Mural Jacket and Halogen skirts

So. Today I spoke with Customer Service at Nordstrom's. We agreed that the best solution to my "holey" Only Mine Sweater would be an exchange. I'll order a new one at the sale price to my U.S. address, and return the old one from the U.S. for free. And then just bring it home. 

Since I'm going to make the trip anyway (about 40 minutes each way) now I am considering two things: 

1. Exchanging my Halogen pencil skirts for petites. That way I don't have to hem them. They will hit just above my knee. Does this make sense? 

2. Seeing if they will allow me to get that Mural jacket again at the sale price. (It was on my original order). I'm not sure if they would, but I suspect so. Despite my dislike of the faux leather, I really did like the way this jacket looks. And I haven't seen a bomber that combines the details I'm after -- especially the higher collar. 

I am also considering that Kamalikulture turtleneck dress, by the way.  :-) 

Would love your thoughts. 

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26 Comments

  • merwoman replied 10 years ago

    Yes to the dress! (just had to say it) And yes to the jacket as well - it looks great on you, and I am picturing it with all kinds of bottoms...hmmm what I mean is I can see it with your TRs, white jeans,  your skirts, heck maybe even the dress.
    Can't speak to petite sizing vs regular. Sure - why not order them try on, it's worth a go since you have to do a return anyway.

  • deb replied 10 years ago

    I usually get my halogen skirts in petites because I like them just above my knee. But NAS did not have the blue one in petite when I purchased mine. I see they do now.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 10 years ago

    Good idea on the petite skirts. You know you like the petite fit already, and not having to hem is very good. Even though I spend a lot of time sewing, when I have to hem something, it can languish for goodness knows how long! It's just not a fun thing to do.
    The jacket looks terrific on you. But I find the feel of a fabric can be critical to my comfort. If you're like that, you might not wear the jacket as much as you would if you loved the feel of the material. Is it a stand-in until you find just the right bomber? Or a way to try out the bomber trend? Or will it keep you from looking for the right one?

    P.S. I did go back and buy the leather jacket that I tried on but passed up during my NAS appointment. I got it the last day of the sale, from my sales associate from the appointment. So I understand second thoughts about passing up something that is special on you.

  • Lisa replied 10 years ago

    Well I already have the Mural jacket, so you know this piece gets my yes vote!  I really like that the sleeves are soft.

  • AviaMariah replied 10 years ago

    I love that jacket on you.  I did notice when wearing it the other day that it did become quite warm through the day.  I run pretty cold so I'm not worried about it but thought I'd warn you in case you don't run cold.

  • AviaMariah replied 10 years ago

    Oh - and if you do decide that the Mural jacket is for you, you should get it even at regular price.  Worth it the way it looks on you!

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Thanks, all - this is helpful! 

    AviaMariah - you are very sweet. I really liked the way it looked on me, too, in the store -- but worried it would be uncomfortable. It was hot. I don't really run hot or cold, in particular...but I don't like things to feel sticky, and this fabric did, a bit. Hmmm. 

    Lisa, thanks for enabling!

    Firecracker, that is what I was thinking -- I know the fit already so why trouble with hemming (plus, that will add to the cost!)

    Deb, they don't have the blue in my size in petite. But I would be willing to let that go for now. I have my cobalt VC skirt after all. 

    Merwoman, thanks to you for enabling, too! 

  • CocoLion replied 10 years ago

    I am glad you are giving the Mural jacket a go. I thought you voted "nay" on it but I thought (to myself, didn't comment) it looked great on you.

    I think it is wise to try the pencil skirt in petite sizing.

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Denise, thank you -- I have been thinking of you these past few hours. I hope you are okay. 

  • Nicole D replied 10 years ago

    Love the Mural jacket, best of luck with that.  Have a great trip!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Yes to swapping the skirts to petite.
    As for the KK dress, I know you would look smashing in it. Do you have a need since you just got the Tory Burch dress? This would give you two great dresses for events. And I hope I didn't add to any shopping angst by showing you the dress today :)
    I love how you look in the bomber but I'm going to play Devil's advocate if you don't mind. I know you like fabrics that breath and comfort is important to you. You noted the bomber was hot and felt a bit sticky. Now that could be because you were in full blown shopping/trying on frenzy and a bit overheated but I'm wondering if that's a potential issue?

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Shannon, you are so right. On both counts! (Or all counts, I should say). 

    In truth, the dress is not a "need." But since I only have one winter-ready dress, and the price is very reasonable, it doesn't seem like a crazy purchase. I don't wear dresses often in winter, it's true. Only for going out or for the occasional appearance. But I do wear them when travelling, and this one is neat because it's quite cross seasonal. I wouldn't wear it in mid-summer due to the turtleneck, but I can see wearing it most of the rest of the year. 

    Plus, I'd be returning one of my Halogen skirts (the blue) since that colour is not available in petite. So I'd be getting half the price back. 

    Mind you, if I ordered the jacket, I'd more than make up for that, LOL! 

    You're right about the feel of it. I really do need to consider. Hmmm.  It was also the sleeves. They were quite wide on me. I wasn't sure they would stay scrunched and I thought I might have to have them tapered. 

  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Then the dress makes perfect sense and I can hardly wait to see your gorgeous self model it for us!

    It's funny you mention the sleeve scrunch-ability...I now won't buy a jacket whose sleeves won't scrunch - lol!

  • Gaylene replied 10 years ago

    I'm just going to echo Shannon's caution here. Is the jacket more appealing in thought than in real life? I know that I've been guilty of that syndrome when I've questioned my original decisions. Of course, trying it on again doesn't mean you have to buy it, especially if your instincts are telling you you might be settling.

    Faux leather can fit into a leather-lover's wardrobe. My "plastic" is fun to wear and regularly gets mistaken for the real thing, but it's definitely not the same as my leather jackets.

  • Beth Ann replied 10 years ago

    Love the idea of a KK turtleneck dress.  I think it would be easier to "dress down" than your other dress, and exceedingly easy to pack.

    As for the skirts, I think it would also be preferable to go petite, rather than shorten after the fact.

    The bomber?  Since you're going anyway,  I say try it again, see how you feel this time.

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Gaylene, the jacket appealed to me in theory. And then the way it looked appealed to me in person, too. I had absolutely no problem with that, and could immediately imagine about ten outfits I could make with it. In fact, in some ways it seemed like the most practical NAS purchase I could have made -- but I didn't make it! ;-)

    I was also attracted to it because it is a trend I wanted to try but only at a lower price point. At the sale price it was exactly what I wanted to pay for this type of item. 

    The problems were the collar. On the one I tried (but not Sveta's) the collar was wrinkled and would not come unwrinkled in the change room. Plus, the faux leather felt "tacky" against the skin, as in hot and sticky. I didn't mind so much how the quilted part on the body felt. And then the sleeves -- the width of the sleeves bothered me. 

    But you raise a good point. If they allowed me to, I could try it without buying it (assuming I did not like it). It could go back a second time no problem. 

  • Vicki replied 10 years ago

    Gosh, Suz, I feel like I've missed the whole storyline here since I've been absent.

    First, I would recommend Petite for you on the Halogen skirts, no question, and just my personal opinion (how weird, I know; I've never even met you, but I feel like I "know" you!).  btw, when I bought my VC tube skirts, I bought PXS, and the blue one I first bought (to copy you) is an XS and I plan to hem it this weekend to "match" the petites.

    I love this bomber jacket on you and hope everything works out, price wise for you.  Kamalikulture was a bit difficult for me in sizing; the XS seemed too tight and the S, in some prints, didn't work out.  But, the upside is that these dresses feel spectacular on the body, and I'm hoping to give it another try, if I can find a print and style that suits me.

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Ah, Vicki - thank you. This is helpful on the sizing. Or maybe confusing! I got the REGULAR VC tube skirt, not the petite, in the XS. I understand the fit is looser as well as longer in the regular. Mine covers my knees and is a bit big for me in the waist, but that's okay since I never actually show the waistband. If I tuck I do what you did in your gorgeous Angie copy and blouse the top over it. 

    I think you are probably right about the Halogens -- I do have a petite one from a few years ago and I like the fit a bit better. So back the regulars go, for an exchange. 

    That is so interesting about Kamalikulture. I think you have a more generous bust than I do (well, that would not be difficult, LOL) so that might be part of the issue for fit, and it might work for me in the xs. We'll soon find out! 

  • rae replied 10 years ago

    I vote definite yes to petite skirts, no to the bomber. Maybe I am projecting due to my issues with fabrics, but I feel like you would be settling. 

  • Jaime replied 10 years ago

    I am sorry I cannot be objective because I would love to be bomber twins with you and see what you do with the jacket. When Angie posted her picks this was the first one that jumped out at me because of the unusual (and hair matching) colors and the bomber style with quilting (two trends for the price of one). I don't expect it to be a leather jacket but rather a highly stylized and good looking sweatshirt/casual jacket (that I will happily wear with skirts), so the faux leather does not bother me. Plus I do tend to be cold. Hope that helps!

  • Deborah replied 10 years ago

    Suz, having read your thoughts here, including comments, and based on your original assessment of the bomber, I am a no vote:(. I worry you might be settling for something that is not really a 10 for you.

  • Karie replied 10 years ago

    Yes to the dress and the petite skirts, but perhaps no to the bomber. I love the bomber jacket, I own it and have worn it a lot since I purchased it, and the faux leather doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that this jacket is not washable and not dry cleanable - the directions say to wipe it with a clean cloth. I didn't notice this until after I had worn the jacket several times (I usually wash clothes when I first purchase them, but I was going away and wore this right out of the box). This might have been a deal breaker for me. I had a jacket like this once before and it lasted quite a long time, but this one has knit sleeves and I'm hoping they won't absorb orders. I might try sewing in removable dress shields to be on the safe side.

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Wow, Karie -- that is fascinating!! I had no idea. 

    Now....if it were me, I would probably just ignore the advice. How can you not wash it? Seriously... I would just put it in the delicate cycle in cold and hang to dry. 

    But you know what? You've persuaded me against ordering this! Another one will come along. 

  • Sara L. replied 10 years ago

    I love those KK dresses and would love to see you in one.  I actually considered ordering one but I won't be able to try it on for a couple months still.  I'm hoping they'll still be around in few months. 

  • cobaltblue replied 10 years ago

    Not washable in any way? Definite no on the bomber, as great as it looks.

    Glad you've found a solution to the holey sweater problem!

  • Karie replied 10 years ago

    Yep, not washable. The care label reads: "Wipe clean with mild detergent and damp cloth. Do not machine wash. Do not tumble dry. Do not iron." I might try hand washing the underarm area from the inside since it is lined to the sleeve, and the sleeve fabric would be washable. Also, removable dress shields should work. And maybe there's a spray-on wash that could be used. 

    Even with the cleaning issues, I still love the jacket and plan on getting a ton of wear out of it!

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