More NAS: watch woes, shoe return and a bag/ update on watch

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UPDATE ON THE WATCH:
I
got a call from the watcher repairer today. He asked a couple of
questions about the trouble I was having with the watch, and then asked
if I had wound it. I had no idea it needed to be wound!!! Who
knew "Swiss-made automatic movement" meant "NO BATTERY"?? Not I! I had
looked up the manual for the watch online, and it contained instructions
for watches with batteries and watches without. I was sure mine must
have a battery. But no! Is that hilarious or what?!? I gotta say, if the
Nordstrom employees at the jewelry counter had a clue about the
watches, they could have figured out the problem without sending it to
the repair person! Oh well, I'm glad to have it back. Hopefully it will
continue to run, with occasional winding. (It also stays running when
you wear it, by the movement of your wrist.)
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I am so disappointed that my new watch stopped working. I wore it every day after I got it, and one morning I went to put it on and it had stopped. I re-set it and it started working again, but only for a few hours. I brought it back to Nordstrom today, thinking I would return it and order another one. I decided to let them take it in for repair. They assured me that if it ends up needing to be returned, they would exchange it for another one, at the same price, even though NAS will likely be over by that point. I am pretty irked that a brand-new Swiss watch has failed, thinking that Nordstrom took a bunch of old, faulty merchandise off Tissot's hands to pass on to us unsuspecting sale-shoppers. Some more magnanimous part of me is trying to believe that defects happen and that Nordstrom and/or Tissot can right the situation.

I also returned the Rag & Bone Shiloh loafers, which just didn't fit my foot completely comfortably, and I ended up getting a non-sale pair, the Stuart Weitzmans that I reviewed in a separate post.

And I got to see the AllSaints Evaline crossbody in pampas white in person, and loved it. It is a really nice slightly grayed-out white, soft leather, brushed silver hardware, perfect size. I'm not crazy about chain straps, but this one is smooth, not too heavy, and comfortable on the shoulder. I like this crossbody much better than the Madewell one I got recently that is cute, but so small it's a nuisance to use. It will be going to Goodwill, since it was nonreturnable. (I took that into account when I bought it on deep discount, thinking if I donated it after a few uses, I wouldn't be upset.)

Every year, I get this feeling of "last call!" toward the end of the sale, trying to assess whether I'll regret not buying something. I'm pretty sure this is it for me for NAS 2023!

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Cardigans & watch arrived

I received the NAS items I ordered:

Vince Oversized Wool & Cashmere Cardigan
Treasure&Bond Space Dye Cotton Blend Zip Cardigan
Tissot Women's PR 100 Auto Classic Watch
Zella Seamless Performance T-Shirt (purple iris)

I ordered the two cardigans because I wanted to replace my burgundy Old Navy cardigan, which I've worn a lot and is showing it. I didn't plan to keep both, and I'm debating whether to do so. 

I'm sharing some pics here, minimally styled, without makeup or
attention to hair. I chose a patterned t-shirt (made by me), black denim
drapy slightly lantern-leg pants (made by me), black booties with dark
red stitching (Pikolinos) to try on the cardis.

(1-2) First up, the Vince. If I only kept one, it would be this one. It's beautiful, soft, perfect color, and a nice long length. I got the XS, a size down from what I would usually choose, and it is just right. It's supposed to be oversized, but I didn't want it too oversized. I tried to show, with the side view, that it has a slight cocoon shape on me, which I like. The fiber content is 70% wool, 30% cashmere, and I'm hoping it won't pill. Keeping it nice so it will last is a reason I would consider keeping the Treasure & Bond cardi, too--so I would purposely be "splitting wears."

(3-4) I also like the Treasure & Bond cardi a lot--I love the shorter length and sporty style. With the black and white stripe, I feel it doesn't have the widest range of use, so I wouldn't keep only this one. This is size S, my usual.

(5) Tissot watch. I love it. This will be my summer watch! Who knew I needed one? Haha!

(6) Zella tee, with the Title 9 (not Athleta, after all!) hoodie I hoped to wear it with. Perfect!

(7) The Old Navy cardigan that I needed to replace.

(8) Another cardigan--an AllSaints sweatshirt jacket from a previous NAS--that I'm considering getting rid of. It survived an extensive edit last year, and I did try to wear it a couple of times after that.

oops: Edited to add photo 9
(9) Layout of the two new cardis and the t-shirts (minus the one I tried on with them) that are potential pairings.

Questions or thoughts welcome!

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What I tried, bought, and ordered: update--returning loafers

I had an appointment today to shop. Some of my wish list items were sold out, but I got to try quite a few in the store. Some weren't in the store but were available online.
My sales associate did a great job. She was so organized, and had my wish list items in the room for me. She picked all the right sizes, some of which I wouldn't have guessed correctly. So helpful and time-saving!

What I wore shopping (pic 1): Pants and shirt-jacket in navy travel knit (OSKA). Navy and stone broken-stripe tank top (made by me). White and silver low-top sneakers (Paul Green). Gray backpback bag (Rebecca Minkoff).

Here are my reviews.
What I bought:
- Caslon chevron stripe cardigan. Bought a size down from what I would have tried (XS rather than S). Soft, cozy, and to me it looks quite chic in person.
- Caslon long-sleeved crewneck t-shirt, blue sterling, size S. Goes with the sweater, and I love the color. I have a few Caslon cotton t-shirts from years past, and I like this new lightweight slub-cotton style. I think it's pretty and will be good for layering.
- Pacsun Feel the Breeze Mix Stitch Cotton V-neck. I got it in dark sapphire (navy). Wasn't on my radar, but the SA picked it for me. I think it will be useful to have a nice summer pullover. Bonus that it matched the pants I was wearing to shop.
- Zella seamless performance t-shirt. Blue thistle (bought in store) and purple iris (ordered), size S. A closer-fitting tee that I will use for Pilates, walks or wearing under an overshirt for hiking.
- Topshop basketweave cardigan. Soft, and a nice shorter length. I like the boxy cut--not too oversized. Size S. I put this one on the SA's radar; she was pleasantly surprised.
- ATM schoolboy cotton t-shirt, bay green, size S. NOT an NAS item, and wasn't on my list. But the SA picked it for me, and I love the fit, the feel, and the color.
- AllSaints leather belt. Size S. I might have picked M, but it turns out S will work for my mid-rise and high rise jeans. The color looks less pink to me in person, a not-quite blush.
- Madewell medium carabiner earrings. Love these! They are about a half inch long, and don't really look like carabiners because they are so tiny. I will wear them a lot. I'm liking smaller earrings with my short hair.
- Fresh lip balm. Also introduced the SA to this item, my favorite lip balm. I've never tried the mint before.
- Kiehl's avocado eye cream. Another favorite. It's nice to have a small travel-size as well as the regular size.
- Rag & Bone Shiloh loafer, lightsand suede, size 37.5. (Pics taken at home.) These weren't on my list. I skipped right over them because they looked quite tan, almost camel, online. They are more in the stone family to my eye, and I like them. This is not just a heavy look, but also a heavy shoe. Not sure about keeping them. I've been wanting to get a pair of stone-colored booties for a while, so I'm thinking maybe I'll enjoy having chunky loafers instead of another pair of booties.
- Natori Bliss Perfection bras. Curiously I got a different size than last year. I've been wearing 34B and bought 32C today, as the 34 band seemed too big. I would have ordered the wrong size.
- Chantelle soft stretch seamless hipster undies. I get these every year. 3 neutral and 3 colors.

What I ordered:
- Treasure& Bond space-dye cotton blend zip cardigan, burgundy royale, size S.
- Vince oversized wool & cashmere cardigan, plum wine, size XS. I would have ordered the matching pants, but they were sold out in my size.
- Tissot Women's PR 100 Auto Classic Croc Embossed Leather Strap Watch, white.

Tried but didn't buy:
- Caslon v-neck short-sleeve cotton t-shirt, blue sterling, size S. I really liked this fabric and color (same as the long-sleeved one I bought). I don't wear v-neck t-shirts. It's quite long.
- Zella scrunch-neck long sleeve mini-dress, tan cobblestone, size XS. The fabric is nice, substantial. This is an elevated sweatshirt dress, which I think would be great for travel or daily wear. It's a very straight cut, which I think would work really well for someone with an inverted triangle shape. The color was too yellow for me, so I didn't try a size up. It fit me in the shoulders and bust and was tight across the hips (showing the unflattering back view, just for you!).
- Eileen Fisher v-neck merino wool cardigan, blue moon, size XS. It didn't look any better on me than it does on the model (which I don't find a super inspiring pic). Nice color, soft wool, lightweight.
- Nordstrom Lafayette penny loafer. I liked the look in person. I
tried 7.5, my usual size, and it felt a little big. Fairly lightweight shoe. I liked the Rag & Bone better for my purposes.
- Ann Mashburn lug penny loafer, loden, size 37.5. Again, this one seemed to run a little bit large. Definitely roomier than the Rag & Bone in the same size. The color wasn't quite "my" dark olive, and I didn't like the style as well as the chunkier Rag & Bone. Very lightweight shoe.
- Hobo small draft leather cross-body bag, gray. Darker in person, not in the stone family I'm looking for. It looked a bit smaller than I'd hoped, too, but I didn't open it up.

What I didn't try or order:
- Camper Milah penny loafer. I ran across these in black at another store last week, tried them, and could not get my foot into them, either in 37 or 38. I have a high instep, and these shoes must be quite shallow. They weren't at my Nordstrom, but I didn't bother ordering them.
- AllSaints crossbody bags, Ida and Allington. These weren't available in the store, and I'm not sure about online. But I ordered another bag this past week from Madewell (Puff crossbody bag) that I think will work.
- Vince bermuda shorts. These weren't available in store, but the SA said she thought they were more tan than what I'm after.

The sold-out items on my wish list that I won't bother to stalk:
- Madewell Balsam Cap-Sleeve Sweater
- Avec Les Filles Cocoon Tweed Blazer
- Barbour Rosalind Quilted Trench
Just don't need any of these!

Well, that's a lot of stuff! I hope you find it helpful. Feel free to ask questions about any of the things I saw.

p.s. I forgot: I tried on the Frame Le Crop Flare raw-hem jeans, which the SA picked for me. Size 27. They are stretchy and soft, and I liked them, but am not into this look right now. They remind me of Mother jeans I've had that I really like.

UPDATE: I wasn't sure about the fit of the loafers when I wore them around the house, so I ordered the 38 to compare again. I reconfirmed my in-store decision: the 37.5 is the better fit. Yet it's not comfortable enough. The heel fits nicely, but my toes feel a bit cramped. In the 38, the heel slips (and I can see a little gap), but the toes are comfy. 

I've ordered the same style name, in leather rather than suede, with lighter color and sole, to try--on sale from Bloomingdale's. I figure it doesn't hurt to try; they can be returned, too.

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AllSaints sweater

I ordered the AllSaints Lock mock neck sweater after mention of it somewhere here, and it arrived today. I was excited to try it on, so here are a few pictures.

I think I will return it, because the color is more yellow in person than I had hoped. More butter than chalk. It is soft, and I really like the style. It has my favorite neck style--a cozy cowl. This is my usual size, and it is quite roomy. I don't think I would size down, despite the oddness I'm seeing on the right sleeve in the back-view photo. I just think I need to hold out for a better shade of white, or I won't wear it. I do like it better with the lower-contrast pants and the narrower silhouette jeans.

I tried it on with
1-2: off-white boyfriend jeans I had on today (you can see how it is more yellow than the jeans)
3-4: black and white pinstripe flannel wool pants (OSKA) and black booties
5: neutral shades glen plaid wool wide-legged cropped pants (OSKA) and black booties
6-7: dark wash jeans and graphite booties


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NAS 2022

Here are some pics from the dressing rooms at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
I tried on a few blazers, looking for just the right boyfriend look that can be worn casually but not too oversized. I found one that I love--the 1.State, which I hadn't picked in my online persual. I bought two pullover sweaters, undies and bras. The unintended purchases that somehow followed me home are pajamas and two pairs of jeans. I really don't need more jeans, but I'm thinking I can retire some that I'm not wearing. I might only keep one of these.

1: What I wore shopping. Peacock blue pants and swirl-pattern t-shirt (made by me); white denim jacket (Banana Republic), white metallic sneakers (Paul Green); blush crossbody bag (Nordstrom).
2-5: The winning blazer (1.State)
3-4: Two other blazers I tried (Nordstrom and Open Edit). The Open Edit is a different color than what's shown online, a really pretty mauve shade.
8-10: Pullovers. I bought the Nordstrom Signature cashmere in purple dawn and the Vince funnel neck wool blend in silverstone. I passed on the Nordstrom Signature in gray heather (I tried it in one size too large, but I liked the Vince better anyway).
11-13: Mother Tomcat cropped straight leg jeans.
14-15: Rag and Bone Rosa ankle boyfriend jeans. I might not keep these.

It was fun to shop at the flagship Nordstrom. I browsed bags and shoes but didn't see anything I couldn't pass up. I also didn't get to see the Zella track suit in person, and the jacket is sold out. I won't lose sleep over it. 

I ordered the Kiehl's body lotion, Caviar shampoo and conditioner, Olukai flip-flops, and a Zella tee online. I feel I kinda went crazy! But not too crazy.

I welcome your thoughts and questions, if I can be of help in your shopping decisions.

Edited to add: I also tried on the Vince and Theory blazers in Finds. The Vince is a beautiful dark olive, but the fit was off for me. The Theory was pretty, but I couldn't try it in my size, and I liked the 1.State better on me anyway.

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WIW: aqua long cardi from NAS

Yesterday it was cool enough to wear one of my new cardigans. And I decided to wear it again today, till it warms up.

The outfits:
1-3 (worn to work): black skirted leggings (Eileen Fisher); black and aqua wallpaper print cap-sleeve tee (made by me); aqua long cardi (Halogen); black sling-back Mary Janes (Think!); gray backpack (Rebecca Minkoff).

4-5 (worn for a day off): stone ankle jeans (NYDJ); aqua and cream tile print tee (Halogen); aqua long cardi (Halogen); stone and cream belt (Annette Goertz); gray d'Orsay Mary Janes (Think!).

I welcome your comments and suggestions. Thanks for looking!

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