4 length sleeve. It comes in 7 colors and is just $39. I am wearing a small in misses. This outfit above just looks tossed together so I tried some other combinations.

woman wearing linen and cotton oputfits from j jill
WEARING /Ā  ANYWHERE CARDIGANĀ  /Ā  PIMA ROUNDED V-NECK TANK TOPĀ  /Ā  LINEN PANTS ON LEFTĀ  /Ā  EASY LINEN CROP PANTS ON RIGHT

Here I swapped the white top for a sleeveless tank and added a cropped cardi that coordinates with the pants. I prefer this combo because it feels thought-out rather than just tossing a tee over pants. The red seems sold out online but any other contrasting color tank would work. I am wearing a small misses in both the tank and cardigan.

On the right, I created a column of color by swapping in these easy linen, wide-leg cropped pants. They come in 4 colors, but the red seems sold out online except in tall. The inseam is misses 25″, petite 23″, women’s 24″ and tall 27″. I am styling the misses XS. The website says they run small but I found they run TTS.

WEARING /Ā  PIMA TANKĀ  TOP /Ā  EASY LINEN CROPSĀ  /Ā  DIP-DYED SHIRTTAILED TUNIC

Here are the same linen crops in blue, which I have on order in tall. I love that they have a zip and button smooth front waistband…not a drawstring in sight! The wide-leg will also go a long way to prevent the knees from bagging out which often happens with narrow linen legs.

Style tip– check the measurements of garments and don’t be afraid to shop other size categories to get the look and fit you desire. I want full length and the 27″ inseam will give me that.

The dip-dyed tunic shirt must be selling well because all I could get my hands on to try was an XL petite and it’s huge on me. The fabric is very thin and soft so it tied at the waist easily, but it would look better with a bit less volume.

DIP-DYED SHIRTĀ  /Ā  TENCEL LYOCELL MAXI DRESS

Here I have tied the dip-dyed tunic over a very light and airy, A-line Tencel dress. It feels like the silkiest chambray with a fitted bodice, high side vents, and pockets. For less than triple digits temperatures, this would also look cute with a white denim jacket or thin cardigan for arm coverage. The lengths are from the center back; misses 51Ā½”, petite 48Ā½”, womens 53″, tall 54Ā½”. I am wearing a petite small.

GARMENT-DYED LINEN DRESS

This garment-dyed linen dress is sort of perfect for a one-and-done day. It has short sleeves that aren’t too short, pockets, and it’s a nice length. It comes in 3 gorgeous shades with a center back length of misses 38Ā½”, petite 36Ā½”, women’s 41″, and tall 40Ā½”. You could belt it but it looks nice as is because it’s not overly voluminous.

WEARING /Ā  ESSENTIAL COTTON STRETCH PANTSĀ  /Ā  PIMA TANK IN PETITEĀ  /Ā  DOUBLE GAUZE SHIRT

These are the essential cotton stretch pants that come in 5 colors. They have a hidden side zip and no waistband for the smoothest silhouette under tops. They’re woven 63% cotton, 33% rayon, and 4% spandex so very comfy. The inseams are misses 28″, petite 25Ā½”, women’s 28″, and tall 30Ā½”. I am wearing a misses 8 which is one size too large and too long. 27″ seems to be my sweet spot for ankle pants. These are a great basic, slim, lightweight pants you could dress up to down this summer.

This double gauze shirt seems to be sold out online in this color but your stores probably have plenty. It also comes in 4 other colors. It’s thigh-length so they suggest you could wear it over a bathing suit. It’s a very soft, breathable fabric that has so many uses in your wardrobe this summer.

Have you thought about buying outside of your size category to get the dimensions you want in a garment?

Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.

 

24 Comments

  1. I know this has been said before but why wonā€™t stores steam out their goods.
    It says take it or leave it, I donā€™t care about the customer Such a quick easy thing to do.

    1. I think it’s just a sad sign of the times.

  2. Stores never seem to steam unless itā€™s going on a mannequin.

  3. Oh my favourites today have to be the ombrĆ© dip-dyed shirt as appears so cool ‘n breezy plus offers protection from the sun if need be or useful in an air-conditioned environment. Also, some are even wearing shirts like this backwards, leaving some buttons undone to create an open back and for those who don’t mind exposing their midriff; buttoning a portion then knot and tuck under their bra. Whereas the Maxi dress; do like its seaming detail plus relaxed cut and can see it being worn with a variety of accessories. i.e.: With a natural fiber raffia belt ‘n woven flat sandals etc. etc. etc. -Brenda-

  4. These outfits reminded me of hospital scrubs and hospital gowns. Not for me!

    1. I can relate Debbie. As an RN, I have no desire to wear my scrubs out and about.

  5. I do not worry about size and buy for fit. Think about it, who looks at people to guess what size they are wearing? Sizes are inconsistent, sometimes within the same size. Guess that depends upon how they are stacked in the cutting process.
    I especially liked the white pants with teal tops on you.

  6. I like the last outfit, because it looks smooth, fresh, and slimming on you.
    I have bought regular size capris instead of petite, to get a longer crop look, when I cannot find the right length in pants. I find crop jeans in regular size work if I want longer jeans to ankle. I can wear either Misses or petite tops depending on how it is made.

  7. I like the outfit in last pic best of all… the white pants, even though they’re a touch too big, look cool and polished. I hear you on the drawstring bulge, but to play devil’s advocate, it can be helpful to have one if your waist is many inches smaller than your hips (guilty), otherwise you always wind up wearing hiphuggers…. I find there’s never enough elastic to keep pants in place where they should be and have to take tucks in the waistband.

    1. When the elastic on pants seems a bit loose I sometimes make two small slits on the back inside waistband and insert a piece of elastic in the “pocket I made” and tighten it up a bit. Just stitch down the elastic on both ends with matching color thread and it’s really not noticeable and makes a big difference in comfort and keeps my pants where they should be.

      1. @Ann: I agree this method does work and also a good solution for conventional waistbands which sometimes can even be achieved by opening up the side seams, insert, adjust and finish off as you described giving a flat waistband in the front and elastic only in the back. -Brenda-
        Footnote: I recently had to do this with three pairs of pants due to some weight loss and doable for both pull-on or fly fronts.

      2. Thanks for your tip, Ann. I’m not quite picturing what you mean though, as in my mind adding elastic would make the waistband looser. I might try making a slit in the waistband inside the pants, cut out some of the elastic, sew the ends together, and then mend the slit.

  8. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer. I have the double gauze tunic in a nice aqua shade and just received the dip dyed tencel tunic. Its quite sheer, so a tank top will be needed, but I like it alot! I appreciate that JJill offers tops that float over the mid section. I canā€™t do form fitting anymore!

  9. Did like the off white 3/4 length shirt and rayon linen pants. Also the white stretch pants and that teal color tank and gauze shirt.
    Very me. As always you are a beautiful model.
    I agree with the draw string when pants also have an elastic waist. Just add bumps that are not needed. I cut them off and use them for package decorations.

    1. Package decorations!! Brilliant, Lin!

  10. I buy from different size categories depending on what I’m looking for. I don’t like crop pants, so I typically buy Tall pants to get extra length. If a dress is too short for my preference, I’ll buy it in a Tall if offered. I’ve even bought Petite tops to get a shorter length to go better with my skirts. For reference, I’m 5’6″ tall, 149 lbs.

    1. Thatā€™s very clever. Iā€™ve done that with a dress that was too short so hopefully these pants will work.

  11. I have to shop outside my side category most of the time because it’s so hard to find true sized petites. It’s a challenge. I liked how you styled the pants. I really thought the stretch pants looked great.

  12. Elizabeth S says:

    Once I ordered crops in a tall, trying to get a good length. Iā€™m 5ā€™3ā€. Unfortunately the crotch was down to my knees. This is a trick that didnā€™t work for me!

    1. Ah! I have a long torso so hopefully theyā€™ll work for me.

  13. there just seems to be something about J Jill sizing, that I cannot wear any of it.

    1. I have a hard time with J. Jill, too. Their sizes never fit me as an XS is huge on me and I usually wear a M. Iā€™ve taken back several things to J. JIll over the years for that reason.

  14. I’m 5’7″ and have always bought a regular length in pants till yesterday when I bought a petite as the store didn’t have my size in regular. They fit perfectly, just a wee bit shorter. I thought that there would have been more than just a length difference distinguishing a regular and petite in pants. I will keep that in mind for future purchases.

    1. Celia Bass says:

      I too find a 27ā€ inseam to be a good length for me so I often buy regular ankle pants although I am a petite in height and width. I have found that JJill pants seem to run larger than expected but I hesitate to order online as I have no store to return to if needed. I like the subdued colors of JJill garments but realize as a winter that these colors are not as flattering to me as more concentrated jewel colors.

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