This jacket came on the website and taunted me with it's loveliness and mocked me by it's unavailability. How dare they put it up for two weeks and torment me by declaring it "coming soon". I checked daily in the evenings to see if the status had changed and the sizes had miraculously appeared. I checked in the mornings too. I checked at lunchtimes and whenever I was passing the laptop. I was starting to get antsy and then just by chance Tracey from AllWornOut declared it was available. Hallelujah! I hit the button and waited for my new love.
The nice delivery man arrived at the backdoor with my box. He doesn't bother with the front door. He knows to come to the back door - he knows it's where I hang out. It's very sad and very telling that he actually knows that about me. It means he has been before (many times). I hold my hand up and announce to all and sundry "My name is Sue and I love online shopping".
I opened the box and pounced on my new jacket ..... and of course I had to have a play. Because we have to know if this is going to work in my wardrobe or not don't we?
Red, white and blue, the boys love you
They take you to a picture show and undress you.
Remember this rhyme?
If I'm honest - I'm not very experimental. I have in my mind that I will wear it with a tee and jeans in the summer. What colour tee is one thing and which pair of jeans is another. But I like to keep it simple and this is my staple uniform - a pair of jeans and a top. I'm not going to accessorise with scarves - it will be summer - it will be warm. I'm not going to wear a necklace - I know I will end up taking it off when it annoys me after the first 5 minutes. And besides this jacket is snug. I have the medium and bearing in mind it only goes to up to a large - you could not get this jacket if you were above a size 12. And one other gripe - will they stop cutting the arms so tight. Okay, I've got fat arms but there is no need to punish me over them.
Which shoes will be another matter. If it ever stops snowing, I might put on the sandals. And if it stops snowing but is cold, I'll put on a pair of ankle boots. And then maybe a scarf. And switch out the tee for a thin jumper. If it stops snowing!!!!
Big difference. Not.
And despite the jacket looking like it's lightly quilted, it is as Zara says, a jacquard fabric actually and woven to look like it's quilted - so lighter and thinner than you would imagine.
Not quilted at all.
And here's me doing my best Tiffany Wendel impersonation - have you seen this woman's blog? I love it and have quite a big blog crush on this woman. Granted that she is a stylist to celebrities but I like her relaxed take on wearing some rather divine clothes. Not styled in quite the same high maintenance manner of some of the high fashion blogs out there but infinitely more wearable and lots of ideas to take away from it (hence my Golden Goose trainer fixation at the moment).
Doing side shots like this is harder than it looks actually.
Crick in neck is a potential hazard.
And this winds the Grumps up - when I have my fringe too long. I come back from the hairdressers usually looking like I've not had a haircut at all and with my fringe still in my eyes and it drives him potty. He complains he can't see me and I tell him "It's meant to be like that darling! It's fashion!".
Honest guv, it's meant to look like this!
(though admittedly I could do with a 1mm trim)
And I even did my version of the Zara model with the denim chambray shirt and some rather challenging white jeans.
I'm not a great lover of white jeans on me. I've seen them look amazing on other people but they are a bit scary Mary for a woman who has small people with grubby hands.
See what I mean?
"Show me the hands child!"
I refuse to do the shirt tucking in bit over white jeans - the less of the white jeans you can see on me, the better, I find. And no one wants to see a big white bottom - white jeans have bottom maximising potential I find. This might be the last time you see them on here this year.
And keeping on the theme of blue and white, I changed to the cornflower blue tee for a more streamlined look.
Change of top - that's as exciting as it gets here!
You've got the wrong blog for exciting.
Honestly, I have to get my head round white jeans because the other thing I also think is "Do my thighs look big in these" in that way that everybody asks "Does my bum look big in this?".
So back to plain old comfortable me and this is probably how I would have channelled it .......
Now you see him! Now you don't!
He's the White Power Ranger. I'm the Blue One! Incase you hadn't guessed.
..... if I hadn't decided to return it.
Now tell me - did I make a mistake or should I have kept it?
OMG I can't believe you returned it! I love it with the white jeans and denim shirt, my favourite look x
ReplyDeleteI do really like it but I keep thinking I won't get enough wear out of it and the only thing I feel comfortable in with it is actually a tee shirt and jeans. I wasn't sure I could justify it. And there was lots of other temptation as well.
DeleteYep - should have kept it. You look 100 times better in it than the model does! Go and re buy!!!! And now I want one. Note to self: Must stop reading Sues blog until have money to spend.
ReplyDeleteToo kind Claire. But I wish I had the model's bum and then I wouldn't mind showing it off in a pair of white jeans.
DeleteBesides - a new jacket is not the same as a new kitchen. I think you're getting the better deal.
Wait, what? Why did you return it? I have to say, I totally thought it was quilted, I'm pretty impressed by the textile designer who came up with that nifty trick. I think I liked it best with the white T and the jeans, simple, classic, effortless. Also feel like I have to say, as someone with brand-new (almost) bangs, your cut is great, and I think you look great with them super long like that. Do they not bother you though?
ReplyDeletewww.nomadicd.com
It is actually a brilliantly designed jacket (bar the tight sleeves). Like you say, the jacquard fabric is a nice touch as it makes for a great summer jacket actually. Why did I return it? Well that's another long story, soon to be told.
DeleteI've always had a long fringe. It stems back to my chronic shyness as a child and I would peek from behind my fringe at the outside world. I don't actually suit it short and because my hair is actually really strong, if you cut it too short, it stands outwards which is a really bad look. Like I'm wearing a peaked cap made of hair I kid you not. It's the one bad thing about having asian hair. And no, I guess after so many years of having a fringe, it doesn't really bother me though you can have bad fringe days. Some days I have the "I hate my fringe" days but that's because it needs a little tidy up. I tend to do it myself. I don't trust the hairdressers one little bit with my fringe.
I seen that jacket on the website and instantly thought of you. You need to get your ass back down there pronto and get it again girl!
ReplyDeleteI will if I have any money left and if there are any jackets left ... next month. And if I still want it. Sometimes, it's the simple pleasure of having what you wanted even if it is for a brief amount of time. It is a very me jacket though.
DeleteOMG you sent it back????? You are a loon!!! I had stopped thinking about it having persuaded myself I didn't need a new jacket but it is GORGEOUS ON you -quick order it again!!! I might too!:)
ReplyDeleteNoooo! I'm holding off. I can't keep up with Zara's new stock drop. So far this year, Zara has been my shop of the season. I think I switch from season to season and I didn't find much I liked last winter but the new season is really floating my boat. Which is soooo bad!
DeleteI did consider that jacket in my quest for a quilted jacket (of course I now know it's not quilted) but felt it looked a little too "denimy" which wasn't what I wanted. Ended up ordering the Anthropologie Star Flower jacket instead. It looks great on you though - what made you send it back?
ReplyDeleteThe Star Flower jacket is a nice one and is a proper little quilted jacket - like my floral Jack Wills one. Kind of a nice cover up on the cooler days.
DeleteI actually really like the colour and feel of the Zara one but with so many things that I want at the moment, I had to weigh it up and see what was better. But never say never, it might turn up again - I have a tendency to do that. When I've bought it for the 3rd time, I tend to keep it. I eventually get the message.
Noooo! You should have kept it!! I was reading through, looking at the pics and thinking you'd get loads of wear out of it!!! This does however mean you have money to spend on something else though, I love a bit of internet shopping, you can almost kid yourself that it's a present!! xx
ReplyDeleteI adore internet shopping. What did we do before it came along?
DeleteI can't believe I returned it either but I did do it after some careful thought. But it still lingers in the back of my mind.
Ha! Well, if it isn't "speaking" to you, it isn't speaking to you! If something is a little too tight in one place and pulls and doesn't feel effortless, then it's probably smart to return!
ReplyDeleteYes the arms were a little tight but not unmanageable and to be honest, I always feel like all sleeves are tight on me. I think the powers that be were over generous with dishing out arms for me and skimped on the length of my legs. Cruel.
DeleteHi there! Oh you returned it- I think you styled it up so well with the blue and white jeans and different tops too! But if it doesn't pull the heartstrings, then you've done the right thing!!
ReplyDeleteIt did pull the heart strings or I wouldn't have stalked it for so long but then more things came along to pull on the old heart strings. Fickle and flighty is what I am.
Deleteabsolutely love it - you must must must keep it!
ReplyDeleteLove this post - lots of ideas from just one jacket - hope I can be as creative tomorrow when I get my Mango jacket!
Fiona, I was almost apologising for the lack of imagination! No nice jewellery, no funky scarves. Just a plain top and some jeans - you couldn't get more dressed down. I can't do all the layering up and making it interesting - I wish I could because I sometimes feel like I let people down by wearing the same plain stuff all the time. But at the end of the day, that's my style so I best stick with it.
DeleteI feel exactly like you about white jeans! Have worn mine once! Tiffany needs to clean her mirror (OCD cleaner me!) I'm psychologically scarred from being made to wear a home made quilted jacket as a teenager (circa 1985 when they were NoOT in fashion
ReplyDeleteWhite jeans - I found a pair that I could live with - that was my mission last year and I eventually got there but I can not wear them because (1) you can't crawl all over the floor in them like I do with my blue ones (2) they feel very obvious in a look at me, look at me kind of way and (3) they bring attention to the bum and thighs. So no, I don't get on with them.
DeleteHowever, I love quilted jackets and I had a lovely one when I was a child which brings back good memories. I feel for you that you were subjected to such a torture in 1985. I can imagine that they were not happening just at that point. 1985 was not really quilted floral jacket fashion time was it?
You just reminded me of my old postman back in Malaysia. They always held the parcels at the post office near my work and I went in there so often they don't even ask to see my pick up card.. :P Yay for online shopping addicts!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of this jacket, especially the way you played around with it, but I think it's one of those things that I would wear for a month or two and then forget about. That's the issue I have with most statement-like clothing I think, I personally prefer to go for a solid coloured anonymous-looking thing with some kind of unique tailoring detail instead.. something I can wear in a few years and not look dated. Also, I wear a large most times in Zara if that makes you feel any better, haha :)
steph / absolutely-fuzzy.com
You hit the nail on the head Stephanie - it is quite a statement jacket though less statement than some I've seen and even less so than the floral biker one I bought previously. I did return this one as I found something even more me. More how you say "anonymous".
DeleteAnd I don't have a problem with the sizing personally - I accept that I am just a size M in Zara whereas most shops I am a small - I was just thinking of the people who couldn't shop in Zara. The sizing is quite limited actually and means some people are excluded.
I like the idea of this jacket and how you have styled it but the issue I have with Zara clothes especially with the trendy range is that the sizing is can be stingy. I'm in between their sizes so totally useless especially for things like a jacket that needs to fit well and for the price, I understand why you returned it. Can't wait to see the new one you found!
ReplyDeleteBtw I don't tend to wear jackets even in winter so they're even more wasted in my wardrobe for the Spring/Summer!
I feel the cold enormously actually but I love jackets and coats. Well actually I love coats but I seem to have a jacket deficit which I seem to be rapidly remedying at the moment. Just hope I get the opportunity to wear them but given the dreadful summers we have, I'm sure I will get some wear out of them.
DeleteI've never had too much of a problem with Zara clothing actually - it's been their shoes. I can never seem to find a pair of sandals or pumps to fit properly. There is always a shade too much toe cleavage for my liking and sometimes they are so shallow at the front, it's a wonder they stay on anyone's feet.
Whaaaaaaaat???? I can't believe you returned it?? What were you thinking?? I was happily scrolling throught this post and thinking that between this one and the floral one, you were completely sorted for summer. Unless of course, you're expecting a heat wave (God, I do make myself laugh!!) I thought it was fab on you ... now go back and get it! Or else, give us a really good excuse on your next post as to why you haven't kept it! Helen
ReplyDeleteI won't mind if we get a heatwave. I would love for us to have a heatwave. Even at the expense of my new jacket. I think I was doing the old rabbit in the headlights thing. Too much coming in on Zara and I was just like a kiddy in a candy shop. But I've taken a step back and re-appraised. You might like the new jacket actually - it's actually perfect for you :o)
DeleteIt looks lovely on you! Zara annoy me too with the tightness of the arms, I always have to size up because of that.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jo. I was wondering whether to size up on this jacket originally just to allow myself some extra movement and for extra layers but then I think the body of it wouldn't look quite so nice. I have the problems with tight sleeves wherever I go - I was not born with stick arms. Far from it. But at least it's good to know that it's not just me that has the problem with Zara jackets.
DeleteOoh, thanks for introducing me to Tiffany Wendel! Zara has some kind of magic jacket touch, I swear, I find myself drooling over at least three of their jackets every season. Never mind that I spend 80% of the year in either my khaki winter parka or my khaki spring/summer parka, but hey, I am working on branching out!
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty of the same - I go back to the same old tried and tested coats and jackets but I can never resist new stuff coming in. I eventually take a step back and reign in but the initial stock drops are hard for me to resist.
DeleteAnd I love Tiffany Wendel. No words, no explainations, no justifications, just wonderful styling. Great formula. Works for me
wtf, why did you return it? It looks so good on you.
ReplyDeleteLOL Kristina. I love you.
DeleteZara sizing upsets me. I love that patterned quilted jacket that you and Kat have, but it wont fit me. I am a size 12-14, and recently tried on a jacket in there that was an XL - I couldn't move in it! I think the TRF range comes up tiny! On the other hand, I bought a coat in there last week that was a size medium, but it is a more boxy style.
ReplyDeleteMy new jacket is a size small - it all depends on the cut. It's a shame that the quilted floral biker didn't fit you - I've never thought of the problems that Zara and some of the other shops present with their limited sizing due to the fact that I'm a bit of a titch but I'm a regular sized titch i.e. size uk 10 and with regular size 4 feet. Since blogging, I've come across people with extra long legs and extra small feet. We all face sizing problems in one way or another it seems.
DeleteI saw that jacket on the Zara website and loved the IM feel about it - it really suits you, and white you say that you don't like to wear white jeans, DAMN it looks good worn like that with the chambray shirt. So good. Now I want the jacket. And a new pair of white jeans...
ReplyDeleteThe white jeans, jacket and shirt would look fab on you. You have a great figure for white skinny jeans - you should totally go and try it out. I think the outfit has nice clean lines - the jacket isn't overly decorated (not that this would deter you) but would look perfect in it and with the shirt tucked in too. Go on ....
DeleteSue, you definitely rock in those white jeans. Those boyfriend jeans go well with the fabulous jacket too. I went into Zara the other day and forced myself to look at shoes ONLY. I'm trying very hard to be good. You've inspired me to branch out and experiment with jackets. Have you worn your quilted one yet? Don't tell me you're storing both like squirrels until the next spring?!
ReplyDeleteI am squirreling away jackets like there's no tomorrow. You have me sussed! I seem to be on a jacket mission at the moment, it's like they are a missing piece in my wardrobe and I'm making up for lost time. I've not worn any of the jackets I've bought recently but don't worry - their day will come!
DeleteOh Sue this is gorgeous! I think I like this more than the last?!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree Hollie!
DeleteI'm alone in this, but I'm not sold on it. I love the other zara jacket, but this isn't grabbing me, and if it didn't fit too well (I have the same problem, I'm a size 6 and need a small or medium from zara because I have a bum). But I do love the white jeans. I can't wear them for much the same reason, small grubby boy. Plus I'm a dirt magnet.
ReplyDeleteYou are a size 6 - now you're rubbing it in! I think both jackets are quite different though this blue one is easier to wear - no biker flaps to contend with.
DeleteWhite jeans and small boys don't mix very well do they?
yep, size 6. and my bum still doesnt look right in white jeans. just as well really, The Boy is 7 and currently obsessed with disgustingness, so I end up covered in farty putty, glow-in-the-dark slime and maggot juice. It's a good look...
DeleteNever mind the jacket (three cheers for Zara though!) I think the more important issue is that you rock white jeans. Definitely need to see more of these this summer! I am actually looking for some white jeans myself, although the children-hand-issue does concern me! Did you mention where yours were from? I couldn't see it above?
ReplyDeleteMine are a relaxed fit pair from Next last year. They were the only pair that didn't bandage me up after trying on innumerable pairs. I don't think they are doing anything similar this year though. Mine were a petite fit and I sized down so they weren't too relaxed ... but relaxed enough.
DeleteLove it with the denim shirt under it ! x
ReplyDeleteYes it worked didn't it? I'm not a great one for putting shirts under things but it didn't look too bad. I even tried it on with some other dark denims but I thought I was taking the whole denim thing too far. Not ready to go there yet.
DeleteI love this jacket, especially the details. And I agree with Harrovian, you totally rock white jeans.
ReplyDeletep.s. wanna follow each other on bloglovin?
WWW.ROXTHEFOX.COM
Thank you Rox - I'm still rather nervous with the old white jeans thing. So good on a lot of people but they frighten me to death for some reason. Love your latest Disney princess look. Awesome.
DeleteDid you return it?? It's a lovely blazer! I like the different look you style it with. My favourite is with denim chambray shirt. You look good in white jeans too which happens to be my personal favourite :) There's something fresh to the look when one is in white jeans, no? :)
ReplyDeleteOh and about the College style pullover I have on my blog. It's from Zara Girls. Either their cutting is too big or my growth was somewhat stunted back then, I usu can fit into the Zara boys/Zara Girls stuff.