Quest for a Classic Red Pencil Skirt

After seeing these beauties on Anh and Elle, I toyed with the thought of getting my own classic red pencil skirt. In China, red symbolizes luck, so I'd finally have something to wear for future lunar new years (I always forget the red undies on that day : / ).

First I got the same Ann Taylor one that Elle has. Sz 0P was the smallest in store, and it was on clearance, but still $40 and required slimming and hem alterations. The material was so stretchy and comfortable, but I wasn't gung ho about spending $65+ on it.

Whoopsies, sorry for the obnoxious "watermark." I hemmed and hawed over this skirt, then magically came across a red 100% wool Petite Sophisticate (RIP) one at my favorite thrift store, Savers (thank you again Kerry for sharing about this lovely chain of thrift store that sorts items by size), for a more wallet-friendly $7.

The skirt felt crisp and new, but upon further inspection, I noticed a splotchy stain on the front. Yuck! "Okay...it's a no...time to go..." Poor Nick was getting itchy from the thrift store and I could see he was hungering for Taco Bell (a typical reward for his patience during my thrifting), so I had to leave it behind.

A week later I was still thinking about it. You know those things that you leave behind and keep on wondering..."what if?" ...well, I realized it's not worth losing sleep over when it costs $7. So back we went. I asked for a discount due to le stain and they kindly reduced it to $4. Score! Here it is post-alterations:

Skirt + hemming + waist taken in + dry cleaning = $29. Not bad for this vibrant skirt. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end happily here because they made it much too small. My intestines were smooshed, so I had to go back and do what I despise: bravely asking for re-alterations. It's always stressful doing this, because tailors will rarely admit that they didn't do a great job.

Alas, I just got this back from re-alterations, and the waist now fits perfectly but the hips puff out strangely (these pics were taken pre-2nd alteration, so you can't see the puff). I wish my tailors took a little extra time in pinning it but they claim they "know" my body now and were a bit hasty. So now I need to muster up the courage and get it fixed yet again.

Skirt: Petite Sophisticate sz 2P, thrifted and altered (similar)

Top: Converse for Target Chambray Shirt, sz XS (slimmed)

Shoes: Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps in Saddle Brown sz 5 (use FRIENDSFB for 30% off)

Belt: came w/these Forever 21 Woven Shorts sz XS Necklace: Target

On another note, if you haven't come across new blogger and YouTuber Wendy's Lookbook yet, prepare to be completely hooked. Thank you dear bloggy friends AprilAthena and DSKSteph for telling me about Wendy. She has an infectious personality, and I'm pretty certain she's on an accelerated path to become the next big YT "guru." I've taken notes aplenty from her styling tips, starting with this 25 (24?) ways to wear a scarf video.

Readers - have you ever received unsatisfactory alterations? Do you sadly suck it up, or go back and demand re-alterations?

Quest for a Classic Red Pencil Skirt

After seeing these beauties on Anh and Elle, I toyed with the thought of getting my own classic red pencil skirt. In China, red symbolizes luck, so I'd finally have something to wear for future lunar new years (I always forget the red undies on that day : / ).

First I got the same Ann Taylor one that Elle has. Sz 0P was the smallest in store, and it was on clearance, but still $40 and required slimming and hem alterations. The material was so stretchy and comfortable, but I wasn't gung ho about spending $65+ on it.

Whoopsies, sorry for the obnoxious "watermark." I hemmed and hawed over this skirt, then magically came across a red 100% wool Petite Sophisticate (RIP) one at my favorite thrift store, Savers (thank you again Kerry for sharing about this lovely chain of thrift store that sorts items by size), for a more wallet-friendly $7.

The skirt felt crisp and new, but upon further inspection, I noticed a splotchy stain on the front. Yuck! "Okay...it's a no...time to go..." Poor Nick was getting itchy from the thrift store and I could see he was hungering for Taco Bell (a typical reward for his patience during my thrifting), so I had to leave it behind.

A week later I was still thinking about it. You know those things that you leave behind and keep on wondering..."what if?" ...well, I realized it's not worth losing sleep over when it costs $7. So back we went. I asked for a discount due to le stain and they kindly reduced it to $4. Score! Here it is post-alterations:

Skirt + hemming + waist taken in + dry cleaning = $29. Not bad for this vibrant skirt. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end happily here because they made it much too small. My intestines were smooshed, so I had to go back and do what I despise: bravely asking for re-alterations. It's always stressful doing this, because tailors will rarely admit that they didn't do a great job.

Alas, I just got this back from re-alterations, and the waist now fits perfectly but the hips puff out strangely (these pics were taken pre-2nd alteration, so you can't see the puff). I wish my tailors took a little extra time in pinning it but they claim they "know" my body now and were a bit hasty. So now I need to muster up the courage and get it fixed yet again.

Skirt: Petite Sophisticate sz 2P, thrifted and altered (similar)

Top: Converse for Target Chambray Shirt, sz XS (slimmed)

Shoes: Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps in Saddle Brown sz 5 (use FRIENDSFB for 30% off)

Belt: came w/these Forever 21 Woven Shorts sz XS   Necklace: Target

On another note, if you haven't come across new blogger and YouTuber Wendy's Lookbook yet, prepare to be completely hooked. Thank you dear bloggy friends AprilAthena and DSKSteph for telling me about Wendy. She has an infectious personality, and I'm pretty certain she's on an accelerated path to become the next big YT "guru." I've taken notes aplenty from her styling tips, starting with this 25 (24?) ways to wear a scarf video.

Readers - have you ever received unsatisfactory alterations? Do you sadly suck it up, or go back and demand re-alterations?

Review: Asos Petite Tailored Pencil Sheath Dress

**Update: Check your email today for a 20% off code! If you're not an email subscriber, sign up and possibly ask Customer Service if you can have a code (they've been great to me). The red dress is back in stock in Petite 0!**

I'll cut to the chase. I love this dress. It's not a high quality garment and the length on me requires hemming, but the silhouette makes me feel so ladylike. As soon as I zipped up the snug torso, I knew it was a keeper. I envision it with bold necklaces and cropped little jackets.

Dress: ASOS Tailored Pencil Dress in sz US Petite 0, Red (?)
Buy here in petite (also in black and cobalt) or here in regular (on sale).

When I saw that this dress was titled "in the style of Lady Gaga," I was apprehensive that there would be some whacky feature to it like an exaggerated poofy skirt. After careful inspection...I don't see anything Gaga-ish. I would see this more on someone polished like fellow petite Eva Longoria.

Sizing: Asos UK sz Petite 4 = US Petite 0 = H&M sz 2. The Petite 0 I ordered definitely fits smaller than sz 00P / XXSP from the typical petite favorite brands like Ann Taylor, LOFT, and BR.

Fit: This dress is cut narrow in the torso/waist, and has pleated full tulip hips. When zipped up, the US sz 1 on me has no room to spare at the chest and waist, but still a few inches of space at the hips. The bottom opening for the legs is narrow. Even with the slit, it's a snug fit past my hips when putting it on. Length on me hits right at the knee. I want to shorten it about 2 inches, but then the back slit would look funky and truncated. Woe is me.

Measurements: US sz Petite 0 measures 14.75" from armpit to armpit, 12" across the waist, 17.5" across the hips at the widest point, 13-14" across the bottom leg opening, 14" from top of shoulder to waistline, 33" total length down the back center.

 Front and back, inside out (click to enlarge):

Quality: The material feels like a thin, smooth suiting material with a tiny bit of stretch. It is 100% polyester (machine washable), unlined, and the zipper feels kind of cheap. I wore it for a few hours and it didn't wrinkle. Price seems steep for the quality, but to me it's a fair price for a pretty sheath dress that requires minimal alterations.

Shopping Experience: Free shipping and free returns = happy me. Shipping is now tracked, which is great because I know that used to be the main complaint with ASOS orders. My order this time came from Atlanta, GA (versus the UK, like last time) and took about 5 business days to get here.

Colors: Currently, this dress is only offered in Black, Blue, Cafe Creme, and Red for petite sizing. The Cafe Creme is a light blush pink and kind of looks nude on me because I'm so darn pale right now. The strange thing is, I also ordered Red (it looks like a vibrant cherry red on the website) but I was sent an entirely different color. The one I received is a burnt sienna-coral-ish color, and looks just like "Firebrick" from their regular sizing. I'm confused because I don't even see that color as an option for petite sizing! So if you order Red ... you may receive Red, or you may not.

Dress: ASOS Tailored Pencil Dress in sz US Petite 0, Cafe Creme
 Buy here in petite, here in regular (on sale), or here in linen. 

Verdict: Keeping both. A rarity for me at this price. I know many of you probably find the Cafe Creme to be terribly unflattering against my skin tone, but I'm going to save it for when I'm tan.

I highly recommend this dress, but it can definitely be hit or miss depending on your body shape. I want to emphasize the narrowly-cut torso and tulip-style hips. If your chest is any larger than mine (I'm wearing a 32A with this dress) then I'd recommend sizing up.

Readers - what do you think of this dress? Did any of you pick it up?

Review: Asos Petite Tailored Pencil Sheath Dress

**Update: Check your email today for a 20% off code! If you're not an email subscriber, sign up and possibly ask Customer Service if you can have a code (they've been great to me). The red dress is back in stock in Petite 0!**

I'll cut to the chase. I love this dress. It's not a high quality garment and the length on me requires hemming, but the silhouette makes me feel so ladylike. As soon as I zipped up the snug torso, I knew it was a keeper. I envision it with bold necklaces and cropped little jackets.

Dress: ASOS Tailored Pencil Dress in sz US Petite 0, Red (?)
Buy here in petite (also in black and cobalt) or here in regular (on sale).

When I saw that this dress was titled "in the style of Lady Gaga," I was apprehensive that there would be some whacky feature to it like an exaggerated poofy skirt. After careful inspection...I don't see anything Gaga-ish. I would see this more on someone polished like fellow petite Eva Longoria.

Sizing: Asos UK sz Petite 4 = US Petite 0 = H&M sz 2. The Petite 0 I ordered definitely fits smaller than sz 00P / XXSP from the typical petite favorite brands like Ann Taylor, LOFT, and BR.

Fit: This dress is cut narrow in the torso/waist, and has pleated full tulip hips. When zipped up, the US sz 1 on me has no room to spare at the chest and waist, but still a few inches of space at the hips. The bottom opening for the legs is narrow. Even with the slit, it's a snug fit past my hips when putting it on. Length on me hits right at the knee. I want to shorten it about 2 inches, but then the back slit would look funky and truncated. Woe is me.

Measurements: US sz Petite 0 measures 14.75" from armpit to armpit, 12" across the waist, 17.5" across the hips at the widest point, 13-14" across the bottom leg opening, 14" from top of shoulder to waistline, 33" total length down the back center.

 Front and back, inside out (click to enlarge):

Quality: The material feels like a thin, smooth suiting material with a tiny bit of stretch. It is 100% polyester (machine washable), unlined, and the zipper feels kind of cheap. I wore it for a few hours and it didn't wrinkle. Price seems steep for the quality, but to me it's a fair price for a pretty sheath dress that requires minimal alterations.

Shopping Experience: Free shipping and free returns = happy me. Shipping is now tracked, which is great because I know that used to be the main complaint with ASOS orders. My order this time came from Atlanta, GA (versus the UK, like last time) and took about 5 business days to get here.

Colors: Currently, this dress is only offered in Black, Blue, Cafe Creme, and Red for petite sizing. The Cafe Creme is a light blush pink and kind of looks nude on me because I'm so darn pale right now. The strange thing is, I also ordered Red (it looks like a vibrant cherry red on the website) but I was sent an entirely different color. The one I received is a burnt sienna-coral-ish color, and looks just like "Firebrick" from their regular sizing. I'm confused because I don't even see that color as an option for petite sizing! So if you order Red ... you may receive Red, or you may not.

Dress: ASOS Tailored Pencil Dress in sz US Petite 0, Cafe Creme
 Buy here in petite, here in regular (on sale), or here in linen. 

Verdict: Keeping both. A rarity for me at this price. I know many of you probably find the Cafe Creme to be terribly unflattering against my skin tone, but I'm going to save it for when I'm tan.

I highly recommend this dress, but it can definitely be hit or miss depending on your body shape. I want to emphasize the narrowly-cut torso and tulip-style hips. If your chest is any larger than mine (I'm wearing a 32A with this dress) then I'd recommend sizing up.

Readers - what do you think of this dress? Did any of you pick it up?

BB Dakota Groton Tweed Skirt & 20% off Chanel Sale

I've gotten many questions regarding a skirt on my sidebar, so I apologize for this past-due review. Unfortunately, size 0 is sold out on most sites, but it could pop back in stock or even show up on a sample site (got mine from Gilt). My photog was out of commission today, so here are my first ever-attempts at self-photography. It's darn hard!

Top: Ann Taylor Factory Petal Shell in Winter White, sz XXSP

Skirt: BB Dakota "Groton" Tweed Skirt sz 0 (buy here)
Cardigan: Martin & Osa sz XS (similar here in XXS on sale)
Belt: AT Perfect Patent Belt sz S (buy here) (hole-puncher info here)

Style: The style of this skirt is meant to be high-waisted and short, with a slight tulip poof. This really isn't a skirt for professional wear due to the length - more fun and flirty. Nevertheless, I've worn it to work a few times already over opaque tights, which makes it look less inappropriate. I wish I could find a skirt like this with a classic pencil silhouette.

Fit: I got the size 0, and the waist fits me perfectly with no alterations. There is an inch of room on both sides of the hips, but due to the style I think it's passable. Length hits me at mid-thigh. Aubrey from ProudyPetite is slightly bigger than me, and reviewed this skirt here.

Measurements: size 0 is 12" across the waist, 17" across the widest part of the hips, and 16.5" long.

Quality / Value: The tweed material (or is this technically called boucle?) is nice and thick, but I'm bummed that this skirt is unlined. I'm not sure how the decision was made to not line an itchy skirt that retails for $90! I got it for $40 on Gilt plus shipping, and was too lazy to return it. The lowest price I've seen was $26.99 on Modcloth.

Verdict: Like the material, but don't like the silhouette or length. I already wore it a few times so I'm keeping. I'm not sure if I'd buy from BB Dakota anymore because the style and cut are truly that of a junior's clothing line - good for casual wear but not for work.

My perfect pumps arrived last week along with my Ann Taylor Factory petal shells. Twitter friends saw a preview, but here they are again. The petals are washed out in my lackluster self-pics, but in-person they are very pretty as expected. The shoes are also a nice, neutral rich brown - looks identical to their Cognac pair from 2009. Size 5 fits me perfectly.

Shoes: Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps in Saddle Brown, sz 5 (buy here)

I also wanted to share a promo that I came across on the Purse Forum. Bloomingdales usually offers a small discount off your entire purchase, on the first day you open their store credit card. Usually this discount is 10%, sometimes it's 15%, and twice a year - it is 20% off. It's rumored that from March 10th-13th, 2011 the 20% off will be happening. This is a rare, rare opportunity to get a discount on brand new Chanel.

The discount is taken off the back-end, which means it shows up on your credit card statement. At the register, however, you will be charged the full price. Your entire purchase has to be made on a Bloomingdales credit card to get the discount. Intrigued, I called around to do some research, and this is what I found out:

- 2011 retail prices: Rectangular Wallet on Chain - $1295 to $1575, Petite Shopping Tote - $1600, Small Classic Flap - $3200, Medium Classic Flap - $3400, Jumbo Classic Flap - $3700. Nauseating, yes I know.
- There are only three Bloomingdales that carry Chanel: South Coast Plaza in CA (714-824-4721), New York City (212-705-2856), and Chestnut Hill in MA (617-630-6723). They usually only have classics in black or beige, so no fun colors.
- They can ship to any state in the US. Some SA's told me it's a $25 fee, and some told me it's free.
- Tax will be charged based on the shipping address. I was told tax will be charged regardless of whether or not there is a Bloomingdales store in your state, which doesn't seem right to me.
- Usually they give new cardholders a $500 credit limit. Your SA can help you request a limit increase the day you open your account.
- On March 10-11th, cardholders get triple rewards (9% of your spending back in gift cards).

I personally prefer to save $ and buy pre-owned, but the prices of pre-owned classics these days are sometimes almost comparable to a new one with this discount. I know a few bloggers have been bitten by the Chanel bug, so hopefully this info is helpful for those considering a new investment piece.

BB Dakota Groton Tweed Skirt & 20% off Chanel Sale

I've gotten many questions regarding a skirt on my sidebar, so I apologize for this past-due review. Unfortunately, size 0 is sold out on most sites, but it could pop back in stock or even show up on a sample site (got mine from Gilt). My photog was out of commission today, so here are my first ever-attempts at self-photography. It's darn hard!

Top: Ann Taylor Factory Petal Shell in Winter White, sz XXSP

Skirt: BB Dakota "Groton" Tweed Skirt sz 0 (buy here)
Cardigan: Martin & Osa sz XS (similar here in XXS on sale)
Belt: AT Perfect Patent Belt sz S (buy here) (hole-puncher info here)

Style: The style of this skirt is meant to be high-waisted and short, with a slight tulip poof. This really isn't a skirt for professional wear due to the length - more fun and flirty. Nevertheless, I've worn it to work a few times already over opaque tights, which makes it look less inappropriate. I wish I could find a skirt like this with a classic pencil silhouette.

Fit: I got the size 0, and the waist fits me perfectly with no alterations. There is an inch of room on both sides of the hips, but due to the style I think it's passable. Length hits me at mid-thigh. Aubrey from ProudyPetite is slightly bigger than me, and reviewed this skirt here.

Measurements: size 0 is 12" across the waist, 17" across the widest part of the hips, and 16.5" long.

Quality / Value: The tweed material (or is this technically called boucle?) is nice and thick, but I'm bummed that this skirt is unlined. I'm not sure how the decision was made to not line an itchy skirt that retails for $90! I got it for $40 on Gilt plus shipping, and was too lazy to return it. The lowest price I've seen was $26.99 on Modcloth.

Verdict: Like the material, but don't like the silhouette or length. I already wore it a few times so I'm keeping. I'm not sure if I'd buy from BB Dakota anymore because the style and cut are truly that of a junior's clothing line - good for casual wear but not for work.

My perfect pumps arrived last week along with my Ann Taylor Factory petal shells. Twitter friends saw a preview, but here they are again. The petals are washed out in my lackluster self-pics, but in-person they are very pretty as expected. The shoes are also a nice, neutral rich brown - looks identical to their Cognac pair from 2009. Size 5 fits me perfectly.

Shoes: Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps in Saddle Brown, sz 5 (buy here)

I also wanted to share a promo that I came across on the Purse Forum. Bloomingdales usually offers a small discount off your entire purchase, on the first day you open their store credit card. Usually this discount is 10%, sometimes it's 15%, and twice a year - it is 20% off. It's rumored that from March 10th-13th, 2011 the 20% off will be happening. This is a rare, rare opportunity to get a discount on brand new Chanel.

The discount is taken off the back-end, which means it shows up on your credit card statement. At the register, however, you will be charged the full price. Your entire purchase has to be made on a Bloomingdales credit card to get the discount. Intrigued, I called around to do some research, and this is what I found out:

- 2011 retail prices: Rectangular Wallet on Chain - $1295 to $1575, Petite Shopping Tote - $1600, Small Classic Flap - $3200, Medium Classic Flap - $3400, Jumbo Classic Flap - $3700. Nauseating, yes I know.
- There are only three Bloomingdales that carry Chanel: South Coast Plaza in CA (714-824-4721), New York City (212-705-2856), and Chestnut Hill in MA (617-630-6723). They usually only have classics in black or beige, so no fun colors.
- They can ship to any state in the US. Some SA's told me it's a $25 fee, and some told me it's free.
- Tax will be charged based on the shipping address. I was told tax will be charged regardless of whether or not there is a Bloomingdales store in your state, which doesn't seem right to me.
- Usually they give new cardholders a $500 credit limit. Your SA can help you request a limit increase the day you open your account.
- On March 10-11th, cardholders get triple rewards (9% of your spending back in gift cards).

I personally prefer to save $ and buy pre-owned, but the prices of pre-owned classics these days are sometimes almost comparable to a new one with this discount. I know a few bloggers have been bitten by the Chanel bug, so hopefully this info is helpful for those considering a new investment piece.

J.Crew Petite Items - Fit Reference Guide for the Extra Petite

Are you a tiny petite who has been eagerly eying the pretty items at J.Crew? Pondering how the vibrant pencil skirts and cozy coats will fit your child-sized frame?

Over the past few months, I've been trying on popular J.Crew items so that I could share reviews with you guys when a great sale hits. Although that hasn't happened yet, a decent sale is upon us this week. From now until Thursday, November 6th, code "FALLSALE" will take 25% off your entire order of $150 or more, sale items included! Here are some items that I have tried on:

1. J.Crew Double-Serge Pencil Skirt in 00P (on sale for $68.60 - $88.50 from $118), comes in 7 colors!

This skirt fit me perfectly right off the rack! Hallelujah!

 Continue reading for more photos....

Just kidding. Oh, that would just be way too spectacular, wouldn't it, J.Crew? To offer a 00P that actually fits remotely like how a 00P should fit? As I had feared, this skirt requires several inches of taking in at the waist and slimming down both sides (my tailors would charge about $25-$30):

 Off the rack, this is how a 00P fits on me (for reference I am 5 feet, 94 lbs):

Petite Double Serge Pencil Skirt in 00P, "Bronzed Ochre" color

Despite the ginorm fit, I would still recommend this skirt if you can afford the $30 or so for alterations. I love almost every color it comes in (except for black...you can get a basic black skirt anywhere) and the quality was excellent. The wool was heavy and cozy (feels like a felted wool), and the lining and grosgrain ribbon details added a nice touch.

Other petites' reviews: Check out this same skirt in 00P on Callandra here, and the non-wool version in 00 regular on Elle here.



2. J.Crew Double Cloth coats in petite sizing, on sale for $223 from $298.
Note: the coat below is NOT petite sizing. There is no petite sizing in-stores, so I tried on a 0 regular. A 0 in petite sizing will run significantly smaller than women's sizing. I wanted to assess the weight and quality, and overall I was tres impressed again.  Regular "double cloth" is probably not heavy enough for bitter winters, but it still makes a lovely coat.

After seeing a photo of a 0P coat on my reader friend Claud (click here), I think a 0P will fit someone my size just fine with about two layers underneath. For reference, Claud is 5'2" and 94 lbs. By the way, you can call J.Crew customer service and get measurements on any size for any item. Per Ping, she called and they said the size 00 regular runs slimmer than a 0P, but is longer in the sleeves and torso.

J.Crew Double Cloth Coletta Coat in regular 0 (comes in 0P which is much smaller)

This is similar to their Double Cloth Lady Day Coat which also comes in 0P. Both options are offered in at least 10 colors, but my favorites are "dark cypress" and "dark plum" - gorg. for Fall/Winter!


Other petites' reviews: J.Crew Petite Stadium Cloth Peacoat - See it here on Ping in sz 0P. This is on sale for $148.50 $258.


3. J.Crew Twill Minnie Pants in 00P - on sale for $52.12 retail $79.50
These are touted as an all-time J.Crew favorite...but in reality I have encountered VERY few people who find the fit to be flattering. When I first put them on, I noted that the hips and legs fit me decently throughout. There was a small 1" or so gap at the waist, but there are little belt loops to solve that problem.

But the length, oh the length...quelle horreur!!

Here's the derriere view (like I said, the hips fit decently), and how the length looks with heels. I think one needs to have either longer or shorter legs than me to rock the petite minnies (they have a 24" inseam). They need to either come several inches above the ankle, or hit below the ankle. As a side note, I did try these on in a regular 00. The fit throughout the leg & length were okay, but the waist was HUGE.

Other petites' reviews: See how the minnie pants fit on Gigi here in sz 6, Jen here in 00P, and Ping here in sz 00P.

4. Little elastic-waiasted skirts in women's regular size 0/00.
Who didn't love this skirt on Kelly? A womens regular size 00 fit tiny and didn't require any alterations on her. This piqued my interest in other J.Crew skirts that have an elastic waistband:

J.Crew Severn Lace Mini Skirt in womens 0 (I don't see 00 online, but Claud found it in-stores):

Please pardon the tee and jeans! I was lazy. This is a very pretty, fully lined lace skirt with an elastic waistband. A 00 would've fit much better but a 0 was not terrible (fit low-rise on my hips). I immediately envisioned this with dark gray tights, ankle booties, and a long cardigan or blazer. Price right now is too high for me, but I am eying the little skirts on sale below:

Cord Atlee Skirt in regular womens 00, $37 from $59.50, comes in 4 colors.

Wool Bell Skirt in regular womens 00 (Kelly's skirt), $45 - $60 from $79.50, comes in 6 colors.

And lastly, I was eying the silk Calista cami that is left online in size 0P for just $22.50 from $79.50. But then I remembered TinyinTX's review here on a sz 00P - yikes! At just $22.50 though, the alterations are definitely easier to swallow.

Whew! That was hard work. If you are petite and have also reviewed one of the above items, let me know.

Readers - Any thoughts on the items above? Are any of you planning to shop during this 25% off sale?