Good morning!! Here’s your Early Access to the James Perse summer sale !! Also, use code GRECHENSUMMER18 for free shipping on any order. The Free Shipping code is valid through 7/5 and on US orders only. All sales are final during the sale, so please ask questions/leave comments below if you have any!!!
Skinny Wrap Jersey Dress | $159 (I’m wearing a size 2 here in black)
MORE ABOUT THE DRESSES BELOW!! (I wrote an essay)
Striped linen shirt | $59
A great, simple linen shirt for a great price
Cotton Linen Relaxed Workwear Pant | $99
I have these in size 27, which is a size down from my “normal” denim size. I love these when I first put them on, but they do stretch with wear quite a bit, so keep that in mind for sizing!! (outfit)
Jersey Surplus Jacket | $179
LOVE LOVE LOVE this jacket. The sleeves aren’t too long, and look great rolled up, the jacket hits me right at my hip, and it’s the best thing for traveling during summer months.
Collarless denim jacket | $199
This is very intriguing. I love the cropped length and all the little details throughout.
Recycled Slub Knit Seamed Tee | $69
I have this and it’s one of my very favorite white tees. I has a very subtle slubbed texture which gives it slightly more coverage than the sheer slub crew tee or the casual tees IMO. Here’s an outfit:
Outfit : with recycled slub tee (size 1), surplus jersey jacket (size 2) and spiral seam skirt (size 3)
Cotton Wool Crew | $59
I have this in size 1 and find it wonderful for layering in the fall/winter, but not too hot to wear in warmer months. (outfit)
Cotton Wool Long Sleeve Tee | $69
I have this and love the drape, and warmth of the cotton/wool blend.
Outfit (wearing size 2 in the shirt with a very old fleece JP skirt)
Sheer slub crew neck tee | lots of colors for $49
My favorite crew neck tee!! I have this in black and white and wear them constantly. (outfit)
High Twist Jersey Deep V Dress | $129 (wearing size 2 here in carbon)
MORE ABOUT THE DRESSES BELOW!!
Open Stitch Cashmere Sweater | $229
Cotton Textured Worker pant | $149 (so intrigued by these!!!)
What do you think? Anything catching your eye? Have any questions on sizing, etc.? What have you bought and loved recently? Do you have any input for fellow readers?
Don’t forget GRECHENSUMMER18 for free shipping!!
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Okay, so here’s a TON MORE INFO about the dresses, and JP dresses in particular (of which I have quite a few…).
The skinny wrap dress is not 100% cotton, it is JP’s typical 94% cotton 6% lycra spandex mix. The good thing about that is it’s nice and stretchy, but still holds you in. The bad thing is that since the dresses are double-layered, they will pill very slightly INSIDE the layers of fabric after a few years of washing/wearing and there’s nothing you can do about it. I have never found that to be too bothersome, but FYI.
This dress is also NOT shirred/ruched on both sides, it is the “tuck” style. I prefer the ruched/shirred on both sides styles generally because they hold me in better and provide a little more symmetry LOL. All that said, this dress is AMAZING, and while it may not be work appropriate, it is all-sorts-of-other-things appropriate. I would wear it for anything and everything honestly.
The high twist jersey deep v dress is shirred/ruched at both hips and IS 100% cotton. Now, the good thing about that is that it REALLY holds you in. But it is more “stiff,” AND tight, and prone to getting holes very easily if you’re not careful where you pull to shimmy into the dress. The cotton/spandex blend is softer overall, and more stretchy, but the 100% cotton dresses stand up to wearing/washing a bit better overall I think.
The weird/amazing thing about the high twist dress is that it has a blousy top and hidden shoulder straps inside the dress that are attached to the inside layer of the skirt portion of the dress. I’m sure I’m not explaining that well, but the idea is that it allows you to get the “perfect” blousiness of the top while keeping the skirt in place. It’s better in theory than in practice though, and I think I will remove the straps inside altogether and not use them at all because I find them annoying (they don’t stay up on my shoulders very well).
I’ve worn this dress once to dinner already and was super-comfortable; I’m so glad I got it. I love the color, and that it’s a bit different from my other JP dresses since it has a looser top. Also, I find I’m wanting to wear 3/4 sleeves more often lately, so this was a great addition to my wardrobe.
Also, and this may seem very “duh” to others of you who are as JP obsessed as I am, but in more than a decade of wearing JP dresses, I JUST NOW FIGURED OUT how much easier it is to step into the dresses (if you can – with these you absolutely can because of the wide neckline) than to pull them over your head. They are both SO TIGHT at the bottoms that I had a helluva time getting them over my head and just by chance decided to step into them and OMG mind blown.
That sounds so ridiculous, but it has made my life so much easier from now on. Also, it’s a good way to avoid deodorant stains 🙂 if you wear deodorant, that is.
That’s it. That’s my essay on James Perse dresses. Any questions?? 🙂
Since the dresses are tight at the bottom, do you find walking in them to be constricting? They seem like they’d restrict your stride, and I can’t stand that! I like my legs to be free. 🙂
Also are all the tops sort of shorter in the torso? I got a JP tee once, and it was just way too short in the torso for me. I then tried on one of the jersey button-up/roll-sleeve tops, and it was also very torso short. I do have a short torso, but have found that cropped or short torso tops look bad on me, probably because my hips are my widest point.
I *really* want JP stuff to work for me but everything I’ve tried so far seems to not work for my body, which is wide hips and booty/short torso/slim shoulders.
no, the dresses aren’t constricting at all – for me – some of mine that are more midi length take a little getting used to walking in, but these too are shorter/knee length so no problems at all! I know what you mean though, and that can be a problem for the long dresses…
yes, the tops tend to be a little shorter in the torso, which is probably why i love them so much. but it depends, honestly. the “classic” t-shirts are shorter, and some of the other tees, like the cotton/wool tees, are longer.
what have you tried so far? seems like we have a pretty similar body type??
Have you tried their ribbed tank tops? If so, did you like them?
I have an ankle length James Perse dress, and it is restrictive. I can only take tiny steps in it, so I don’t wear it often. I still keep though, because I’ve wanted to shorten the length in the hopes that, if shorter, it’s more comfortable to walk in.
i have not tried any tanks recently and the reason is that they are just too long/slim on me for my preferences now. in the past i had many many many many JP tanks, when I wore a size 4 and i LIVED in them, and i still have some i wear to bed or whatever, but the slimmer tanks by JP aren’t my favorite, and i just don’t find myself wanting/needing to wear the slimmer tanks much. my absolute favorite tank by JP is the high gauge relaxed tank, which they have on sale only in that orange color – i have that in white in size 1 and love it.
i do have a ribbed tank from the yosemite line that’s about 4 years old that i REALLY REALLY love and i wear it to pure barre weekly, so i think the tanks are great, i just haven’t tried any recently, nor do i own any besides the ones i just mentioned 🙂
hope that helps!!
I’ve just tried various tees and tops at Nordstrom or Bloomingdale’s, and I got one tee via Slowre. I really liked the material and color, but it was just a bit too short for me.
I think our body types are similar in that we’re both petite framed but I am definitely booty/hip heavy, and my legs aren’t as muscular as yours. My booty can’t be contained by a lot of dresses and pants. 🙂 I tend to go for dresses with spandex in them to accommodate this, because I’m like a size 10 on bottom and size 4 on top, so unless it’s got stretch, it ain’t gonna work! Thanks for answering my questions. 🙂
Thanks for the quick response!
Gretchen – so would you consider going down two sizes in the linen pants?
Is the waist also relaxed? You have a slimmer waist than I do but my hips are practically non-existent…I usually wear a 27/28. Or maybe these pants aren’t for me no matter how hard I try??
Thanks for your help!
yes, when i bought them originally, i went down two sizes.
the waist is definitely relaxed.
i don’t know, if you don’t have hips these may not work for you? but then again, they also may not stretch as much? or maybe having a less slim waist and no hips will make them fit better?
they’re really comfortable, like you’re wearing nothing almost, and so easy, lots of pockets, etc., i just get a little frustrated with how they fit after a while of wearing them. i don’t like the way they LOOK more than how they feel if that makes sense.
my inclination is to say pass on these. maybe the overalls instead ?? LOL i am tempted by those…
The dresses look great on you!
I’ve never gotten any JP before. I really like the look of the collarless denim jacket.
thanks jen 🙂
i LOVE that denim jacket, so much more interesting than most…
i think some of the trousers/pants would be really great on you. the problem is sizing is really hard, so i wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying on final sale…
Does anyone have the double V dress? The flow one? It looks cute, but final sale stresses me out.
I bought the orange high gauge tank because it’s my absolute favorite JP fabric and the color is surprisingly gorgeous in person! More of a golden pumpkin color that will look great with white pants this summer:)
oh! thanks for the feedback. LOVE the high gauge fabric, but was worried about the color. maybe i’ll try it now!