Quick Sale Update: All J.Crew (Including Coats) 40% Off!

J.Crew is doing a huge 40% off everything sale today, including all coats, with no promotion code needed, and Ebates is doing 10% cash back at J.Crew on top of that too! That's a significantly better deal than when I was mulling over coats yesterday, when the J.Crew Stadium Cloth Cocoon coat I was eyeing was 30% off and Ebates (referral link, which I imagine no one needs now, but it would yield a bonus $10 for you, and $25 for me as the referrer) was only offering 1.5% cash back. 

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I normally wouldn't post just to update about a sale, but this is timely and relevant to a purchasing decision I only just posted about. (I often post about sale purchases after the promotional period has ended... Though with many of these retailers, another sale is, inevitably, always around the corner.) This price drop of almost $25 off the price I would have paid upfront, with an additional $19 dollars cash back? That's huge! It may almost enough to change my decision calculus about whether it makes more sense to wait and try for the extremely similar Ellen Tracy Stadium coat (likely much cheaper eventually after the post-Christmas sales, but not on sale yet) versus the J.Crew. Spoiler alert, it may not be enough to actually change my mind (as I really, really don't need another coat), but I'll likely be making the decision only after ordering and trying on the J.Crew coat again at home. 

Oh, and Nordstrom is price-matching J.Crew, though they only have the "Deep Violet" and "Sandstone" shades of the J.Crew cocoon coat in stock. With their Ebates rebate at only 6% and many sizes and colors still in stock at J.Crew, though, I'm not sure Nordstrom is the preferred source. 

Thinking About: Colorful Cocoon Coats

J.Crew Stadium Cloth Cocoon Coat, Deep Violet

Last fall-winter season, I purchased three new coats, which felt rather indulgent. Nonetheless, each proved to be fantastic, from a cost-per-wear perspective. I originally had some doubts about how useful the Everlane cotton trench coat (my review here) would be, as autumn and spring are traditionally very brief in NYC. As it turns out, we've had unseasonably warm fall-winter seasons for two years now, which allows for several weeks of trench coat weather. The Elie Tahari down coat (old, this year's version, but it's definitely not worth that ludicrous full price!) was my go-to coat once true winter set in. That bright orange Ellen Tracy cocoon coat (exact color no longer available) was purchased on a whim, at the tail end of the post-Christmas sale season, but it's been very useful these past few weeks, once temperatures started dipping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

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I certainly don't need another coat. In addition to those three, I have another wool-cashmere blend single-breasted Calvin Klein reefer coat (similar Lauren Ralph Lauren, similar Kristen Blake, similar but very pricey Fleurette), which covers the temperatures in between cocoon coat weather and down coat weather. Still, my workplace wardrobe is so dominated by somber black clothing that brightly colored coats become very tempting as one of relatively few ways to add some interest and variety to my winter-time work outfits. As early as September, I was wondering if I might add a bright cobalt blue or hunter green coat to my wardrobe this season.

If I end up deciding to indulge this impulse, the candidates are the J.Crew Stadium Cloth Cocoon Coat pictured above ($245 with the 30% off code "FESTIVE" until the end of today) or the Ellen Tracy Wool Blend Stadium Coat I bought last year (currently $198, but I'd absolutely wait for a sale, I like both the "Kelly Green" and "Cobalt" shades pictured below). I was at a brick and mortar J.Crew store this weekend to make a return, and was able to try on their Cocoon Coat. I found that a size 4 regular at J.Crew fit essentially the same as my size 6 petite in the Ellen Tracy (seen on me here). As for which one is actually "worth it," if any? At today's $245 sale price, I'd take the J.Crew version over the Ellen Tracy coat's nearly $200 full price. But, when the Ellen Tracy at sale price is likely to end up at half the price of the J.Crew one on sale? Then I'm not so sure. The only certain conclusion is that I'm probably not ready to actually purchase a new coat right now.

The Ellen Tracy coat is noticeably lower quality, with a slightly thinner fabric that can be a bit scratchy, though I only notice it at the spot where the collar meets my chin when it's zipped completely up. There's also a tiny gold decal, on the left pocket, that can look a little cheap. I'm going into my second year of moderate wear with this, but it isn't actually showing much wear and tear at all, just a tiny pill in one random spot, near one shoulder, which I picked off. I wouldn't be too surprised to see another small pill or two in the coming year, and while it's no big deal, it's not something I've ever experienced with my old Calvin Klein coat, which is going into its third year of heavier wear.

Common wisdom has it that the J.Crew coat, like most J.Crew items, is likely overpriced for its quality, and I don't doubt that. The wool blend material feels nicer, but only barely, and it doesn't feel special or luxurious to the touch. The lining also feel smoother and better than the lining on the Ellen Tracy coat, for what that's worth.

How many coats do you own? Do you own any J.Crew coats, and have they proven to be a good value? While I think they're nicer (and certainly have prettier designs and colors) than a lot of the more moderately-priced wool-blend coats at, say, Nordstrom (in the Kenneth Cole, Tahari, and well, Ellen Tracy range) that often end up around the $140 price point on sale, I've not familiar with whether the J.Crew coat prices drop much lower than $220ish. Comparing those prices, it doesn't seem like the J.Crew coats are generally worth it, but I may be wrong!

At a Loss for Words

The United States Supreme Court, via.

I've struggled for days to figure out what to say. One obstacle was that, as a judicial clerk, I have an ethical obligation to abstain from all political activity (save for voting), as well as any commentary that suggests a lacks of neutrality regarding issues that may come before the court. I'm bound by that obligation for several more months. My writings that predate the start of my clerkship may strongly imply how I feel now.

This is an unsatisfying post, and I know it. I thought, for a while, about whether I should or could say more, but concluded that it would not be proper. Over the course of the past few months, with all of the election discussion on social media and elsewhere, I've realized that I am perhaps overly strict in my reading of the ethical canons, more cautious than the rules require. There are clerks who, doubtless with their judges' permission, post political articles on social media with the disclaimer that they themselves "have no opinion" on the contents, for instance.

The ethical canons had affected my writing before this. I read them so broadly and take them so seriously that, between when the clerkship began and this moment, I've been refraining from touching anything that could be remotely construed as political. I've stayed away from topics beyond my shopping and personal finance management.

I believe in the importance of our judicial institutions, in the values embodied in our laws, and in the ideals of what our laws could or should be. It isn't much of an exaggeration to say that I do, in my heart of hearts, believe the federal courts' role to be nearly sacred. This is true even if I do object to some (many, even) of the resulting outcomes, which means that I know all too well that the institutions are fallible. A courts' role is, after all, typically to apply the law (no easy feat, oftentimes), not to create it.

The Constitution, as it is written, stands against racism, hate, and bigotry. It stands for tolerance and equality under the law. That much is explicit, even if I know - as does everyone else with the barest knowledge of American legal history - that there have been so very many times throughout our history where the law has nonetheless fallen short of the ideals that we now know they should protect. That much, I think, is fair for me to say. Anything more will have to wait. 

October Shopping Reflections

This month was a somewhat shopping-light month when it came to clothing, though not for lack of trying. I was hoping to add a few more long-sleeved blouses (from Loft) to my work wardrobe, but that didn't pan out. I'm surprised because the floral-printed top I bought last year was one of my "best purchases" of 2015. I particularly wanted to love this paisley lantern sleeve blouse because of the print, but the sleeves were oddly proportioned, the bow is impractical. This collarless henley tunic was also strange: It was practically as long as a dress, but with very high side slits. I also tried on a few sweaters from Loft, and I had better luck there, as I usually do with their low-maintenance synthetic-blend sweaters.

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New additions to my closet-wise, I was also grateful to receive a pair of riding boots as a generous birthday gift from my mom.  It was purchased during the Tory Burch Friends and Family sale quite a few weeks ago, with a 30% discount. A version of one of my birthday gifts last year, a gray 100% wool H&M Premium Quality scarf that has held up wonderfully (and seems to me to be a decent knock-off for those popular Acne scarves), is also back in stock. Note, though, that this year's version appears to be smaller than the one from last year, and less amenable to being used as a blanket-like shawl, one of the ways I use last year's scarf.

I also replaced quite a few items in my skincare routine. I've been using the CosRx BHA Skin Returning A-Sol and BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (Amazon is cheaper) for almost four weeks and three weeks, respectively, and I must say, I'm very impressed with both! Though I was a very old hand at using my former holy grail product, the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid, on top of other fairly harsh treatments like prescription Retin-A Micro 0.1%,  the Paula's Choice still irritated my skin sometimes, causing occasional breakouts. Not so with the CosRx. Although I was previously skeptical about the CosRx hype (there are times when the r/AsianBeauty community seems to over-hype certain trendy products), their BHAs have proven both gentle and effective. My skin still isn't perfect, but these products, used in combination, have yielded fairly quick and noticeable improvements in my acne. They also seem to noticeably improve my skin's overall appearance, which was not a benefit I saw with the Paula's Choice.

Fashion - (TOTAL: $49.50)

• Loft Chevron Sweater - $24.75 - Both of these sweaters run bigger than usual for Loft sizing and are designed to have a slouchy, relaxed fit that is definitely on the casual side of the business casual spectrum.  With this one, the relaxed fit would have been a surprise if I hadn't read the reviews. The picture on the website makes it look more fitted. This sweater is cut rather wide and flares down and out in an almost a-line shape and is wider than a similar design from, say, Madewell, might typically be. I think most people, especially those who are less busty than me, would want to size down, though I got my usual size S for that very "casual business casual" look I favor. 
• Loft Stitched Tunic Sweater - $24.75 - This design isn't cut quite as wide as as the Chevron sweater, but it has more of a a-line shape in back. The overall slouchy and slightly flared out shape is made to look more dramatic because of that side seam detail that curves toward the front. Note that the fabric is quite thin, and most people may think of this as a spring or fall sweater rather than one suitable for winter. (I don't mind that for my office-wear sweaters as I tend to layer my clothing the winter and wouldn't get cold regardless!) 

Off-Budget/Gifts 

• Tory Burch Jolie Riding Boot - This was purchased at 30% off retail during the Tory Burch friends and family sale a few weeks ago, which came around at just the right time to shop for my birthday. As I mentioned last month, I've owned my other pair of Madewell Archive (similar) riding boots for five years now,  and while they're still in great shape (with a few visits to the cobbler for reheeling and once for weatherproofing), I think I'd get much more wear out of a zip-on pair. These also have a sleeker, dressier look than the Archive boots. I do feel a bit sheepish about getting such a generous gift from my mom, and I do wonder if a deeper discount would have been available if I had waited to get these as a late Christmas gift instead.

Beauty and Skincare - (TOTAL: $61.99)

• CosRx BHA Skin Returning A-Sol - $13.45 - Other bloggers describe this, and other skincare products, much better than I ever could, by the way! I use this as the first step after washing and drying my face (often both morning and night, though sometimes just in the morning), before moving on to the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid. The actual concentration of BHA here is supposed to be quite low. The more prominent active ingredient is propolis. (I've previously used two different propolis serums that didn't do anything for my skin, so this is the best propolis product I've tried so far.) The A-Sol is a runny liquid that smells like tea-tree oil, which is also among the active ingredients, but in too low a concentration to be irritating.
• CosRx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (Amazon) - $17.00 - There seem to be at least two formulations out there, one that has a distinct smell and one that doesn't. (Either that, or at least half of users can't pick out the scent. I'm in that group.) Of the two CosRx BHA products I'm using, this one is supposed to be the real "workhorse" and the replacement for the Paula's Choice BHA Liquid. Please do introduce both of these products slowly if your skin is not used to BHA and other potentially harsh skincare products! I patch-tested both of these products for around two days before introducing them, once on my wrist, and then on my neck. I had been testing the A-Sol for a week before I started using this.
• CosRx AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid - $16.00 - I haven't gotten around to trying this product yet, so a review may come in the future. 
• Biore SaraSara UV Perfect Bright Face Milk - $7.30 - This used to be my holy grail sunscreen though, full disclosure, I think this may have been reformulated in the last year or so, or it no longer suits my skin as well. It's still good, but it doesn't absorb quite as quickly as it used to, and it sometimes leaves a white cast that takes 15 minutes or so to fade, which wasn't my experience before. 
• Biore Aqua Rich SaraSara SPF 50+ Gel - $8.24 - This is maybe my third time buying this product, and I use it occasionally, on and off. More people actually prefer this over the Biore face milks because it is a gel that goes on clear, and is easier to apply. I personally prefer opaque liquid "face milk" sunscreens to clear gels, even if it doesn't have a practical basis, but I occasionally go back to this. 

Linking up to Franish and the Budgeting Bloggers this month, as usual. Be sure to go check out wha everyone else bought this month!