Review: Petite Suiting Under $150 - Express 00 / 00 Short

Over the next month, I'll be doing a series of reviews on petite-friendly suiting at three different price points. I want readers to keep in mind, however, that the prices listed are full retail prices - and with all the coupons and promo codes at our fingertips these days, full price is almost a thing of the past. So although the title reads $150, this suit was (and can be) acquired for much less.

I debated between doing H&M or Express for the most affordable category, and ended up choosing the latter. Although H&M runs smaller (a 2 fits me perfectly) and is more affordable (full suit is around $80 retail), their suiting material is just downright cheap and wrinkles like none other (refer to a review by AlterationsNeeded). So when Express had a sale  -which happens frequently, by the way-  I ordered the following suit for the same price as an H&M one: 

Reviewing: Express Studio Stretch 1-Button Jacket in 00 ($98), and Editor Pants in 00 Short ($48), both in Medium Charcoal. 

Front and side views:

 

Flat-as-a-pancake-derriere view:

The butch n' sassy look:

Stock Photos:

Despite how bad the suit may look on me at first glance, the problem lies primarily in the fit of the pants. If you look again at the above photos, the tailoring of the jacket is not perfect, but the overall fit is actually quite slim. The sleeves would need to be shortened because it's not "petites," but that would be the only alteration for me. For the price that I paid, I have few complaints about the jacket.



The pants, on the other hand, are a whole other story. Alterations that would be needed: take-in waist, slim hips, slim legs, plus a hem. I had to triple check that they were the right size - a 00 short!

 

Temporary solution - binder clip nearly 2 inches from the back (of course actual alterations should be done via both sides of the waist due to the amount of fabric being taken in. Refer to my old post on altering waists):

Before (left) and After clipping (right):

Instantly looks much better, but a slimming of the legs would still be necessary to address the bumps of extra fabric under the crotch and at the knees. The length of the pants are also noticeably "shorter" since the waist is clipped into place, but someone my height would still need about two inches hemmed off the 00 Short (I am wearing 3.5 inch heels in the photo).

What a difference it makes to have a well-fitting pant. The entire suit instantly looks more pleasing to the eye due to the makeshift waist "alteration."

Revised front view, post waist-clipping:

In summary...

Pro's:
+ affordable
+ choice of basic colors plus seasonal ones
+ slim-fitting blazer
+ decent quality for the on-sale price
+ easy to purchase online with frequent sales & coupon codes. Check for Express coupons or sign up for their mailing list to get 15% off.

Con's:
- Size 00 Short Editor pants would require lots of alterations someone my size.
- Mis-matched proportions - size 00 blazer seems to run smaller than pants. 


Final Verdict:

A very affordable option for someone one size up from me. The blazer actually works on a petite my size, but the Editor pants needed too many alterations. I know ladies who swear by the Editor pant and own it in pretty much every color for work, so I was surprised at how bad the fit was on me.

*However* ...while shopping at my local Banana Republic, I was chatting with two of the sales associates who were 00P / PXXS's themselves (I should've handed out bloggy business cards : P ) and they mentioned that Express' Illustrator Pant in 00 Short runs small. I overlooked these my first time around, but there are quite a few online reviews from extra petite ladies that reaffirm the small fit of these pants.

I am curious: Have any petites tried the Illustrator pant, and if so, did the fit work for you?

Review: Petite Suiting Under $150 - Express 00 / 00 Short

Over the next month, I'll be doing a series of reviews on petite-friendly suiting at three different price points. I want readers to keep in mind, however, that the prices listed are full retail prices - and with all the coupons and promo codes at our fingertips these days, full price is almost a thing of the past. So although the title reads $150, this suit was (and can be) acquired for much less.

I debated between doing H&M or Express for the most affordable category, and ended up choosing the latter. Although H&M runs smaller (a 2 fits me perfectly) and is more affordable (full suit is around $80 retail), their suiting material is just downright cheap and wrinkles like none other (refer to a review by AlterationsNeeded). So when Express had a sale  -which happens frequently, by the way-  I ordered the following suit for the same price as an H&M one: 

Reviewing: Express Studio Stretch 1-Button Jacket in 00 ($98), and Editor Pants in 00 Short ($48), both in Medium Charcoal. 

Front and side views:

 

Flat-as-a-pancake-derriere view:

The butch n' sassy look:

Stock Photos:

Despite how bad the suit may look on me at first glance, the problem lies primarily in the fit of the pants. If you look again at the above photos, the tailoring of the jacket is not perfect, but the overall fit is actually quite slim. The sleeves would need to be shortened because it's not "petites," but that would be the only alteration for me. For the price that I paid, I have few complaints about the jacket.



The pants, on the other hand, are a whole other story. Alterations that would be needed: take-in waist, slim hips, slim legs, plus a hem. I had to triple check that they were the right size - a 00 short!

 

Temporary solution - binder clip nearly 2 inches from the back (of course actual alterations should be done via both sides of the waist due to the amount of fabric being taken in. Refer to my old post on altering waists):

Before (left) and After clipping (right):

Instantly looks much better, but a slimming of the legs would still be necessary to address the bumps of extra fabric under the crotch and at the knees. The length of the pants are also noticeably "shorter" since the waist is clipped into place, but someone my height would still need about two inches hemmed off the 00 Short (I am wearing 3.5 inch heels in the photo).

What a difference it makes to have a well-fitting pant. The entire suit instantly looks more pleasing to the eye due to the makeshift waist "alteration."

Revised front view, post waist-clipping:

In summary...

Pro's:
+ affordable
+ choice of basic colors plus seasonal ones
+ slim-fitting blazer
+ decent quality for the on-sale price
+ easy to purchase online with frequent sales & coupon codes. Check for Express coupons or sign up for their mailing list to get 15% off.

Con's:
- Size 00 Short Editor pants would require lots of alterations someone my size.
- Mis-matched proportions - size 00 blazer seems to run smaller than pants. 


Final Verdict:

A very affordable option for someone one size up from me. The blazer actually works on a petite my size, but the Editor pants needed too many alterations. I know ladies who swear by the Editor pant and own it in pretty much every color for work, so I was surprised at how bad the fit was on me.

*However* ...while shopping at my local Banana Republic, I was chatting with two of the sales associates who were 00P / PXXS's themselves (I should've handed out bloggy business cards : P ) and they mentioned that Express' Illustrator Pant in 00 Short runs small. I overlooked these my first time around, but there are quite a few online reviews from extra petite ladies that reaffirm the small fit of these pants.

I am curious: Have any petites tried the Illustrator pant, and if so, did the fit work for you?

Review: Ann Taylor Spring Tops in Petite XXS and XXS

There were lots of sales to be had on AnnTaylor.com last week, and I kind of went to town on petite tops for work. As soon as I thought I was done, they go ahead and have another big sale on "perfect pieces." AT, you're killing me! I'm oogling this pocketed dress from this week's sale:

Ribbon Front Shirtdress in 00P, $138 just $62.65 after sale and SHOP30

Two more picks in size 00P: The Perfect Button-Up $68 is now $35 with SHOP30. The Ponte Pencil Skirt $78 in black or charcoal is also just $35 with SHOP30. I actually have little experience with Ann Taylor's 00P, but I assume that it fits similar to Banana Republic?

Apparently I made several mistakes last week while ordering online and didn't get a few things I "thought" I ordered, instead getting the same blouse in the same color twice. Oh well. I'll start with the good ...

1. Ann Taylor Cut-in ruffle shell in Petite XXS, was $48 before discounts and coupons:

On me in "Soft Ribbon" :

Pants: Theory "Mark B" sz 00; hemmed and legs slimmed throughout (were wide-leg)

Pros: Fabric was drapey and fit as expected.

Cons: Fabric (rayon/spandex mix) seems pilling-prone again. 100% polyester neck and ruffle detailing causes mad static every time I pulled it over my head. Thinner material showed bra lines, but I probably just need more seamless bras.

Verdict: Keep.

The okay...

2. Ann Taylor Petite Silk Perfect Shell in PXXS, $58 before discounts and coupons:

On me in "Lavender Oil":

On me in "Dusty Mauve" :

I love silk blouses for work and have been looking for a "perfect" silk shell. Unfortunately silk is tricky for petites because it has little stretch and is usually cut to drape more generously. It also costs more to alter.

Pros: Pretty colors and slightly stretchy material. Contoured seams on both sides. A petite one size up from me should fit perfectly into the PXXS. It's on sale this week, too, for only $35 after SHOP30.

Cons: Armholes too loose (16" measured from armpit to armpit), and length (22") too long on me. Also looks funky tucked into pants, but would probably fare better tucked into high-waisted skirts.

Verdict: Don't want to spend $ on alterations...return. But again, would probably look nice on someone a little bigger.


And the bad experiment...

3.  Ann Taylor Cotton / Modal Tee with Chiffon Trim in womens XXS, was $38 before discounts and coupons.

This shirt was sold out in PXXS and PXS in every color (back in stock, though!). I thought it would be a great basic so I took a leap and ordered it in womens XXS. After all, it's just a stretchy knit top...so I expected it to just be a little long.

On me in Womens XXS in "Pale Iris" :

Pros: Comfy, smooth material with lots of stretch. Pretty satin trim.

Cons: Looks awful on me above, but I can't fairly judge since I didn't order from the petites department. Crazy, though, how generous an "XXS" can be these days ... I've definitely tried on womens Smalls in other brands that don't fit nearly this big!

Verdict: Return. May re-order in petite XXS now that it's back online.

Review: Ann Taylor Spring Tops in Petite XXS and XXS

There were lots of sales to be had on AnnTaylor.com last week, and I kind of went to town on petite tops for work. As soon as I thought I was done, they go ahead and have another big sale on "perfect pieces." AT, you're killing me! I'm oogling this pocketed dress from this week's sale:

Ribbon Front Shirtdress in 00P, $138 just $62.65 after sale and SHOP30

Two more picks in size 00P: The Perfect Button-Up $68 is now $35 with SHOP30. The Ponte Pencil Skirt $78 in black or charcoal is also just $35 with SHOP30. I actually have little experience with Ann Taylor's 00P, but I assume that it fits similar to Banana Republic?

Apparently I made several mistakes last week while ordering online and didn't get a few things I "thought" I ordered, instead getting the same blouse in the same color twice. Oh well. I'll start with the good ...

1. Ann Taylor Cut-in ruffle shell in Petite XXS, was $48 before discounts and coupons:

On me in "Soft Ribbon" :

Pants: Theory "Mark B" sz 00; hemmed and legs slimmed throughout (were wide-leg)

Pros: Fabric was drapey and fit as expected.

Cons: Fabric (rayon/spandex mix) seems pilling-prone again. 100% polyester neck and ruffle detailing causes mad static every time I pulled it over my head. Thinner material showed bra lines, but I probably just need more seamless bras.

Verdict: Keep.

The okay...

2. Ann Taylor Petite Silk Perfect Shell in PXXS, $58 before discounts and coupons:

On me in "Lavender Oil":

On me in "Dusty Mauve" :

I love silk blouses for work and have been looking for a "perfect" silk shell. Unfortunately silk is tricky for petites because it has little stretch and is usually cut to drape more generously. It also costs more to alter.

Pros: Pretty colors and slightly stretchy material. Contoured seams on both sides. A petite one size up from me should fit perfectly into the PXXS. It's on sale this week, too, for only $35 after SHOP30.

Cons: Armholes too loose (16" measured from armpit to armpit), and length (22") too long on me. Also looks funky tucked into pants, but would probably fare better tucked into high-waisted skirts.

Verdict: Don't want to spend $ on alterations...return. But again, would probably look nice on someone a little bigger.


And the bad experiment...

3.  Ann Taylor Cotton / Modal Tee with Chiffon Trim in womens XXS, was $38 before discounts and coupons.

This shirt was sold out in PXXS and PXS in every color (back in stock, though!). I thought it would be a great basic so I took a leap and ordered it in womens XXS. After all, it's just a stretchy knit top...so I expected it to just be a little long.

On me in Womens XXS in "Pale Iris" :

Pros: Comfy, smooth material with lots of stretch. Pretty satin trim.

Cons: Looks awful on me above, but I can't fairly judge since I didn't order from the petites department. Crazy, though, how generous an "XXS" can be these days ... I've definitely tried on womens Smalls in other brands that don't fit nearly this big!

Verdict: Return. May re-order in petite XXS now that it's back online.