Nautical J. Crew fit reviews

Thanks to the deal hunting Fashionism gals, I was alerted that this sweet, striped anchor dress is marked down in stores with an extra 30% off. It is on sale online, too but I hoped to avoid ship costs. I hit up my local J. Crew last night to see if they had it and evaluate whether I could wear it into pregnancy and beyond.

My store had one Maritime Anchor Dress left in my regular J. Crew size: medium. In my opinion, this dress (also available here and here) is cut generously. The medium felt a little loose even after four months of pregnancy. It is a thicker knit cotton that might be a bit warm for summer days. But for a breezy day near a body of water or for evening, I think this dress is perfect! It has two side zippers near the hem and long sleeves. The length was reasonable and I could see this working as a future Memorial Day or Labor Day dress even after pregnancy. Despite the medium's generous cut, I would have tried the large if it existed in my local store. For this price, I still bought the medium on final sale. After discounts it was a great deal! 

While there I stumbled upon the cutest anchor dress and nearly snatched it up at full price. Were it not for my transitioning body, and the practical thoughts that it brings, it would be mine.

I also found it, named the Dizzy Anchors Dress to run a bit large, as I could zip the size 8 with no problem. The only place it was fitted was in the bust, where you probably want a tailored fit. But for my own current bustline, I would probably be better off in a 10. It is a very flattering cut that should suit a bunch of figures. The dress is an un-stretchy, light and airy cotton. Perfect for summer! I believe the bodice was lined though I cannot recall if the lining extended through the skirt. If it did, it was unattached to the outer fabric. The dress features a side zipper and pockets.

A detailed bodice shot above demonstrates how the bust on my size 8 was snug. I must remind those who might usually wear similar sizes that my bust is larger than normal due to my "condition." I think this dress is on the large side of true to J. Crew sizing overall. Ample busts might need a larger size if they're currently in-between. The side shot is just to indulge any bump-watchers. To see more detailed bump shots, you can visit here.

Finally, I tried on this Striped Button Front dress because it was marked down even more so than the Maritime Anchor. It looks so cute on my stylish blogger pal, If Grandma Wore J. Crew.

I loved the length on the striped button dress (wearing size medium) as well as the ease of its cut. It would be a dress that could work through a bit more of my pregnancy (even in size medium) as the waistline was generous. I might even size down under normal circumstances. But I didn't care for the arm/sleeve holes. They were cut a bit larger and the way the tank cut into my shoulders would necessitate a cardigan or tank layer solution. I decided that on final sale, I should be frugal and only pick my favorite of the two discounted stripey dresses. The anchor won.

Hopefully these fit reviews can help my fellow J. Crew fans! I'd check out J. Crew in person this weekend if you are interested in the striped sale dresses since the extra 30% off is currently only available in stores. And my closest, highly-trafficked store (Shadyside, for your Pittsburghers) only had one striped anchor dress left. Happy hunting!

UPDATE: There is now a code for an additional 30% off sale items at J. Crew online. SHOPNOW is the code and as far as I can tell, it doesn't automatically generate a "final sale" designation.