PAG Lookbook - Crazy for Paisley

It's no secret that J.Crew petite sizing irks me. Numerous posts have been done showcasing the ill fit... the saggy City Pant and Wool Stretch Jacket in 0P on AlterationsNeeded, and the frump-a-licious Skimmer Pant in 00p on Pint-Sized Musings, just to name a few. Despite all the confirmation that J.Crew is not for tiny petites, silly me ended up impulsively buying a dress on final sale. But worry not ... a quick trip to Hemmingway Tailors was all it needed!

Revealing...the J.Crew Terra Paisley Dress, post-alterations:

Dress: J.Crew Terra Paisley Shift in P0 (alterations : straps shortened, sides taken in, hemmed)

Sweater: Aqua Kids cashmere bolero in girls sz L

Shoes: Aldo satin Arnoldoa pumps (sold here)

This dress has proven to be ridiculously versatile - it looks nice as a "skirt" when peeking out under a black cardigan or jacket, it's classy with heels for dinner, and chic for a night out when worn with ankle booties.

Shop this look in petite-friendly sizes:

The Bold Patterned Dress
I looked long and hard online and couldn't find anything similar to the above dress! Bummer : ( Some other picks, though:

1. Nanette Lepore Exotic Shift Dress in 0 - so $$, I can only dream!
2. Ann Taylor Petite Patterned Sheath Dresses (in leopard, graphic or pink floral) in 00P

I have never tried on anything from Lily Pulitzer so I can't attest to the sizing, but I have a sinking feeling that it's not petite-friendly. I usually do not care for their bright and busy garments, but I rather like this classic sheath with gold lace. Have any petites tried this brand in size 0?


The Kiddie-Department Shrug
1. Nordstrom Girls Bolero Sweater in L or XL
2. Flowers by Zoe L/S Shrug in L or XL (no large sizes left online, but check Bloomies in-store)

Click "Read More" for more pics.

PAG Lookbook - Oatmeal for Breakfast

Happy February! I am sad to announce that in the coming months, posting on PAG will be dwindling down significantly due to cramming for the CFA. One part down ... 2 more years to go (fingers crossed). If you are interested in staying up-to-date on new posts, please become a follower : ) A huge thank you to all my current readers for making blogging so fun and rewarding. I really appreciate the comments, tips, and advice from the petite online community...and am thrilled to see more petite blogs popping up!

Today's post is my everyday casual "uniform." Except maybe swap out the skinny jeans for "jeggings," but my bf detests those and rarely lets me out of the house in them. This oatmeal-colored wrap is my only piece from Vince - the maker of all things comfy and cashmere-y. Vince clothing in general is generously sized and not petite-friendly, but I've found that their thicker knit sweaters (with fold-able sleeve cuffs, like this one) in size XS fit okay for an "oversized" casual look.

 

Tank: F21 basic cami in S (sold here for $2.50)

Cardigan: Vince Cashmere Wrap in womens XS

Jeans: H&M Kids Skinny Jeans in sz 11/12

Pumps: Mossimo Nude pumps from Target in sz 5.5 (sold here)

Necklace: J.Crew Crystal Symphony necklace

Shop this look in petite-friendly sizes:

The Neutral-Colored Wrap Sweater

1. Old Navy Short Sleeve Belted Wrap Cardigan in "Earthly" sz XS

2. Ann Taylor LOFT Textured Wrap Cardigan in XXS

3. Armani Exchange Plaited Wrap Cardigan in XS. The cropped style looks extra petite-friendly!

The Dark Skinny Jean

1. PacSun Dark Skinny Jeans in 00 - a bargain at only $14.99. These run quite small...I needed a 0!

2. J.Brand 10" Skinny Jeans in 24. They are modeled in a post by AlterationsNeeded and look tiny.

3. True Religion Petite Stella Skinny Jeans in 24. The Stella or the Julie (with flap pockets) are my favorite skinny jeans ever. I own the kids Stella in a girls 12 but the snap button is a b**tch because it always comes unsnapped in public. A 31 inch "petite" inseam is still long, but I suppose these would look great cuffed.

The Nude Colored Almond-Toe Pump

1. Nine West Rocha Pumps in Tan - very popular based on reviews. Also saw them on eBay in sz 5!

2. Restricted Ashlee Pump in Cream 

3. Aldo Mid-Heel Suede Pump in Taupe - on major sale and perfect for lots of walking.

Skinny jeans aren't for everybody, but I love them for lengthening my short legs. Nude pumps also works wonders when worn with bare legs!

Click "Read More" for more pics.

Addendum: Ann Taylor Loot

There seems to be a lot of interest in AT's petite ruffled shell from a prior post, so I figured I'd share how it looks in a different color, worn with pants. Here it is in winter white (online exclusive color) in PXXS with my favorite Theory skinny work pants:

 

Don't forget EXTRA30! And in case you have trouble figuring out how to spend that $150 to get free shipping...I am in love with these pumps (doesn't the outfit above look better with a change of shoes? My black pointy pumps are so outdated!):

More colors here in leather. A 5.5 fit perfectly, but alas I returned them because I can get them at 40% off some other day. Every little bit of savings counts! Ann Taylor carries sizes 5 and 5.5 in store, too, unlike BR.

Review: J.Crew Cardigans - not all XS's created equal

After finding success with a J.Crew size XS cardigan from this post, I fell under the false impression that all of their sweaters would fit equally well in XS. I ordered a bunch online, looking for the word "fitted" under descriptions and scoped out all the model photos to see which sweaters seemed the most snug. I ended up with the following three:

*Warning - it was a frizzy hair day to say the least. I literally rolled out of bed and decided to start the day w/ some blogging pics*

1. First up, the dream crewneck cardigan in XS. $85 only $35 with EXTRA30 (extended til Sunday!). They really sold me on the product description, and I liked the unique exposed seaming at the arms and down the back. The sweater looks so snug on the online model - I was SURE it would fit great on petites.

Click for more info

In real life (hrmm, notice that the sweater kind of "gained 5 lbs" from the image above? As in, it looks wider and dumpier than the sleek sweater shown above?):

And on me:

Verdict: return. Too much baggage around the torso. Loose and long sleeves. A nice knit though, and some very pretty color options. Someone 1 size up would fit much better in this, especially if it shrinks a little in the wash.

Click "Read More" for more sweaters.

PAG Lookbook - Routine Ruffles

Okay, as you can tell by now I'm quite bad at thinking up "titles" for these outfit posts. Creative writing (and English in general) was clearly not my college major. What I was trying to convey was, this is my go-to routine outfit whenever I wake up with about 10 minutes to spare before having to hop on the subway. I dot on concealer, then slap on a soft ruffled top with a suiting skirt, and a cardigan. Basic, boring - but it gets the job done.

Top: Ann Taylor Ruffled Shell in "soft pewter," sz XXSP  - sold here; must search for additional colors. See the "winter white" version on me here.

Skirt: H&M suiting skirt size 4 (altered waist, sides, and length) - I really like this one. Also similar here. Theory one here - half off and left only in a size 0.

Cardigan: Banana Republic ruffled cardigan PXXS- sold here

Shoes and Earrings: Banana Republic

As always, don't forget to signup for store mailing lists or check retailmenot for coupon codes! I got my Ann Taylor shell for 30% off but they frequently have 40% off a single full-priced item coupons in store.

Click "Read More" for more pics.

The Verdict: J.Crew Petite size 0 (P0)

**This post has an update. View the dress post-alterations here.**

I was very excited for the arrival of my J.Crew goodies. My expectations were low, after the comments and input from this post, but needed to see for myself and put my curiosity to rest. I also wanted to see whether the fit could be correct by alterations, and if so, for how much $.

First up, the Terra Paisley dress in 0P. On the J.Crew model (left) and on me (right):

Side and back view:

 

Measurements: 16 inches across from armpit to armpit, 13.25 inches across the waist.

The fit was loose and blah, but it was not swimmingly huge like I had feared. A petite lady 1 or 2 sizes up from me could probably fit perfectly into this dress.  

When I took this to my tailor, she said it needed alterations in the following areas: straps shortened so that the neckline could move up (it was a little gaping), sides taken in, plus hem shortened slightly. Because there was a side zip and side pockets, she would have to take it in via the two back darts instead of the sides, thus shifting the symmetry of the dress. 

Loose arm holes:

 

Waist and torso about an inch or two too big:

Because this dress was silk and fully lined, the alterations were costly - about $50 total. With my discount this went down to $40, but still a lot for me to fork over for one dress that was pretty expensive to begin with. The dress was final sale (silly me) so I ended up going for the alterations. To make myself feel better about spending all that cash, I returned my Theory Chanesa Dress, since it was still hanging in my closet with tags and all.

Click "Read More" to see the fit of a J.Crew P0 blouse.

Review: Banana Republic Petite Silk Floral Tunic PXXS

Here's another quick review on a mediocre piece from boring ole Banana Republic. I need to stop hatin' on BR, because they have a pretty decent petite offering. I'm just itching for more variety in my work wardrobe. J.Crew - clean up your petite sizing act!

So I've been keeping my eyes peeled for an airy tunic to take me from Spring through Fall. I like tunics over white skinny jeans and flats in the summer, and over leggings year-round. I saw this one amongst Banana Republic's new arrivals a few weeks back and ordered when they were having a 30% off sale:

Click for more info

Details: I liked the little delicate pleats on the chest area, and the fact that it came with a nylon under-tank to help combat the sheerness.

Fit: the PXXS was cut pretty loose - but what did I expect from a non-stretch tunic? Measurements of Petite XXS: almost 17 inches from armpit to armpit, 22.5 inches across the bottom hem, 23" long sleeves, 25" total length.

Color/Pattern: The combination of colors (moss green, taupe-brown, and white) were also not as nice together in person as I had hoped. The pattern is a little busy, thus blurring any distinction between the torso and arms:

Back view:

Verdict: Return.

If I had the money to get alterations without discretion (which I don't), I would keep this tunic and have the torso slimmed. Since it's 100% silk, I estimate such an alteration would cost at least $20. Here it is again clipped back about 2-3 inches at the waist:

Other tunics I'm considering...
The Splurges:
1. This pretty Matisse Tunic from Ella Moss in XS. It's got a self-belt to help with sizing, but the sleeves may be too long.
2. Super darling tunic from Anthropologie in XS. 28 inches is long enough for me to don as a mini-dress with flats : )

The Steals:
1. Kohl's white cotton pintucked & ruffled tunic in Juniors Small; comes with braided belt.
2. Forever 21 Carolina Crochet Tunic in S. This color would not work on certain skin tones, but I do like the crochet detail and gathering. Oh, and this isn't really a tunic, but I love the print and color combination. I'd get the skirt hemmed to be of min-length: Forever 21 Artistic Peplum tunic.

PAG Lookbook - Jewels and Jacquard

Here's my first look for the "casual" files. Remember the GapKids skirt from this post? I've since come to love it, especially after getting it for another $10 off for a grand total of $17 ($6 of which was for shipping). I also accepted the fact that my little girls' size 12 days are over and ended up keeping the 14. This skirt is so easy to wear with a simple tank and longer cardigan.

Tank: H&M cotton tank sz 2

Sweater: J.Crew long cotton cardigan in XS (similar here on sale)(and belted version here)

Skirt: GapKids Brocade Mini sz 14 (sold here. I ordered mine "store to door" using the style # because my size was sold out online)

Necklace: J.Crew Crystal Necklace (I got mine at the outlet for $18. Please tell me how they are selling the same thing here for that ridiculous price)

Shoes: Aldo

Closeup of the skirt's pattern:

Another way to achieve this look is with a a pretty combo dress with a tank upper and brocade skirt. Aqua (Bloomingdales in-house brand) makes two really cute ones here and here (love, love the etched floral skirt). Also, is it my imagination or is this the same exact dress but under a different brand name? I wasn't aware that Aqua also make clothing for Nordies ...