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Dressing Room Diaries: Spring Fashion at J. Jill

Happy Thursday ladies. It took me two visits to two different stores to be able to bring you the newest spring fashion at J. Jill but I would not be deterred. I caught the collection so early they hadn’t finished unpacking things so the following week I went to a different store for a better look.

If you’re new here, a dressing room diary is when I go into stores and try on their new merchandise so you can see how it looks on a woman over 25 who wears a size larger than zero. The lighting is dim so my pictures are grainy but you’ll still get the idea of what things look like.

 

jennifer connolly of a well styled life wearing pinki sweater in dressing room

For reference, I am 5’4″, weigh 137 pounds, and have wide shoulders with narrow hips and very few curves. I have a long torso and arms. I often wear a size larger on top to accommodate my shoulders and can go back-and-forth between the regular and petite departments depending on the fit that I want.

 

woman wearing long beige cardigan over beige tank top and jeans in J Jill dressing room
WEARING – COTTON AND HEMP JACKET –Ā  3/4 SLEEVE ELLIPTICAL TEE –Ā  SLIM FIT JEANS IN BARLEYĀ 

 

This is one of those weird situations when a garment is called one thing but it’s another. This is a soft, cotton, and hemp knit cardigan that they call a jacket…go figure. Itā€™s available in this tawny or deep blue, in misses, petite, and women’s. I’m wearing a regular in small so it’s extra-long which I like for me.

Iā€™m wearing it over this super soft elliptical tee that comes in 3 pretty colors sized petite, regular, and women’s. It’s got 3/4 length sleeves which is a nice detail and has a double layer for coverage in this pale color. I’m wearing the petite in small so it runs TTS. These slim jeans are a classic fit and a staple at J. Jill. They come in 4 colors in misses, petite, women’s, and tall. I’m wearing a 4 in misses (regular).

 

jennifer of a well styled life wearinf denim shirt with white jeans and top
WEARING – TENCEL INDIGO TUNIC / PIMA COTTON SHIRTTAIL TEE / WEAREVER WOVEN PANTS

 

This tunic looks like denim but is so much softer because it’s Tencel. I love wearing items like this open as a third layer but it would look equally good, buttoned closed over leggings. It comes in misses, petite, women’s and tall. Because it’s thigh length, I prefer the petite on me so it doesn’t look overwhelming. Iā€™m wearing a petite medium so it runs true to size. Remember, because my shoulders are broad I often wear one size larger in structured garments on my top than my bottom.

Iā€™m wearing it over the Pima Stretch Shirttail Tee which is a classic, staple for any wardrobe. It comes in white, black, or navy. I’m wearing a petite small so it runs TTS. I’m wearing it with these Wherever Woven Trousers which come in 4 colors in petite, misses, women’s, and tall.Ā  I’m wearing a 4 petite which feels too short for me so with these pants, I would wear a regular. It’s a personal preference. They also happen to be marked way down so theyā€™re a great price.

 

woman modeling striped shirt and jeans in dressing room selfie
WEARING – LINEN EASY SHIRT / WHITE REVERSIBLE TANK / SLIM JEANS IN BARLEY

This Easy Linen shirt comes in 3 solids and this stripe. I’m a sucker for striped anything so just had to try this one on. It’ll be great as a third piece or worn closed all summer long. Iā€™m wearing a misses small.

Iā€™m wearing it over J. Jillā€˜s classic reversible tank that’s available in 7 colors and is a great layering basic to have in a wardrobe. It has a scoop neck on one side and a v neck on the reverse. I’m wearing a missed in medium but would go up to a large because it fits close to the body and I prefer more room.

The jeans are the same slim style you saw me wear above but these ones are in light barley color which is a nice alternative for spring.

 

TWO VIEWS OF PINK SWEATER AND WHITE JEANS ON WOMAN IN DRESSING ROOM
WEARING – COTTON/LINEN V NECK SWEATER / SLIM FIT WHITE JEANS

These are the same slim-cut white jeans as above and youā€™ll notice they break a little bit at the top of my ankle because these are the regular length. By the time I wash and dry these, the length will be perfect.

Iā€™m wearing it with this cotton-linen sweater that comes in 6 pretty colors and is great for in-between seasons and all summer long. Iā€™m wearing a small regular but might benefit from a small petite as well. Notice the difference it makes in the length of my legs when I tuck a tiny bit into the waistband. I’d do a neater half-tuck to wear out in public.

 

blonde woman wearing a navy dress over a white tank top
WEARING – PLEATED BACK NAVY SHIRT DRESS / REVERSABLE WHITE TANK / BELT

I spotted this navy dress on a mannequin and was anxious to try it on. Iā€™m wearing a small in regular and clearly need a petite because of the length. It’s an a-line shape with an elliptical hemline and a dramatically pleated back. They showed it belted so of course, I wanted to try it that way and tossed this belt on it. It’s a roomy fit so I would size it down. I think it would be fun worn open as a duster over pants and a tank in the warm weather.

 

WOMAN HOLDING SKIRT OUT ON NAVY DRESS

 

SIDE BY SIDE VIEWS OF CROPPED AND UNCROPPED JEANS ON A WOMAN IN DRESSING ROOM
WEARING – CLASSIC WHITE SHIRT / HIGH RISE CUFFED JEANS REGULAR AND PETITE

These are the same cuffed jeans that you saw me try on the last time I was at J Jill. This time they’re in soft eucalyptus green. The cuff is tacked up so you would need to unpick the stitching to take it down. They have lots of stretch which makes them very comfy. These are meant to be ankle length but they aren’t at my ankle in either version. I prefer the petite on me because it gives them a slightly cropped look.

The shirt is J. Jill’s classic white button-down that is a great basic for any time of year. I’m wearing a medium petite and delighted to find the sleeves are long enough so it runs TTS. The fabric has built-in stretch so it has” give” when you move, making it very comfy to wear.

 

woman wearing green jeans and white shirt three different ways
WEARING – CLASSIC WHITE SHIRTCUFFED JEANSĀ  –Ā  COTTON TEXTURED SWEATER

Here’s a side-by-side for you to see different proportions. I tossed this cotton cardigan on top which works on the regular length of pant but would show too little leg over the petite jeans.

 

over 50 blogger wearing cropped cardigan and jeans in dressing room
WEARING – V-NECK CROPPED CARDIGANELLIPTICAL TEEBOYFRIEND JEANS

Here is the same 3/4 sleeve tee that I wore in the first outfit. I’m wearing it here under a cotton blend cropped cardigan with large wooden buttons. This cardi comes in several pretty colors for spring…this one is called Red Oak which is a cinnamon color. Iā€™m wearing a small regular because I think the petite would be too short on my long torso. Theyā€™re making a lot of cropped cardigans and tops this year because theyā€™re terrific paired with high-rise, wide-legged pants.

These boyfriend jeans had the leg bottoms rolled up were rolled up when I found them on the rack so I simply unrolled them to be full length. I am wearing a 4 petite. They have a really nice shape and a bit more room than slim jeans so I think of them more like a straight leg style.

 

 

over 50 fashion blogger modeling blue linen tunic over blue jeans
WEARING – LINEN TUNIC / BOYFRIEND JEANSĀ Ā Ā Ā 

This linen pop-over tunic itā€™s perfect for spring and all summer long. It comes in black, white, or this blue, sized petite, regular, women’s, and tall. The side pockets are always a favorite of mine. It’s a great length to wear over leggings or skinny jeans. Because itā€™s thigh-length, this petite small is the best length for me. If you’re short, you could also try this in tall to wear as a bathing suit coverup.

These are great season-spanning clothes. When the calendar says spring but the temperatures aren’t cooperating, these colors and shapes transition well.

 

58 Comments

  1. You were busy. Thank you so much. Love all these styles. I was just looking at a long duster sweater. I’m 5’4″. and have a curvy figure 140 lbs. Do you think my shape could wear the long sweaters.
    Thanks do much.

    1. Yes!! Iā€™m 5ā€™4ā€ and love them. They swish when you walk and feel dramatic and graceful at the same time. Try it.

  2. Kelly Hurley says:

    I LOVE every single thing you are wearing here! Everything looks up to date but timeless and classic

  3. Beautiful looks for spring and summer. They all look great on you. I especially like the cinnamon cropped cardigan and the eucalyptus cuffed pants.

  4. Love all todayā€™s fashions. Right up my alley. Canā€™t do cropped leggings though. Glad to see longer options.

  5. Thanks so much for modeling the JJill fashions! I loved that short cardigan with the wooden buttons on you! Since I’m only 5′-1″ it’s nice to see something that’s not below my knees. Their white shirts are really nice (I have two). They feel really cool in the summer, but also can be worn under sweaters. I’ll have to check out the eucalyptus green jeans – maybe remove the cuff because of my height. You always look fabulous!

  6. Paulette Levy says:

    Thank you for all of your DRD segmentsā€”they show us whatā€™s truly possible ! I loved the lighter pants youā€™ve highlighted Fir spring and the blue boyfriend jean too. Iā€™ve got my eye on the cinnamon tops and sweater as well as the blue linen tunic as a bathing suit cover with sleeves rolled a bit.

  7. My fav was the v neck crop sweater in cinnamon and the boyfriend jeans, so cute and definitely something I would wear. I love the crisp look of linen until you sit down and here come the infinite wrinkles. Love the DRD so much, thank you Jennifer šŸ˜€

  8. There are so many great pieces! Thank you for trying on so much:) The slim jeans and blue jeans look so nice. I also love the dress and cropped cardigan. I canā€™t be sure about the longer cardigans because of my height. Now I want to. Is it J. Jill:) Thank you! Have a great day:)

  9. Thanks to you, I have many more combinations to wear that have been buried in my closet. I found a cropped white sweater that can be paired with all kinds of my tops that Iā€™ll tuck into my pants with a belt. I love this new look! The cinnamon sweater looked absolutely gorgeous on you as it compliments your hair color. Thanks for all your great styling tips!

  10. Is it just me, or have pant hemlines become very confusing this year? It’s almost impossible to order online without making returns.

    1. Everything seems confusing fashion wise, not just pant hemlines. There’s leg type. There’s fit. And that’s just the pants themselves! I’ve decided to simply wear what’s in my closet. I can’t be more in or out of fashion than that. So, for me, I enjoy seeing how Jennifer puts all the pieces together and reading viewers’ comments — some I will agree with and some not.

    2. Thatā€™s why I order several sizes and return what doesnā€™t fit. Itā€™s the only way to be sure you get the best look.

  11. Barbara MacKesson says:

    Thank you for showing us all these transition-to-spring colors. I like everything, but especially the rosy colored sweater and the cinnamon cropped sweater. Also, you in a dress!! I love shirtwaist dresses with slightly full skirts and they are hard to find. I do agree that a shorter version would be better for you. I am always on the lookout for good quality t-shirts so appreciate seeing several options are available at J Jill. I’d be happy if you did an entire post on t-shirts.

  12. Thanks for this great DRD. My favorites are the striped top and the blue linen tunic. I’m ready for Spring and these would be perfect. I know you’ve mentioned where you got your shoes, but could you please tell me again. That color and style is perfect.
    Thanks so much for letting us see a “real person” wearing J.Jill.

  13. I have an idea for a twist on dressing room diaries. Instead of showing a bunch of pieces from one store it would be really helpful to focus on one piece. Not having easy access to a mall, it would be helpful to have you search/compare for us. Which retailer has the perfect cotton sweater, or tank, or tee shirt… You get the idea.

  14. I really like the V neck pullover sweater and the cardigan. Love those buttons. Anything with a v neck gets my attention. Iā€™m not into irons so I usually skip linen but I do love the look snd yes I know, wrinkling is part of their charm but I donā€™t want wrinkles on my clothes and face. Wrinkle overload! I do like tensely fabric and love the denim look tunic.

    1. Youā€™re funny, Eve. I hear what you mean about wrinkle overload šŸ™‚

  15. Rhoda Clark says:

    I love this post! These are just the types of clothing I wear and they all look wonderful! I have plenty of the pants. I have been collecting them over the past ten years so my pants collection is pretty set. The tops are ones I will consider adding to my closet. Remembering how I used to love to shop before Covid, Iā€™ll bet this trip was great fun! Thank you so much for your posts and sharing your time with us.

  16. Julie Traxler says:

    I saw the black navy dress in jjill and was in awe… wondering how it would look on. Thank you for showing us! It did look stunning on you with the white tank under it.

  17. Sue Henry says:

    Thanks Jennifer…
    I miss shopping at Jjill as we always used to spent winters in warmer weather. It was a treat for me to see the clothes on you this morning. On you I liked the cinnamon sweater paired with the jeans. Not my colors this time around but will go to the Jjill site and see what I can find. In Canada we still have winter and I will have to keep dreaming until May. All I want is merino wool these days . Thanks again it was anā€fun tripā€!

  18. Love this blog! Thank you so much for doing all the work for us during these dressing room diaries! You make it so much easier to shop online when we can see how things really look. Keep up the good work šŸ™‚

  19. Wish we had a J. Jill here in Canada, however with the surcharge, shipping, processing fees as well as the dollar exchange to order something that may not fit would be very disappointing as do like many of the items you modeled today. Sigh!

    As to those who may be struggling with the half tuck method; another option they may wish to try that works particularly well with plain front softer fabrics is: take a small fistful of the lower hemline fabric and draw it across through the front belt loop of your pants, trousers or jeans. Note that you may have to experiment re positioning as a tad difficult to verbally explain …. ā˜ŗ…. but the fabric usually falls naturally into place.
    -Brenda-

  20. SUZ Booker says:

    Thanks for showing all the variations of outfits and describing the sizing as it relates to you. That was very helpful for me. I recently lost weight and it helped me picture myself in an outfit. Thanks for the details!
    Can you show/tell us how to do a French Tuck?
    I have tried it multiple times and it always looks wrong….help!!

    1. I tuck the front third in, then raise my arms to loosen it so it bouses over the front waistband.

  21. Thanks. Iā€™m going after the crop sweater and matching tank in eucalyptus rather than red oak. Thanks for doing this.

  22. Thank you for previewing these new looks!

  23. Jennifer, you are the best for trying on all of these outfits for us! Thank you. My favorite outfit is the tencel indigo shirt that you wore as a third piece over light colored garments. I could see me getting lots of use out of that shirt – as a bathing suit coverup, as a light jacket, or as a simple shirt buttoned up the front. This was a fun DRD post. Thank you!

  24. It was so refreshing to see all these new spring color and style options. My favorite, by far, was the crop, cinnamon sweater with the wooden buttons. Paired with a slight boot cut jean, it would be right up my alley. I have a Vince sweater in this very style and love it!
    I have not mastered the front tuck either and prefer to style with a third piece whenever possible. I would anchor this with a favorite tank and add a longer necklace.
    I am beyond happy to be enjoying some warmer weather!

    1. I came so close to buying that cardigan!! I think I need to now that Iā€™ve seen these pictures šŸ™‚

  25. Hi , I read your blog every day, Iā€™m really tiny (95 pounds and 4ā€™11ā€ ) and a lot of styles just overwhelm me but I loved everything you tried on today and think I could wear almost all of them !

  26. Hi Jennifer,
    Some very nice options for Spring. Is the necklace you are wearing available?
    Thanks,
    Karen

    1. The coin was a gift from my husband many, many years ago which I strung on a David Yurman chain.

  27. I love Jill but I wish they would do more bright, rich colors for us Winters

    1. Totally agree; their color palette is dull and drab and does not work with my skin tone/hair!

      1. I like the color palette.

    2. Each season, brands choose their color pallet which may or may not work for us, Belinda. Luckily things change and not all brands choose the same color pallet. This one really appeals to and flatters women with lower contrast coloring.

  28. Joyce Reardon says:

    I love JJiLLs linen shirts. Iā€™m a fan of them. Really like the dress too.

  29. Really cute and practical choices this spring.

  30. Hi Jennifer. So many great options for spring!
    I’ve never been able to master the half-tuck, so I prefer to leave tops loose. I really love the dress which can be a great piece for spring/summer and a dressier alternative to shorts when the weather warms up.
    I’m confused by the cuffed eucalyptus jeans – the cuffs just look odd to me. Is it because they’re too wide? Perhaps a smaller cuff would look more proportional. I do love the colour though!
    My favourite look here is the striped shirt/barley jeans. So fresh for spring!
    Thanks for sharing.

    1. They are a wide cuff which is popular these days. I examined how to make it a bit shallower for just that reason Sue

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