Happy Monday, friends! I’m so excited about today’s outfit post. I don’t know what it is about this look but I’m pretty in love with it. Where to start? I’ve always admired J.Crew’s ability to mix florals, leopard print, and stripes cohesively in one look, and I tried to emulate that with this outfit, most of which came from J.Crew Factory (not sponsored, FYI, just genuine love here), a brand that I’ve fallen in love with lately.
It has the same vibe as regular J.Crew but at a fraction of the cost. I would never believe that this floral pencil skirt was under $60, but it is. And to find the perfect leopard print sweater for $39 is basically a dream. PS it’s still available in all sizes so I highly recommend that you jump on that if you’re in the market. It won’t last long, I can promise you that.
If you are a loyalist to OG J.Crew, however, there is a major 30% off sale on fall shirts and tops today. I just picked up this plaid shirt that I’ve wanted for the last two falls but it always sells out so quickly! It really is the perfect plaid…
Now for a major subject change: I want to talk about something that’s been bothering me for a few days, and it has nothing to do with this outfit or pattern mixing. Last week I did a post in collaboration with Crocs. Clearly it was different from my normal aesthetic (side bar: I really do wear them to work in my garden!) and some of you didn’t like that. I totally get it and always appreciate the feedback so keep it coming.
I want to first thank the people who gave feedback in a kind and constructive way. It was so helpful and definitely noted not to post about brands and products that feel off-brand to Lemon Stripes going forward! But what’s been bothering me are the people who speculated, in a forum that is dedicated to bashing bloggers, that I must be taking on sponsored content that isn’t authentic to support potential fertility treatments. To clear that up, I’m not (more on fertility tomorrow).
To all of you out there who wrote on GOMI about me, I totally get what you’re saying about that post, but would appreciate either a comment on my blog or, if you don’t want it to be public, a direct email to me. I try to respond to every email that I get from readers and I love dialogue about what’s working and what isn’t.
At the end of the day, I wouldn’t be able to run Lemon Stripes as a business without you guys so I want to do what makes you happy… as long as it makes me happy as well. So I’m hoping today we can strike a deal. If you have a problem with my content, let me know! Email me or comment on my blog in a constructive way and I’ll respond, note it, and think twice the next time. Fair? Just keep in mind that can be hard to do what I do because it’s always a balancing act between creating beautiful, helpful content and making that money.
Over the last week I asked over 10 different blogger friends how they would handle this situation. Every single one of them said to ignore and disregard it. While I hate adding fuel to any fire, I do think there is truth to the feedback which is why I want to create a safe place for you to give it, instead of a place where you can anonymously post in a way that can sometimes feel hurtful to bloggers… who, by the way, are real people too!
Sweater / Skirt / Shirt / Necklace (similar) / Shoes / Bag c/o / Lipstick
