K/R - Ann Taylor Haul - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R - Ann Taylor Haul

Thistle

Veteran

I check out Ann Taylor. And while the store by me onyl carries up to a size 12, they did carry my size on line, so I ordered a few items outside my normal comfort zone and am looking for honet feedback.

#1 - So I fibbed a little. First is from Nordstrom's. A Classics Entier jacket. I loved it on line. I loved it in person. Not so sure about loving it on me. Sleeves are a touch long, while it fits at the waist, there is no way it will close over my bust. I would like it to close to increase the ways I can wear it, so I am leaning towards returning. Just sad because I was so looking forward to it. Still, clothes that are not perfect do not get to stay!

#2. V-neck top (yes, I am really trying to find Vs), and ponte knit pants. The pants are so comfy they are almost like PJs. They seem too long to me as I am wearing the highest heel I currently own with them.

#3. Ponte knit skirt in red. The color is lovely but I almost never wear red, and this is a bright red! Ann Taylor peplum sweater and belt. Everything here is stretching my envelope.

#4. Same skirt as #3 but with a v-neck knit top. I think the top fits, but let me know what you think!

#5 Ann Taylor burgundy V-neck dress. I kinda like the floaty skirt, just not sure it likes me back.

#6. Ann Taylor shadow dot mock wrap top. Husband liked this one. I think I would wear a cami under it for work. The skirt is a black pont knit - identical to the red one, just a different color.

#7. I am not a UWP, but I thought I would try the ponte skirt with the zipper running down the side. Green v-neck knit top.

Again, please give me your honest feedback. I really want to learn what works for me, and I would liek to minimize closet orphans as much as possible!

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24 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

JR

Veteran

Keep the red skirt! With the peplum top. That is the single best outfit I have seen on you to date. Next is #6. And then #5. I'm not loving the V-neck tops as much.

pil

Veteran

My critical eye is not very good, but I can tell you I LOVE the black top belted with the red skirt. I agree with JR about it being your best look. Does the black and white top come in a petite?

Jyoti

(website)

Veteran

I like #6. I would return everything else. I do like the red skirt, but if you don't wear red often and won't get too much use out of it, then I vote return on that.

Jules

Veteran

I agree with JR - #3 + 6 are my top picks. The skirt in #6 fits better than #7. I think the dress is flattering to your hourglass tendencies, but quite body con to me (curve hugging plus cleavage). A scarf would tone that down a bit.
You're making me want to try a peplum!

Karie

(website)

Veteran

I also say keep #3 and #6. That's too bad about the fit on the jacket, but I like your philosophy - clothes that are not perfect do not get to stay!

unfrumped

Veteran

This is a super lineup of outfits to pinpoint your style.
Wow for #3. What I think works well there is the added structure, the defined waist, the scoop neckline, the straight skirt.

There is always talk about how great a V - neck is, but the #3 neckline widens your shoulder line and balances the bust. Add a necklace with black, red and something else like camel or turquoise and you are fabulicious.

#6 has potential but looks too big- shoulders are droopy. Adding a tank or cami not only for coverage but changes the neckline to a more horizontal line. Would you dare consider a small shoulder pad? Probably getting hard to find but a soft molded shoulder
pad to me is still useful. The main point is, some added structure there, via the fabric
type, or a sharp shoulder seam, I think would look really good in tops for you.

Do plan for alterations as part of the deal. If a skirt fits you well through waist and hips and is a great fabric but is an inch too long, hemming is worth it. Sleeves too-that bracelet sleeve length is very good proportion on you- just looks great and contributes to the balance in outfit #3 and why it looks more peppy. for long sleeves, do hem them up
if they droop over your hands ..

You are on a roll! If you have time & energy I would be picky and keep after some combos that give you more of this great look. The black ponte skirt seems like it would be a keeper as a great essential piece.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Keep #6 - they look really fabulous on your body. I would return everything else - you don't need to keep anything you don't love.

Kathleen M

I like the dress a lot! Maybe that's a red you could wear more often than the bright red of the skirt. And I love #6.
I think the v-neck top in #2 is too narrow of a V- the wider V in # 4 strikes me as more flattering.

Deborah

Veteran

Thistle my thoughts for what they are worth:)

#1 Ok but not great. I would hold out for a jacket with a better fit. I am not sure but I feel something that was more nipped in at the waist and has shape is going to be very flattering on you.

#2 Like the colour, but I don't find this exciting. Would it be layering piece or worn as is? Is as is, then I am not convinced it is quite good enough for you.

#3 I find this very attractive on you. Belting the peplum accentuates your gorgeous shape. This looks very modern and stylish.

#4 I am not sure why but I am not liking the v necks so much. I would pass on this.

#5 I would like to see a more streamlined wrap dress on you. Something that has a straight or slightly tapered skirt. When I wear this style dress, I like it in the morning but by lunch time I just feel frumpy... but that could just be me:)

#6 I LOVE this top on you. Must keep:) Have you tried a size down? The shoulders look a little big. Great black skirt.

#7 Love the colour but not the top.

I am wondering about the v necks... are they too long??

Jules

Veteran

I'm going to vote (again) for specifically keeping the red skirt - if *you* love it. That is the best outfit here and I don't think it will have the same impact with the same skirt in black (although you should keep that one too as a basic piece). I've noticed how the ylf women can take a bright jacket or other unexpected piece and wear it so many different ways - it looks different every time and thus becomes very wearable. I think it would look good with the black and white shirt too, for starters. Again, IF you love it, it could become an inspirational piece that you build your new warddrobe around, since it seems you want to go outside your comfort zone and are looking to buy quite a lot right now. One great outfit is a great starting point!

shiny

Veteran

The jacket looks great to me, very slimming on you -- jackets don't need to button, as long as they fit in the shoulders, and it looks like this one does.

I may be the only one who's not crazy about the peplum top. The peplum is cute and flattering but I think the V necks look far better on you than the scoop neck, which seems to exaggerate your sloped shoulders.

The V necks look great to me, although maybe some of them are a little too long? Or perhaps at the length they are at now, they work best with pants rather than skirts.

You will get a lot of mileage out of a red skirt. It's difficult to tell the fit in these pics. If you think it fits and it's comfortable, KEEP.

I love the idea of a wrap dress on you and the color is great. It seems to fit well though your girls are looking a tad droopy... I am not sure if that's the dress. Can you try it on with a slip and/or cami underneath? With a dress like this you need to get the undergarments just right.

Love the patterned blouse; agree you may want to size down as it looks like the shoulders aren't fitting.

LOVE the zipper skirt!!! I can see a lot of fun with that skirt (actually can you send me the link to it? I want to check it out too). Not so crazy about it paired with that green V-neck, which looks too big on you -- not just sleeves but the length is too long for a skirt. What happens if you tuck it in to the skirt? Would you consider trying the half-tuck with a belt?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I love the blazer in #1! A little long on the sleeves, but not too bad.

#2 is an 11 out of 10! KILLER

#6 is a 10. I'm high fiving your hubs. I think it's the right size. A smaller size is going to cling, whereas this one follows the contour of your body so nicely.

And the skirt is great!

Loving your boots too.

Well done!

Thistle

Veteran

Shiny, here is a link to the zippered skirt:

http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/p.....Color=6600

If Outfit #2 got me a KILLER from Angie, it is staying!

I think I will keep the black and the red skirt, but the zipper one looks like it needs to go back. As with the dress. It looks much tigheter across the bust than it felt. While dresses may work with most hourglass/pears, they just don't seem to work for me.

The v-neck tops do look too big in the pics. Perhaps I need to size down, or perhaps just return them and look for a better fit.

Jules

Veteran

The v-necks do look too long, but I'm not sure sizing down would help, becaus they look snug in the bust already (some horizontal lines or hints thereof). But I'm not an expert on this fit problem which I have sometimes despite being average-busted...

shiny

Veteran

It's hard to say when you have them styled with a skirt. Skirts require a shorter length top than pants. That said, the long sleeve ones look long in the sleeves, so it's possible you need the larger size for the chest, but need to alter the length of the hem and the sleeves.

You can always scrunch sleeves, of course. You can also just tuck the tops. However I have a hunch those tops are fine length, when worn with pants. Then again, we're talking shortie here: my eye may be used to wearing tops long, because I'm so short.

Lisa

Veteran

I like 2, 5 and 6 best. The vneck is lovely on you. And I like how the dress drapes and the tie waist makes your waist look tiny. Great finds here! The blazer in #1 looks a tad too long in the arms and too boxy in the torso to my eye.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

#1 - I would prefer a shorter jacket on you. This also looks a bit big?
#2, love the color, but needs a very fitted dark cami under it. Pants are nice (too bad you can't keep them long? Nice long leg here...
#3, probably the most flattering of the lot! Not my fav color, but just me (I'm not a brights person). i'd get a belt that added something - bright white, or a contrasting bright, so tie the look together. Right now, because of the belt color, this sort of looks like the top and bottom from two different outfits to my eye.
#4 - very basic - great for layering under jackets, but not very exciting. Would like to see a very fitted cami under this.
#5 - too small, but otherwise lovely - can you size up?
#6 - Love this top. Very flattering and could be used as a layering item. The skirt is a good basic.
#7 - both basic items. I wouldn't say the zipper detail is too noticeable, a nice detail but it doesn't read UWP if you're concerned about that. (-:

Anonymous

I'm going to be of no help whatsoever but I vote keep all!

Gaylene

Veteran

I think you are on a roll here, and I particularly like #2. But I just want to follow up on something that Shiny alluded to because your pictures seemed so similar to some of mine a few years back before I got my first bra fitting. It made such a difference in the fit of my tops that even my husband (who normally is quite quiet about such things) made me go back to the shop to get a couple more bras. And these were $100+ bras that he was insisting I buy!

Although I don't have a particularly large bust, my breasts are widely set and I carry most of the breast tissue near the sides of my rib cage. The bra fitter put me in a seamed bra with side panels--and wow, what a difference it made in the fit of my tops! I had always thought that as long as my bras gave me adequate support that was enough, but the power of the right bra to completely re-shape my bustline flabbergasted me.

ETA: I remembered earlier that you said you had recently had a bra fitting and were happy with the results. But I wonder if you might want to grab some of your new tops and go back just to experiment with how different bras can reshape as well as support. My bras are all European and UK brands because I found the US brands just didn't work as well at the reshaping thing. My fitting was done at a bra boutique which has a very good reputation for fitting women of all shapes and I spent almost the entire afternoon trying on dozens of different bras and checking what they looked like under a tight-fitting top. Also, I've found, some fitters are more conscious of shaping as well as supporting when they fit you.

Thistle

Veteran

Gaylene - I am going to take your advice! The closest Nordstroms to me is in Downtown Chicago, a 3 hour + drive for me.

So I did some research online and found a boutique that is 45 minutes away that specializes in bra fittings (or so their website claims!) They carry a brand that none of the department stores by me carry - Elomi. Supposed to be for the bustier gal.

What I have on now is HUGE upgrade from what I had been wearing (so, yeah, imagine what that looked like), but I think you are right. I need a bigger upgrade.

I have been doing some readin on fit, and the underwires are NOT supposed to be in my armpit. *sigh*

I called them and booked an appointment for a fitting. I am excited, less so is my wallet!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, you are on a roll here. I think the jacket has potential. In the long term I might like a shorter jacket for you better...but with the sleeves altered on this one, it might work.

I LOVE #2. I also love the top in #6.

I am not as crazy about the scoop neck peplum as the others. But I do think the red skirt is great and so are your boots!

Can I ask how tall you are? (Apologies if you have already told us this.) With the sleeves always being long and some comments about the length of the tops, I am wondering if petites might be an option.

Thistle

Veteran

Interesting idea, Suz!

I am actually 5'5" but it does seem my limbs run shorter (especially my legs!)

catgirl

Veteran

Looks like you've already gotten sorted, as the YLFers say, but I just wanted to add that your outfits are getting better by leaps and bounds now!

shiny

Veteran

Thistle - the right bra can make a $5 tee shirt look like a $100 tee shirt. So it's worth the expense. Then again, it's possible that wrap dress is the problem, not your bra. I tried on a couple of wrap dresses at AT a few weeks back, and was disappointed. It was about the fabric more than the cut or undergarments. The fabric was just... I dunno how to describe it.

I will add to what Gaylene wrote: today I went to the mall wearing a bra that isn't one of my better ones. I was trying on a striped sweater I had already tried on, but didn't buy. I wanted to check out again. But this time it looked not quite right... stripes really show the "droop" no? ... I concluded it was the bra so I did buy it... cross fingers I'm right or I'll be back at the mall for a return!

Gaylene, I want to go bra shopping with you -- sounds like you know your stuff!