J.Crew Stadium-Cloth Duffle Coat -- How to Clean

I can literally go mad at how cruddy dark coats look when they are covered in fuzz, hair and everyday crap it picks up

For my J.Crew Stadium-Cloth Duffle coat in Navy, I've tried every trick under the sun --- lint rollers, old fashion lint brushes, duct tape, clear tape, the sweater stone thingamajig...

They either just plain didn't work, or it takes an extraordinary amount of effort to remove an extraordinarily minimal amount of lint.  

Until, I tried....the Evercare MAGIK Lint Brush.

Ha..such a gimmicky name!

 

 

 Quick, easy, effective. 

Now I can direct my OCD on something else.

J.Crew Everly Cap Toe Pumps - Review of Sorts

I needed a filler for my order of hats for an upcoming (TROPICAL!) trip, so I included J.Crew's Everly cap toe pumps with patent bow (goodness, that is a mouthful) into the cart.

  

Ordered in a size 8, it was a perfect fit.

Made out of suede with a patent cap, I expected the cap-toe to be more brilliant/reflective as shown on the site. In real life, it is more subdued -- I would say it is more brass/bronze than gold.

They are comfortable enough, and are definitely lady-like chic

 

I still wasn't completely bowled over -- there was just something that I wasn't satistifed with. I had my Manolo Blahnik BB's out at the time and made the mistake had the insight to compare the two.

The Everly is about a 1/2 inch shorter than the BB's...and my, what a difference that 1/2 inch makes.
(Side by side, it is apparent that the suede on the Manolos is superior to the JCrews)

Additionally, the cut in the front is different - lower on the Everly than the BB's.

J.Crew Everly:

Manolo Blahnik BB's:

 

I don't know about you, but when I wear heels, especially those that can be categorized as special-function shoes, I expect the shoes to provide me with the illusion that my legs are better than what they are (tone, length, etc - although granted, they have a LOT to work on, seeing as my legs are essentially tree stumps)

The Everlys simply do not check the boxes on those criteria. But to be fair, they are a TON more comfortable than the BB's (and not to mention a ton more comfortable on the purse strings).

Sadly, I do believe in the saying "no pain, no gain".

So....for those who are not as masochistic as I am, the Everlys are beautiful shoes that are comfy, well made and definitely chic. For those who prefer to have a sleeker looking silhouette, and don't mind the toe-pinching, foot-numbing pain, then by all means, the BB's it is.