Let the Shopping Begin....okay, continue.......

The Friends & Family Sale has begun my friends! Last night for the preview sale (cardholder exclusive) I wore one of my favorite dresses, honestly this dress is amazingly comfortable and easy to wear. The cardigan I am wearing here is a medium while my yellow one is a small. I like the fit of both...go figure! Have you stared shopping the sale?

 cardigan, belt, dress-LOFT

shoes-Mootsies Tootsies

I know a few of you have asked about my Maya Cardigan's when I wear them. I got a great tip from my Polyvore friend MIW-Make it Work that they are in the Crewlets now. So, I called my crewlet and sure enough there is a cotton version in the crewlet in a mustardy yellow, charcoal gray, purple, and light pink. At my crewlet they only had two yellows left so I had her hold it (and one of every color) so I can go look at them tomorrow....YEAH! I have been looking for a yellow Maya forever! I will be sure to take my camera along with me tomorrow.

Flutter Silk Dress (4 ways to wear it)

When I go into work tomorrow I will try to get you some more answers to yesterdays comments on Loft's new arrivals but for today I thought I'd post some ideas for the Flutter Silk Dress .

This dress is the only red item I own. I have nothing against red just somehow the only red I still had in my closet were shoes. This dress is so comfortable and honestly, it is stunning on it's own but since I don't go sleeveless I needed to come up with some styling ideas.

cardigan: Banana Republic

belt: Banana Republic

shoes: Bandolino

white military jacket: LOFT

necklace: LOFT

belt: Banana Republic

shoes: Mootsies Tootsies

San Remo Cardigan: J Crew

gold belt: J Crew

shoes:??? (don't think these actually work but the natives were getting restless)

here Cooper is crying because he thinks I am dressing to go somewhere and he wants to go too!

Sweater Coat: LOFT lounge

Belt: Kohls

Shoes: Mootsies Tootsies

Falling for LOFT's new arrivals

The transitional line (early fall) is finally in at the Loft and I am so happy with the new arrivals. the last few lines have been "okay" but they seem to be getting back on track! Unfortunatly, they have done a pretty lousy job on the styling for the web picks. The lookbooks they give us are so much better....go figure. Here are some of my top picks so far.

Ink Floral Shift Dress with Ruffle Neckline ($89.50): I adore this print, it is so beautiful. It is too short for me as a dress but over leggings and skinny jeans it looks wonderful. I especially love it belted. I found my true size (8) worked best. The dress is nicely made and fully lined. Differs from online photo at the waist. It is a straight waist not fitted like it appears on the model.

Flutter Silk Dress ($128): I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this dress. They have it all through the Loft fall style guide adorably styled and then on on the website it is kinda done boring. I LOVE this dress on. It is 100% silk and it falls beautifully and has more "poof" to it then in the website photo. The size 6 fit but my true size (8) hung better. I love that this dress has a longer length then normal for the LOFT. It is light and unlined. For the price, I would have expected lining but since there is a lot of fabric, it wasn't a deal breaker for me. Oh, and this red is beautiful and rich. It goes beautifully with creams and browns.

Flutter Sleeve Charlotte Dress ($79.50): The color of this dress is stunning and the fit is much better then it looks online. There was no vanity sizing with this dress. I wore an 8 and could not have sized down. The length on me was just like the photo so if you are shorter (I am 5'9") it will be closer to knee length. This dress has a very high fashion feel/dressed up feel but it also was unlined and was see through enough to mandate a slip. It is not completely off my wishlist but I am not sold yet.

Crystal Bead V-Neck Tee ($44.50): I haven't tried this one on yet but it is much cuter IRL styled with jeans and pants (untucked). Not crazy about how they tucked it in to a skirt.

Twisted Neck Exposed Back Zip ( $49.50): I haven't tried this on yet but the autumn yellow is so beautiful that I plan on making it mine!

 Short Sleeve Dolman Cardigan ($39.50): Great basic and the colors are so very beautiful! The moss green is very close to J Crew's burnished olive. It is a Pima Cotton so it isn't as thin as some of their recent super see through cardigans.

Cotton Faille Jacket with Ruffle ($98): This was love at first sight for me. It looks like a relative of J Crew silk ruffle cascade jacket (if you have it, you it know it looks like the back )

These are my top picks of what they have released so far. There are tweed jackets, nautical striped cardigans and dresses and other great things still coming later. What are your top picks at LOFT so far? Also, if you go by the store and they don't have some of these out you can always ask the SA's. Sometimes we aren't allowed to put them on the floor yet but we have them and we are allowed to sell from the back!

So, here is where I may or may not have cheated on my shopping ban. I returned the dress from Boden and a jacket from BR and I got the red dress. It wasn't offically a "return" but it was purchased from returned funds.....what do you think?