Ann Taylor Loft In-Store Review

Inspired by other petite bloggers' in-store picture taking and then sharing their reviews on items, I have decided to follow suit and am posting a few reviews based on my trip to Ann Taylor Loft yesterday.  Some of these you might have already seen on Really Petite's blog (here)

Printed Sheath Dress, Sz 00P - I can't find this online, but I think the price was $59.99 and you can take an additional 40% off.  As you can see from the picture above and a few below, this dress was a bit snug on me in the waist, and then there's this inexplicable bubble-butt thing happening that makes this dress a no.

Paired with a linen nautical looking jacket, also unavailable online that was a definite no - fit too boxy and just wrong!  This jacket, I believe, was also on sale for around $50, and with an additional 40% off.

Sorry for the bad picture, but you can likely see the extra material above the derriere that I must not have the backside to fill out, or because it was so snug at the waist, it created this effect rather than hanging as it should.

Floral Sheath Dress, Sz 0P (find it here) - I fell in love with this dress when Annie reviewed it (and thought it looked fabulous on her) and was happy to see it was on sale and an additional 40% off.  Here are the fitting room pictures - I think it actually looks a bit better than depicted below, but I'm open to thoughts on whether this one is a keeper.  I bought it and want to try it with a few other things and with a belt like it's modeled on the website.  It came out to around $36 - is it worth it?

Paired here with the scuba jacket (Sz 0 Reg) that was reviewed by both Jean and Annie.  Clearly the jacket is a bad fit, but I ordered this through a LOFT in Chicago store in both 0P and 00P and we'll see what comes of it.  This jacket is also on sale and eligible for the 40% off.

Woven Ruffle Neck Dress, Sz 0P, I think (find it here) - I love this dress and will definitely keep my eye on it.  It's an all in one type deal where you've not only got the ruffled white sleeveless, but also the rusched linen beige skirt!  It's currently $89, and even with my 20% off card, I just couldn't justify the purchase.

Zip Pocket Sleeveless Dress, sz 0P (find it here) - Annie reviewed this as well and was swimming in it.  I wish I could say the same case applies to me, but no, this just looked terrible - the elastic waist does not hang on me like it does on the model.  I guess you could say that perhaps a size up would change things, but my guess is that the top would then be too big.  I'm beginning to think this dress just doesn't work for petites, but I hope someone can prove me wrong!

Faux Wrap Shirtdress, Sz 0P (find it here) - This dress looks amazing on the model on the website and had I seen this, I would have purchased it online.  Luckily, I tried this on in the store and this just looks awful.  Not at all flattering.  Again, perhaps a size up would have worked, I don't know - but the shoulders already seemed a bit wide for my frame.  This was a definite no for me...if only I looked like the model!!  I'd love to see this on other petites as I'm sure my body-type does this dress no justice.

Floral print tops, both Sz XXSP & Polished Denim Pencil Skirt, Sz 00P (find skirt here) - Okay, I'm normally not an XXSP nor a 00P, nor am I trying to make myself believe that I am!  The sizes I grabbed in this case were due purely to availability.  The first floral print top, that Jean posted about a month back (here), is now a total steal (with the 40% off, came out to less than $5).  The second top has a cute ribbon tie in the back in a contrasting black color that will likely pair nicely with black trousers.  Though the skirt sits higher on the waist than probably intended, I think the smaller size in this skirt works - believe me, if they the 0P in the store, I would've tried that on and likely have bought it instead, but I do like that this skirt becomes higher waisted and fits throughout the hips.  What do you think?  Too tight?  Too short? 


Antique Floral Print Pencil Skirt, Sz 0P (find here) - I don't know why the LOFT calls this a pencil skirt.  It does not hug the body at all like a pencil skirt should and actually has this extra material around the belly area that looks plain awful (as least on me).  I did notice that on the model, the skirt sits higher, perhaps had I hiked the skirt up about an inch to my natural waist, this would have looked better, but there is something about this skirt that just ain't right - the placement of the patterns also make the belly area look bigger (which in my case is certainly something I do not want happening!).  Annie seemed to also have issues with the fit of the skirt - could this again be a miss for all petites, or will others have better luck with this one?

So, at the end of the day, I took home the Floral Sheath dress, 2 floral sleeveless tops, the denim pencil skirt, and I have on order, the Scuba jacket in 0P & 00P - we shall see how that turns out!

Please post comments and be honest - you're doing me a favor if you tell me something needs to go back!

Coming up...I've come to realize that my shopping behavior can best be characterized as bulimic.  This past month of returning to shopping after a year of fasting has led to extreme binging.  I've decided that some purging is in order, and I may decide to use this next month to abstain from shopping and get use of all the new items in my closet, while also picking off those items that are either too small, out of style, or just not necessary for my lifestyle.  As I pick off items, I will post about them, and if anyone is interested in them, I'm happy to give them away (as long as people are willing to pay for shipping).  If you think of it, please share about my blog, as I'd love for others to benefit from items that I no longer need/fit into.  Stay tuned!