james perse

Exercise Fashion

by grechen on May 21, 2012 | SUBSCRIBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |

Lululemon Wunder Under crops – $68
SoLow Eclon crops – $51
James Perse Yoga capris – $95

I have resisted Lululemon for the longest time, not so much because of the price (which is a consideration), but mostly because I am not really one to follow the herd when it comes to fashion. Even exercise gear. And Lululemon is a RELIGION here, among college students, yoga moms…nearly everyone actually. Not a day goes by when I don’t see so much Lululemon it makes my head spin (and not just in my PureBarre class…). So, even though I’ve tried to resist the temptation, I decided to hop into the store and try to find a pair of cropped leggings for my class. And now I’m hooked.

Let me say first though, that I don’t mind spending money on exercise clothing – and that’s always served me well. About 6 years ago I bought several pairs of Lucy running pants and knee shorts (which aren’t cheap either) and have worn them daily since then. Now, they’re a little worn, and a little big and since I’m going to a class every day, I wanted something much more form-fitting and a little “nicer” looking. Basically, I wanted something to suck me in and smooth out my bumps. And the Wunder Unders by Lululemon do that well.

I also have the SoLow crops pictured and linked above (got them via Refinery29 Reserve last week) and like those as well, not as much as the Lululemons though. The SoLow crops are higher-waisted, which I personally don’t like as much, but you might, and didn’t wick away the sweat as well as the Lululemons. They are comfortable though, and easy to move in, so I’ll keep them in rotation. They’re a good alternative for a little less money than the wunder unders, but I would recommend spending the extra $17 for Lululemon.

I do have a pair of the James Perse Yosemite yoga shorts (shorter than the capris pictured above, purchased via Gilt) and they’re great, but a little big, so they don’t suck me in as much as I’d like. They’re the most comfortable of all of them though, it’s like you’re not even wearing anything. I’d obviously recommend those also, but they’re much more than Lululemon.

Ultimately, I’m glad I tried Lululemon, but I won’t turn into a crazy person and purchase everything they make. I do highly recommend the wunder under crops, and I think I may purchase a pair of the regular wunder under pants and get them hemmed to my ankle to wear as actual leggings in the winter because they’re so comfortable (the astro pants are nice also, they’re more of a straight leg). Incidentally, because I’m short, the crops come to just a few inches above my ankle, which is good for exercise, but I wouldn’t wear them out in public like that.

What do you think? Do you spend money on exercise clothing? What have you found that fits you the best? Are you a Lululemon convert? ;)

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Outfit: So much better

by grechen on May 7, 2012 | SUBSCRIBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |

WEARING:
James Perse strapless dress (SOO old – wish he’d do this one again!)
Forever21 jacket (not online, in the plus-size department)
Prada sport sandals (secondhand from MOSS)
Jas MB bag
Candace Ang necklace

First, I want everyone to know how much your comments/support/etc. meant to me on last week’s “weight” post. I feel so much better now; I think the weight of the world fell down on me right before I wrote that post, and I was probably still suffering from too much frozen yogurt with cheesecake bites in it (!!) from the night before. Honestly, Melissa’s comment with the link to Justine Musk’s blog post on changing your life really had an impact on me; I even signed up for Pure Barre classes twice a week for the next two weeks…(read the post).

I just need to start making THE RIGHT decisions when it comes to my body and stop getting angry at myself when I don’t (I’d win first prize in a contest to see who could get mad and stay mad at themselves the longest. no joke). I also need to stop eating frozen yogurt before bed. Anyway, I’m glad I wrote that post, and I’m glad so many of you responded. Too many bloggers just talk about weight loss and body image on the surface, or preach about how to get it right, but they never share their personal experiences and struggles. I just wanted to keep it real ;)

And yes, you read correctly above, I am wearing a jacket from Forever21, and it’s a size 2x. Which doesn’t bother me at all. I’m a little frustrated that I finally gave in to the allure of fast fashion and bought something from Forever21, but this jacket is SO CLOSE to an Isabel Marant jacket I’ve had on my lust list forever, so I had to do it. I mean…for $22…I had to. And it seems to be very well made, so I think it will serve me well.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead!!

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Outfit: Powerless

by grechen on April 18, 2012 | SUBSCRIBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK |

WEARING:
James Perse skirt
James Perse tank – via Gilt
Splendid cardigan
Melissa sandals
Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Bag – different color

I’m powerless against the pull of James Perse & Splendid for the perfect casual look. Or everyday look, as it were. Since my LIFE is casual. I succumbed just today to a couple more James Perse skirts via Shopbop (the code ends today – INTHEFAMILY20 for 20% off), and am promising myself that I will buy 15 more of these light jersey cardigans – in every color – as soon as there’s a code or sale. I feel like me today, like I’m ready for whatever will come. I feel powerful.

Which is not to say that I would like to dress up sometimes, and I think I would feel great – maybe even more powerful – and look good dressed up (my husband would love it), but I’m not the kind of person who can dress up to run errands, or just to be out. Of course in Austin, my outfits ARE considered dressed-up, at least in comparison to most of the women who are also “out” during the day and not working in an “office” environment with a dress code. My default is an outfit like what I have on above – easy, comfortable, somewhat chic (I think so anyway), and practical for my lifestyle.

Do you feel better “dressed up”? or casual? What is dressed up to you? how does your lifestyle dictate your outfit choices?

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Shopbop put lots of items on sale today – including this James Perse long side split skirt for $49:

James Perse Long Side Split Skirt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tried this skirt on a month or so at Saks and really liked it. Not for the original price – but for $49, it’s great ;) It is a bit snug at the hips, which is typical of James Perse, but not so much so that it’s unflattering. I’d size up if you’re hip-y at all, and take your regular size if you’re not.

 

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Outfit: Espadrilles

March 27, 2012

WEARING: Etoile Isabel Marant skirt James Perse t-shirt Candace Ang necklace Old Navy espadrilles Jerome Dreyfuss billy bag Yes, these are the very same Old Navy espadrilles I mentioned yesterday. I got them, and I really like them! I decided to go with the brown because the stitching isn’t white, as it is with the [...]

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Favorite: James Perse mesh sweater

March 26, 2012
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I’ve never really loved my arms, so even in the blazing heat, I like to cover them as much as possible, but I also don’t want to suffocate. Enter the James Perse mesh sweater at Shopbop – it’s basically like wearing a tank top, but without having to bare your arms completely. yay! (Madewell and [...]

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James Perse 35% off at Last Call

March 7, 2012

One thing I do appreciate about living in Austin is that now I have both a Neiman Marcus Last Call & a Nordstrom Rack relatively close by – in Atlanta, I had to drive out of town for either of those. Last Call here is better IMO because it’s much bigger and the contemporary selection [...]

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Outfit: Again…

January 24, 2012
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WEARING: James Perse long skirt (old) VKOO cashmere sweater (gift) Rodarte X Repetto shoes Balenciaga bag (secondhand) Don’t you love my ability to play with color? LOL, I think I’m just stuck in the black/gray variation because I love the way the yellow bag looks with those colors. Not that I really have any other [...]

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Outfit: Corduroy Blazer

October 27, 2011
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WEARING: James Perse skirt James Perse tee Vintage/Thrifted Cord jacket Swedish Hasbeens clogs Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Bag Lizzie Fortunato necklace Thanks to Sharon, I am now the proud owner of a camel corduroy blazer! This one is much better on me than the J Crew version, first, because it’s not as “thick” or heavy, and [...]

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Favorite: James Perse Fitted Dress

October 24, 2011
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I would love to wear this dress with tights…whenever it gets cool enough. At $165, it’s not a bad price for a dress this versatile.

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Outfit: Happy Weekend!

October 7, 2011
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wearing: James Perse skirt | Vintage wrangler denim top | Dannijo necklace | Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Bag (similar in mustard) | No6 Clogs I am SOOOO ready for the weekend; but it’s going to be a busy one!! Sharon, Sydney and I are tagging the last of the items for our October 22nd pop-up shop, [...]

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Outfit: James Perse Lasts Forever

September 28, 2011
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wearing: James Perse fleece skirt | James Perse slub button-down | Madewell necklace | Swedish Hasbeens clogs | Jas M.B. bag Speaking of Swedish Hasbeens…I decided to take these out for a wear today; it’s been a while. Did anyone snag a pair on sale yet? With the endless code? There’s still a size 6 [...]

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Outfit: Curating

September 22, 2011
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wearing: James Perse dress | Wrangler denim shirt (vintage) | No6 Clogs | 3.1 Philip Lim bag Here, you can get a little better idea of my new hair color. What do you think? It’s growing on me… I’m heading over to my favorite local consignment store today to take in LOTS of pieces to [...]

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Outfit: Yesterday

September 14, 2011
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wearing: Madewell skirt | James Perse button-up | No6 Clogs | Jas M.B. bag | Candace Ang necklace I wore this yesterday, but never had time to take a picture…I met some local ladies for happy hour last night (me with my giant bottle of San Pelligrino) and since I had some time to spare, [...]

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Yes, Please.

August 9, 2011
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Although, honestly, I could do without the shoes James Perse has paired it with. Can someone explain? Otherwise, this dress is perfect. And even though I’m trying not to acquire so much new jersey cotton anymore, this dress is a must-have for me. When it cools down, of course.

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