Dressing Room Diaries | Fashion
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I have a try-on session today of some pretty spring dresses and fun colors at Loft. It would have been nice to have worn low heels or sandals to try these on, but it was an unplanned stop, so I left my clunky sneakers off for these photos. Everything is currently 50% off!!
Adressing room diaryis when I go into a local store for a try-on session to see what’s new and show you how it looks on a woman over 25. For reference, I am 5’4″ and weigh around 145 lbs. I have broad shoulders with straight hips, a long torso, and long arms. I often buy one size larger on top. I tell you what sizes I am wearing to help you understand how things run. Many of Loft’s pants come in a curvy or straight (regular) fit, plus they carry many items in petite and tall. If I’m showing something petite, it also comes in reg and perhaps tall.
I’m seeing this pretty shade of lavender everywhere this spring, and it’s such a happy sight! I did have a cheery yellow sweater in the dressing room to style with these straight-leg pants, but it was miles too big for me and looked sloppy. These pants have a sash to tie at the waist, which I’d probably replace with a nice belt. They also come in navy or white. This pair has a 28″ inseam in regular. The petite is 25.5″, which just looks like highwater pants on me and is not flattering. They’re cotton with 2% spandex for comfort.
This classic striped shirt is a cotton/modal blend that’s crisp but soft. The stripe has lavender to coordinate with the pants and white to go with the blazer. This modern slub blazer looks like linen but is made from a cotton/rayon blend that will be cool in warm weather but not wrinkle as much as linen.
MORE LAVENDER
This tweed dress is terrific in person. Its ladylike styling has a timeless Chanel vibe that always looks stylish. It’s a soft, nature white with black trim. I opted for the regular to give me the extra 1″ in length. This could work for a career gal but also be pretty at a baby or wedding shower. This regular is 32.5″ long and the petite is 31.25″ which I consider too short for me :).
This eyelet dress is a beautiful shade of navy which I think tones down the sweetness of the eyelet but maintains its feminine feel. The rick rack detailing and subtle puff sleeve make this pretty and versatile. I opted for the regular length again, but the petite fit me as well.
This dress also comes in a bright orange nectar color that’s fun for spring. As I stood wearing this dress, I could picture it worn unbuttoned over a white tee and white jeans, as an interesting third layer in the spring and summer. Hmm…
I tried this paisley dress on in the petite and the regular length. I’m not often a fan of the midi length, but it just looked a better proportion because of the long sleeves and pattern. The fabric is very lightweight and airy so it will be cool when the temps start to climb. This is such a pretty dress that would be perfect for many occaisions. It’s beautifully made and the pattern matches all the way up the front.
I have the bottom of this ribbed polo shirt folded under to make it the right length for the skirt, without having to tuck it in. I often do that with ribbed tees and tops because the fold will stay put. It comes in white with black trim or this black with white.
I paired it with this black and white wrap skirt. The skirt is sewn, then has this front piece that wraps across the front and ties, so it can’t gap open on you. It’s made from a soft rayon that’s fully lined. This regular is 34″ long and the petite is 31″ which would be a better length for me. I picture this on a warm weather vacation or around town with a tee and denim jacket.
This is the prettiest little linen blend dress. The feminine details are subtle and lovely. Yes, it could use a good steaming, but then, most things do that I see in stores these days. It’s a soft, off white with black and lavender. The bottom has a bit of lace detailing.
I chose the regular which is 33.25″ from the shoulder. The petite is 32.5″ and the tall is 35.5″. You’d need a racer back bra for this dress because the shoulders are cut in slightly or you could just use one of these clever little bra clips to transform your regular bra.
This striped poet blouse is a fun twist on a classic button up. What you can barely see in my picture is that the sleeves have a panel at the elbow where the stripes go horizontally. It’s romantic details are not over the top so perhaps we’re leaving all the overdone, little girl styling of the past few years behind.
I paired it with these Palmer wide leg pants. I’ve tried these on before in other colors before and love the fit. These have a 31″ inseam in regular which is too long for me so I went with the petite that has a 28.5″ inseam. They’re a cotton blend with 3% spandex which gives them plenty of stretch. These alsop come in a great navy.
It doesn’t get more classic than this 100% cotton striped poplin shirtdress. Its a soft black and white stripe that ‘reads’ as gray. The side seams are slit up just past the knee so it’s still modest. I’d likely swap out the self belt for something like this raffia belt which looks more intentional to me. This petite is 50.5″ from shoulder to hem and the regular is 54″ which was a bit overwheming on me. It does have long sleeves you could unfold or keep tidy with the button straps. I have several of these sort of cotton dresses and they’re workhorses in my warm weather wardrobe.
Is it warming up where you are? Thanks for reading and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.
