Frankly, I’m the kind of gal that relies heavily on a good night’s sleep, so my nights out on the town are definitely numbered now that I can’t sleep in until noon. My borderline anti-social tendencies, however, do allow me to rely on the same two or three basic pieces every time I go out in public and need to look semi-presentable. Sadly, however, I’ve grown somewhat bored. With fall around the corner, it seems just the right time to add a little something new to the rotation.
So in an effort to widen my options, I’m always on the lookout for good deals on well-made, relatively simple clothing that will give me greater range, but still last into next season. That, of course, is why I have such a major girl crush on sites like Gilt Groupe, ideeli, and the Outnet.
While many of the sale prices presented on these outlets are still way out of most women’s budgets, every now and then you can find a price that you can justify by the quality and durability of the clothing and design.
Enter Shipley and Halmos’s Jansky dress, in a beautiful nude silk crepe, courtesy of Gilt Groupe.
Shipley and Halmos Silk Crepe Jensky Dress (Gilt Groupe, $149)
It’s exactly what I want and need and have to have for the end of summer and into the fall, and while I might ditch it over the coldest of months I can definitely see it making a major return in the spring.
Yes I know, $149 ain’t cheap, but it’s certainly better than the starting $434. For me, it’s worth that price due to the high quality of the materials and craftsmenship, the great fit I’ve experienced with the brand, the perfect color and cut (for me at least, although I’m not so sure about that model…), and the blank slate it offers for accessory play time. I’m not a romantic, but if I was this dress would be “the one.”
Assuming I can actually commit to the purchase (major buyer’s anxiety over here), there are about a thousand and one ways to wear this dress. I think it looks quite beautiful on its own with a pair of pumps, as shown above, but I can’t wait to try it with my riding boots and perhaps a fur vest over a September weekend in Manhattan.
That’s the beauty of a neutral, multi-season staple like this: no matter how your taste tilts, and no matter what trends are dictated from above, you’re ready for action.
I think it's better for everyone if it didn't say 'intern post' on the top. Apparently readers of this blog are incapable of being objective after reading 'intern'. Give Alison a break, geesh. Oh, and love the dress!
I think it's better for everyone if it didn't say 'intern post' on the top. Apparently readers of this blog are incapable of being objective after reading 'intern'. Give Alison a break, geesh. Oh, and love the dress!
But it looks like a sack! Why hide your adorable intern self in a shapeless bag????
Cute post, but incorrect use of phrase “girl crush,” which is when a straight girl has a crush on another girl, not a website.
Who exactly is the authority on the usage of girl crush? It's not in my AP Stylebook. Perhaps the young author was employing a little literary device we like to call “personification” by attributing gender identity to the websites, in which case I see no harm. On the other hand, maybe she did misuse the word, and I have a very difficult time believing anybody actually cares.
I also happen to love the dress. Wish there had been more styling suggestions, though.
Wow we do a lot of hating on interns!! I like the post, appreciate the use of “girl-crush,” and wish I had the figure to be able to wear this dress. And if this dress is in fact versatile, $149 is a great price. Says a student.
Love the dress myself….am considering getting one myself…if i can bring myself to part with the $149
The intern posts are boring. Bellllleeeeee, come back.
I thought it was Belle until I saw Alison's name at the bottom.
Cute dress – so versatile. 149 is so worth it when you wear it often – gotta love that cost per wear formula to rationalize fashion spending!
I wish all posts by interns didn't need to be titled “Intern Post.” We can see who's written them. Why can't we just let the interns be an integrated, esteemed part of CapHill Style?
PS… still don't like this dress.
Love the dress! I hope you buy it.
Can I offer a piece of writing advice? I think you take away from the clarity and power of your words when you overuse conversational interjections like “Frankly, …” or “Sadly, …”. (What's the actual name for that sort of thing? Any English majors out there?) You tend to use them a lot and – in my opinion – they don't work for you.
Suburban-
I tried that and people got upset that they didn't know that they were intern posts before they go to the bottom. I just can't win sometimes.
I don't just want to read descriptions of things you'd pair with the dress, I want to see pictures of what you'd wear with it!
I think it's better for everyone if it didn't say 'intern post' on the top. Apparently readers of this blog are incapable of being objective after reading 'intern'. Give Alison a break, geesh. Oh, and love the dress!
Victoria: the term you are trying to think of is “adverb.”
Signed,
Not an English major, but I passed 5th grade.
Well. I actually like this post, agree with most of the comments–but no need to be so harsh. Yes, girl crush does not mean crush on a Web site. Yes, examples of what to wear with the dress, like jewelry, shoes, etc. would be nice. I think people should post criticisms, because interns are trying to learn, I assume. But be nice! It's not like Belle ever uses commas correctly, but I don't see people blasting her!
I love this site. I love the intern posts, and Belle's posts. I do not love the comments. Try to remember that anonymity should not be a license to bitchiness.
I can see the point of this dress and the post (which is good). But to me the dress looks like a surgical scrub smock.
Dear e:
Plenty of people can speak the English language – and well – without remembering the names for parts of speech.
In other words? Don't be such a jerk.
Signed,
Not a jerk
Victoria: plenty of people who are not English majors know the basic parts of speech.
In other words, don't be condescending about a topic if you don't know as much about it as the average 10 year old.
Signed,
Not mean to the interns about words I don't know
Belle – you've done polls before. Can you please do a poll to see whether or not you should keep Intern Post or leave it? Maybe that would help?
Maybe instead of writing “intern post,” you could just write the intern's name in the title. That would clarify the author without opening the door for as much criticism. Another idea is to put the titles in a unique font for each author then only have the names at the bottom.
Sheesh! I guess internet people are jerks, no matter where you go.
Anyway, yeah, I know what an adverb is. (Oh noes! I didn't use perfect grammar in the previous sentence!) The idea I was trying to get at was the way Alison often starts sentences with them.
In any case, I certainly wasn't being mean. I'm glad Alison is writing here, I loved the dress she wrote about and I think she could improve the “punch” of her writing if she dropped that little habit.
This dress does NOT look like a burlap bag if you buy the right size….it is all how this photo has been shot. The model is too skinny for the dress and it's hanging on her. Not to mention she is really fair skinned. I bought this dress on Gilt in a size 4 and it fits perfect. It is the length of a mini skirt and lays nicely. You just need to steam it before wearing because the silk georgette wrinkles easily. I have nude platform pumps I will be wearing with it. My bf loves this dress!
And the people commenting on this board are pretty snobby and harsh. If something written by a “lowly” intern is beneath you then don't bother reading it. We all start somewhere.