Sweater: Ann Taylor in "Vintage Wine" sz XXSP, Shirt: Gap, Tights: Target (similar in 12 colors)
A week or two ago, I stumbled across this skirt on a J.Crew outlet sale rack. The plain side of me would typically never consider such a piece, but after seeing Khatu don her sequin shorts for various occasions and Wendy style her sequin mini, I felt inspired to add it to my wardrobe. Since then, I can't stop reaching for it. You don't need to have glamorous style like those two ladies to rock the sequin bottoms - I love the look of casual sweaters (waiting patiently for cable crewnecks to arrive) and button-ups juxtaposed against sparkly sequins.
Pumps: CL Elissa 100's sz 35.5 (similar in sizes 4-11)
I wore this outfit to a casual holiday party in a cozy setting. It was brisk outside, so I was pleased to discover how well brown tights work with gold and burgundy. For anyone interested in this skirt (style #46626), J.Crew factory just added a nationwide inventory system...
and they now ship to homes for $8. If you call a factory store during a non-busy time, an SA should be able to look up your size in the system. From what I heard, they are now out of 0's in this but have sizes 2-14. I'm not the biggest fan of J.Crew bell skirt shapes, but the elastic waistband helps me save on alterations. I would've preferred a straight up and down mini, but the ones I've seen did not fit and sequin alterations would be costly.
Bottom left: Originally, I wanted to do a brighter palette with my mustard top, but the tee was too thin and showed all the lines underneath. Bottom right: Earlier this week for my dear Nick's birthday, I wore this skirt yet again with a bow blouse for an extra festive look.
We celebrated Nick's birthday with a small group of friends at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square - for fans of fresh seafood & interesting cocktails, this is a great place with excellent service. Upon arriving, we were surprised with custom menus:
The waitstaff also brought out 3 rounds of complimentary treats for the birthday boy, who was very pleased:
I usually get their signature lobster pasta with freshly-made noodles, lobster chunks, velvety mushrooms, and pieces of tender braised shortrib - a delish combination!
Surprise!
We then moved to Eastern Standard (next door, under the same management?) for a nightcap:
We then moved to Eastern Standard (next door, under the same management?) for a nightcap:
Couple shots from both nights:
Readers - What do you think of the sequin mini? What would you pair it with?
I love the skirt :) I think you paired it really well!*
ReplyDeleteI love it! Now I'm wanting a sequined skirt. :) You two are a really cute couple too.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing sequins around the holidays. I even accept them during the daytime.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it! Sequins are so much fun, especially when you can dress them down and wear them in a more everyday outfit.
ReplyDeleteI never thought that I would like sequins but I am now having a second thought =) Mixing sequined items into everyday wear is not an easy job and you styled it well. My favorite look is the one you wore to Nick's BD. Happy belated BD to Nick. Looks like you two had a great time together.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I keep trying on every sequin thing I see, but haven't found the perfect thing yet. They are especially perfect for Christmas parties. I love your red shoes too. I have them on my wish list now. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeletetres chic. love the whole look.
ReplyDeleteThe sequin skirt look really great on you! Love how you paired it with bold colors and neutrals. I'm not sure if I can pull it off though!
ReplyDeletethis makes me want a sequin skirt, but I know I can't rock it like you!
ReplyDeleteps. you and nick are just adorable. cuteness!
Yes after seeing Wendy's Holiday Pairing with the Sequin Mini, I'm dying to get one. But I haven't found one I like yet.
ReplyDeleteI think I would keep it casual too, with a ruffle shouldered turtleneck. For more special events, I would probably add a statement necklace and extra accessories.
If I'm just shopping or going out with the family, I would probably just wrap a nice scarf over the turtleneck.
The wheels are turning with endless outfits now.
I love the skirt - made the otherwise very 1990s prep school look more 21st century! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the skirt. So many ways to pair it! (I love the mustard tee with it too...such a shame it was too thin.) Btw, you two make a very handsome couple!
ReplyDeleteI love this skirt and the ways you've styled it - it's so fun!
ReplyDeleteLove the skirt and how you style it. I can see it being a very versatile piece in your wardrobe. The gold colored sequins work very well for night out, parties, etc. Being a mom and have very little occasions to wear it, I have to suppress my urge to hunt it down. Not that I have a chance once you post it. :) I have found a black sequins mini from Loft and thought it would be better suited for me since it's more subdued and I can wear it to work.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to Nick!
I absolutely LOVE your sequin skirt and have been considering buying the one from gap! I think pairing it with a chambray button up would be the perfect mix of casual/dressy.
ReplyDeleteLove the sequined Mini and love it more with the mustard top!
ReplyDeleteYou did a beautiful job on pairing the skirt! Love it both ways. And why did I not find out about this restaurant earlier?? The lobster noodles look delish!
ReplyDeleteI bought a black sequin mini this time last year, but I had absolutely no idea how to wear it! It's just been sitting in my closet for a year... Now I can go ahead and wear it!
ReplyDeleteI'm very tempted to buy the J Crew gold mini though... it looks more festive and girly! I'm off to hunt it down now! :)
Thanks for the outfit inspiration, Jean! :)
Love the skirt on you, and especially because it has pockets!
ReplyDeleteAnd can I say that lobster pasta sounds AMAZING... drool!
What a handsome couple you two are! Love the sequenced mini!
ReplyDeleteI tried on the gap kids version yesterday at the cambridgeside galleria (in size 12) and it fit well, was pretty similar at the bottom (although it has a subtle bubble hem), but the top is a different color satin that makes it maybe more comfortable but also more childish looking. At the mall, I also scored this necklace for $5!
ReplyDeleteI called the only factory store in Arizona (my state) with no luck, and then a few in California with no luck as well. Apparently this is a very popular skirt.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, an SA in Cali gave me a list of stores in the nation that had it available. There's only four stores left: Las Vegas, one in New York, one in Texas, and one in Illinois! I was lucky to snag the last size 0 in Las Vegas (it was a recent return), but the SA told me there are two size 2's left there as well. She also said that she's been getting lots of calls for this skirt!
It's currently on clearance now for about $60 (as compared to $178 originally), but a lot of stores are offering an extra 40-50% off clearance. Las Vegas offered an extra 40% off.
If you're looking for this skirt... act quickly! :)
That skirt looks great on you :) I think I would wear it in a much more out-there outfit, because I'm not attracted to neutrals at all!
ReplyDeleteI do think that the bell skirt looks great on you. In my mind, a straight up and down mini would've looked a little...teenager-like I think. But find a straight up and down sequin mini to try on so I can see if I'm wrong!
I love your outfit! Very classy and pairing the skirt with deep rich tones such as burgundy and mustard is a great choice.
ReplyDeleteI want what you had for dinner so bad right now! That looks and sounds amazing!! Happy Birthday to Nick! It was fun to see the photos from your night!
ReplyDeleteThat skirt is gorgeous! I love it best with the bow blouse! :)
jean-- this is my favorite item you have of all times!!! i love love love this skirt. i was about to buy brown tights and wasn't sure about it. they actually look really nice the way you styled it. i will pick it up if i see it again.
ReplyDeletehappy bday to nick!
My fav pairing hands down is with the wine sweater!! Looks absolutely gorgeous with your heels and lipstick that I just ordered the same sweater. I actually really love the paperbag structure of this skirt because of the waist definition which you may or may not get with a straight mini. Belated happy bday to Nick!
ReplyDeletegorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI adore my sequined mini. I have a black one from Express I scored for $20 years ago. My favorite things to wear it with are black pumps and a black 3/4 plain tee or with a white tank and black suiting blazer. I never even considered it with a cardigan!! Now I have to try it :) Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteyou look stunning
ReplyDeletekisses from prague
Love the sequin mini! I'm going to look for a piece like that now
ReplyDeleteJean - I seriously thought that picture on the left was out of a magazine or J. Crew catalog. I had to do a double take! I tried that skirt on (Las Vegas) in my normal size 4 in the J. Crew bell skirts but it was too short on me and there were no more larger sizes (this is one of the instances I don't appreciate my rounded bottom - makes sort skirts ride up in the back!) My favorite pairing of yours is He one with the mustard sweater. Did you wear a coat over your outfit? If so, which one?
ReplyDeletebeautiful skirt. love everything you're wearing with it. makes me want to go and buy it. :)
ReplyDeletemaybe it's time to get a thicker mustard sweater, because that is my favorite! it looks so good with the gold sequins. love love love that outfit!
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ReplyDeleteIt looks so nice with yellow
ReplyDeleteI think the mini looks super cute!
ReplyDeletePairing it with the blouse looks nice and feminine =]
I would have probably paired it with the same colors as you did for your outfit for Nick's birthday. Loving nude tones right now for some reason.
Loved how you paired it. I agree- Wendy and Khatu are glam gals, I can't pull that off! This is very dressy, but casual as well. Awesome job, Jean. Thanks for the inspiration. This opens up the horizons for me, too!
ReplyDeleteI love the mustard combination but both outfits are so glam :D
ReplyDeletei love how you styled the skirt. you look great in all three outfits. i especially like the skirt with the red sweater and pumps....very festive. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love how you dressed it up, especially with the tie-neck blouse/sweater. I think it would be fantastical with a leather jacket or even completely dressed down with a denim jacket.
ReplyDeletei think it looks adorable with the cardigan and also the mustard sweater. love it!
ReplyDeletei really love the sequin mini and all the ways that you paired it. happy birthday to Nick too! you two look so cute and happy. :)
ReplyDeleteThe skirt is so cute! I've been looking for some sequin shorts myself and have my eyes on an amazing pair from Madewell :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jean - I was tidying my closet the other day and noticed that I need a better way of storing my cardigans. Any recommendations? I wish I could just hang them up and that causes those terrible bumps. Folding them is a pain due to the buttons. How do you store your cardigans? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Jean. I am looking for a perfect red lipstick for the season. Were you wearing Rimmel Beaurdaux on those nights as well? You look beautiful! Any chance you will running a post about affordable holiday-inspired lipsticks?
ReplyDeleteCute skirt! and even Cuter couple!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great and versatile addition to your wardrobe! I especially love it paired with the mustard sweater - preppy up top and party on bottom makes such a wonderful combo :)
ReplyDeleteI actually really love the shape of this skirt! I think it makes it a bit more wearable then if it were just a straight up-and-down mini. Great styling.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you toned down the sequins. Lovely outfit!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thegirlieblog.com
I'm a sucker for sequins! Love how you've been wearing such a beautiful red shade of lipstick recently. I can't really pull it off lately - since my skin is so uneven it takes a while to make sure no splotches or dark eye circles are showing - I read that it's important to make sure skin is even otherwise one can look a bit sallow, tired or off when wearing the red lipstick.
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of you and Nick - so adorable!
You look really cute. Happy birthday, Nick.
ReplyDeleteVic. Secret catalog also has some sequin skirts right now. A size 0 is listed as a 24" waist and 34" hips. Some minis are straight-style. http://search2.victoriassecret.com/?q=sequin+skirts
I'm new to all this blogging stuff but wanted to say that I love your site and style! That skirt looks so cute on you and I actually really like the Target tights that I bought too. =)
ReplyDeleteWhat a good looking couple!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the sequin skirt on the website I wanted it. But I'm not daring enough for a sequin skirt yet. It looks amazing on you paired with the bow top.
I've been searching for the perfect sequin item to add to my closet all season...this skirt is adorable! I love how you paired it in both outfits.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, that lobster dish sounds seriously AH-mazing. I'm starving now!
you look fabulous! I will be searching for a skirt now too and I like the bow-shirt with the skirt.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful color combo! You and Nick are very cute : )
ReplyDeletelove the different ways you styled this skirt! i didn`t think it would be as versatile as you proved it to be!
ReplyDeletethat pasta looks delicious, hehe!
ReplyDeletei love the mini! i have a golden mini from h&m (i liked it so much i bought the shift dress version too) - in the summer i wear it with ballet pumps & a man-sized blue/white striped shirt half tucked in. Not sure how to wear it for winter though..
PS i wear the sequin dress with black woollen tights in winter but i'm always paranoid the sequins are going to snag the tights!
Katie x
I like the skirt pairing with the mustard sweater or tied blouse much better than the cardigan. I thought the tucked and folded up bottom of the cardigan made you look a bit frumpy and everything so buttoned up made you look younger, kind of like a school girl (sorry!). The other pairings looked great though. I think the mustard sweater worked better simply because there was no line of buttons down the front, the collar of the blouse was more relaxed, and your sleeves were rolled a bit. You and Nick look great though!
ReplyDeleteI love the pairing of colours, the pairing of metallic festive material with the casual wool one on top, and the pop of color given by the red shoes ! That rocks !
ReplyDeleteI am a new fan of yours, though I am not petite (rather the opposite- I am tall), I find everything you share very informative and useful. I have a request for a blog post/youtube video. Could you give tips on how to find the right stockings, stockings care and how to prolong their wear? Thank you for your blog posts and keeping me more fashionable:D
ReplyDeleteI want a sequin skirt now too! lol But in black, that way I could add "glam" to anything =) But I like it with the red or pink. It might look nice paired with blue also.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so cute! Tell Nick Happy Birthday! ;D
I love it! It's just the right touch of fancy and looks like such a versatile mini for one that's so glittery. I'm inspired to wear more collared shirts. :)
ReplyDeleteOoo! You did such a great job styling this! I think it's the perfect holiday bling for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm struggling in the decision of whether or not to buy a piece like this right now - they're so great for the season but can I really get any use out of it beyond the month of December?
If anyone comes across this skirt, I'd love to buy it. I called5 stores with no luck :( email me kathryn27@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove the sequin skirt - especially with the brown tights! It's a great holiday outfit.
ReplyDeleteAny chance of Nick doing a gift guide for guys this year? My younger brother is begging me to pick out some clothing for him (he's in college now and traditionally I buy him something that's more fashionable/classier than what he normally wears) and I'm all out of ideas. It was a sweater and scarf last year, and over the years I've gotten him polos, dress socks and shoes, a blazer, cologne... I'm out of ideas! I have no problem doing repeats, but nothing's happened to catch my eye yet.
Love the sequin mini! I'm actually pretty envious you managed to score that at the outlet because I've had my eye on it since it came out last year (I think)! I love the colours you've paired it with. I'd love to see it with a bolder colour like black or navy, and I think it'd look lovely paired with a crisp white!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated to Nick as well - that personalized drink menu is such a nice touch!
Hope you have a great week Jean!
x
Jen
I'm a sequin addict, so I adore you making the sparkle day appropriate. Happy belated to your BF too!
ReplyDelete****love****
ReplyDeleteHi Jean, you look lovely in your sequin skirt! I especially like it paired with the burgundy cardigan and brown tights. I think it would also look great with a shrunken black leather jacket, black tights and heels, and either a black or gold-toned turtleneck sweater. This is my first time commenting, but I have loved your blog for since discovering it last fall!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind telling us what blush and lipstick you used?
ReplyDeleteJean
ReplyDeleteI love Nicks military sweater. Do u have info on it...not for me but the mr. Thanks
hi jean! what shoes would you wear with your mustard sequin outfit? i love the sweater pairings. you look gorgeous as always.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much everyone for your comments and birthday wishes for Nick!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Thank you! Ideally, brown shoes that blend in with the tights or olive shoes. Even burgandy shoes might work if you're not too concerned about being coordinated : )
@Janice Liao Shiao Aww, I got it for him at the Gap last November. I haven't seen too many similar ones, but I tend to like the mens stuff at the Gap (and occasionally H&M).
@PinkLeaf Thank you for saying hello!
@lia Hi Lia, I struggle with gifting for the men in my life too. If he loved any of the things you got him previously (which all sound very useful, btw), there's no harm in repeats, right? I always give my younger brother clothing as well. A nice suit, some dress shirts/pants for internships, shoes (does he like shoes like the Clarks Mali shoe that Nick loves?) or a Northface fleece is on my list for him.
@Kristin It will definitely be harder past the holidays, but fellow blogger Khatu rocks her gold sequin shorts year-round, so I feel inspired.
@~~~~~~ I don't have to many tips, other than: handwash stockings, store them rolled up, always keep your nails short and trim to handle stockings, and also more dense or opaque stockings tend to rip less easily. I also like stockings with more nylon content, as my regular fabric ones get pilly after a few wears.
@Anonymous @Anonymous Hi there, it was just my typical ole Rimmel Bordeaux lipstick that 's available at ulta beauty or on Amazon. I apply a layer (and it's super dark), rub my lips together, then I blot it with a paper towel to absorb off some of the darkness, and re-apply in some areas if needed. To anon - I won't be doing a holiday lipcolor post because this is the only one I've been using! I'm a creature of habit...
@Leah I had all my cardigans hung up on those "slim" huggable hangers, thinking it would be ok, and I was horrified to see that they all left hanger bumps on the shoulders. Now I just roll them up and store in a drawer.
ReplyDelete@Jen (@CasualChicMom) How funny! The Vegas outlet had so many of these, and I know some fellow bloggers ordered a total of 3 (at least) from that location. I know you're a few inches taller, but this is regular sizing so it must've been designed to be a super mini. I wore a taupe coat over this.
@Megan I am so happy to hear that you were able to find this, for the same good price! The Vegas J.Crew Factory SA's are so nice. I know they helped other bloggers with this same skirt as well : )
Hi! I love your blog and loved this pairing! I normally don't comment, but I wanted to tell people who are still looking for the skirt...I found an exact look-a-like at Strawberry at the Union Square store in NYC. It has the same color, shape and even the pockets! The best part was it was on sale for $12.99! So for anyone in NYC looking, it'll be there, I got myself one and will be trying out my own holiday outfits too. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeletehi jean! i love this post! my favorite is the mustard sweater with the sequin skirt!
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