Review: Ann Taylor + J.Crew + Banana Republic Petite Spring Dresses

Outfits|April 6, 2013
AnnTaylorLimeDress1
Textured Scoop Neck Sheath Dress in lime pop- size 00P
Shoes: Coach factory {see on Vicky}- size 5 
Measurements: Shoulder to shoulder 13″, armpit to armpit 15″, waist 13.25″, Total length 33″
Likes:  I love the bright color + texture + simple silhouette of this dress. The “lime pop” color is more green in person than it appears in the pictures.  I adore the cap sleeves,  scoop neck and hidden back zipper. It’s fully lined and the waist hits right where it should. It’s a great length for someone my height (5″ tall). 
AnnTaylorLimeDress2
Dislikes: Unfortunately, it’s too big and will require slimming which I ‘m willing to do. When pinned back, it looks pretty good. If you are good at sewing or willing to pay for alterations, this dress could be great.
AnnTaylorLimeDress3
Verdict: Wanted to love but will be returning.
AnnTaylorBlueLaceDress1
Corded Lace Sheath Dress in cornflower- size 00P
Measurements: Shoulder to shoulder 13″, armpit to armpit 14″, waist 12.5″, Total length 33″
Likes: I fell in love with the gorgeous blue color online. Add lace to it and I thought it would be winning combination.  The color is pretty but ended up to be bit too bright for me.  The fit is decent  but could use some work. 
AnnTaylorBlueLaceDress2
Dislikes: I’m not a fan of the corded lace waistband. There is something about it that doesn’t look right.  It’s sitting a bit too high for me.  The shape does nothing for my figure and just seemed a bit blah. The price point was hefty even after the 40% discount.  
Verdict: Returning.
BananaRepublicStripedPonteDress1
BananaRepublicStripedPonteDress2
Measurements: Shoulder to shoulder 10″, armpit to armpit 13″, waist 12″, Total length 35″
See Jess’s review here.  
Likes: I love the navy stripes + full skirt bottom + thick ponte material.  It also has pockets! It’s always a bonus when there are pockets on a dress or skirt. I was afraid I would have to take up the hem since most Banana Republic dresses are long on me but luckily the length hits me right at my knees – which is perfect.  It’s so girly and can see this being a closet favorite for Spring and Summer.  I can already see it paired with so many different items in my closet.  
Dislikes:  It might have been the bra I was wearing the day I tried this on but thought the neckline was a tad too low cut. I’ll try on a different bra and see if it makes a difference.  I thought the exposed zipper in the back  was going to kill it for me but I don’t mind it so much on this dress. It’s not as noticeable and blends in quite nicely.  The dress is unlined but the thickness of the material compensates so I’ll give it a pass. 
Verdict: Keeping and would recommend!
J.CrewGrayA-LineDress1
J.CrewGrayA-LineDress2
J.Crew A-line Dress in heather ash – size 00P
Shoes: Ferragamo Tina bow pumps– size 5 (buy here)
J.CrewNavyA-LineDress1
J.CrwNavyA-LineDress2
J.Crew A-line Dress in heather indigo – size 00P
Measurements: Shoulder to shoulder 10.5″, armpit to armpit 14″, waist 12.25″, Total length 31″
Likes: I love the simple and classic a-line style. Both colors are neutral and will be able to withstand the test of time. I love the subtle pleats and neckline. I’ll probably add a skinny belt to give the waist a bit more definition.  
Dislikes: The dress is surprisingly shorter than I expected.  I usually like a-line cuts to hit right at my knees. This hits above my knees..is it too short? I just read the online description and it is supposed to hit above the knees. The waist seam hits above my natural waist – is it supposed to be that high? I want to make sure I don’t look like I’m wearing a kid’s dress. On the model, it appears to hit at the same place so maybe it’s just me? The waist/chest are a tad bit loose and the armholes could be smaller.  
Verdict: Bought on final sale so will be keeping both.
What are your thoughts on these dresses?
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  2. The BR Striped Dress is my favorite of them all. I love it on both you & Jess. After seeing close up pictures of the Blue Lace Dress, I have to agree with you that it’s not a winner. I think that dress looks a little too matronly with the lace waistband. As for the J. Crew dresses, although the length is on the shorter side, I personally think it adds a flirty playful trait to the dress. 🙂

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  3. The yellow dress is really pretty! Are you sure it’s not worth tailoring? I can definitely see this mixed and matched with belts/blazers/cardigans all summer! 🙂

    xoxo,
    Andrea

    http://www.andreaeveryday.com

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    • Don’t tempt me Andrea! I debated about keeping it but I don’t know how to properly slim a dress like this and can’t see spending more money on alterations. I’ll hold on to it for a day or two more..lol

      Reply

  4. I think the lime dress is the same style as our Theory Rikae dress. What do you think? 🙂 Too bad it wasn’t a keeper. It’s so cute that you use your hair clips to pin it back. hehe

    The blue lace dress is such an electric blue in person (saw it when I was doing a return tonight). I am glad you passed on it and maybe their next version will be better.

    The J.Crew dresses are definitely roomy up top and I favor the blue over the grey one. It’s always interesting to see how the color can make the same dress appear to fit better.

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  5. I like the last two the best, I think. And I LOVE the brightness of the first one…sorry it didn’t work out, it would have been really cute for summer.

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  6. you wear dresses so well. & the cap sleeves on the lime yellow dress are adorable on you. I can’t wear cap sleeves, because they make me look like a linebacker lol

    shortandsweetjoy

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  7. I like the green and stripe dresses, but the floral blue one reminds me of the 90s…

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  8. Stylish Petite, thank you for these reviews. I thought about buying the lime-yellow dress from AT; when it was on sale. But AT was out of my size (00P / XXSP; and I almost always need alterations because I am 5′ 3 and 90-95 pounds! Shopping is SO frustrating at times for me; I really need to learn how to sew… but I digress). So thanks for doing this review; it gives me a better idea of whether I want to purchase it and pay for alterations.

    Also, I really like the BR dress with stripes. I do have a quick question; I noticed almost all dresses on BR’s website say “dry clean.” I am not sure if they put that there just to be safe, but is it your experience that BR’s clothes are mostly dry-clean only? I’d rather have machine washable clothes if they are clothes I intend to were often. I appreciate your time in answering this question.

    Thanks!

    P.S. Love your blog! 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi there! Thanks so much! The lime yellow dress is really nice but runs large and not sure if it’s worth doing alterations. Not all BR clothes are dry clean – it all depends on the item. If it says dry clean, it’s best not to machine wash because you will risk ruining the fabric and shrinking the item. I hope this helps. The striped BR ponte dress is definitely a winner 🙂

      http://www.StylishPetite.com

      Reply

  9. Annie, did you get the Jcrew Aline from store? I found it’s already sold out online. It looks very nice on you. What a pity that there is no local store around me.

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