I can’t say enough about Matilda Jane, certainly not in one blog entry, so hopefully those who want to hear it all will eventually be able to plug “Matilda Jane” into my search box and see lots of stuff.  But this season’s “Happy Hearts” top is a great place to start.  Somewhat of a dark horse, this top did not sell out right away – and yet it’s fantastic for summer!

The Outfit:

• Matilda Jane “Happy Hearts” top, runs TTS (true to size); current line
• Pastel Bennies (the blue leggings): older line, wore as pants last fall and winter, now wearing as capri’s
• Pink Snow Cone Leggings:  older line, bought off Ebay, go with everything.

Why The (MJ) Love:

Here’s the thing about Matilda Jane:  You just can’t beat the fabric.  There’s something about it – it never pills, never fades, and it just feels SO soft.  MJ does a good job of making only limited quantities of each item, so their pieces hold resale value like none other.  I once made $46 back on a dress and stockings set I paid $67 for brand new, even though there was a hole in the stocking and a chocolate ice cream stain on the dress!  You can see the completed Ebay auction here.

The other thing about MJ is that they’ve somehow managed to make play clothes special.  As much as I die over Persnickety and Janie & Jack, you just can’t wear that stuff every day.  You have to slightly cringe as it wrinkles when you buckle it into a car seat, and the newer J&J lines especially are just too stiff to be playable.  MJ is soft and its movement is a huge part of its charm – that’s why you’ll hear so many diehard MJ fans say they never thought they liked it until they saw it in person.

More On the Happy Hearts Top:

This top was easy to overlook because it’s somewhat simple but it’s actually just perfect.  It goes with everything by managing to incorporate lots of colors in a print that still looks fantastic.  It’s also ultra lightweight and breezy so I can tell it will be a go-to once the real summer heat gets rolling.  And again it moves beautifully, which is impossible to capture on film.  It’s a very simple but classically great MJ piece.