Fitting Room: H&M

I popped into H&M the other day on the way to work to work on my search for cozy sweaters a bit more. They seemed to have got some new things in so if you haven't gone in a while I would check it out, there were some very cute things. I forced my self to think of nothing but sweaters as I have a bank account to keep in check (sigh), so no pictures of variety but I did want to share what I did find.

Not exactly a sweater but it has sleeves, long one's at that. It's something my wardrobe is lacking. I have short sleeves galore. It has a simple basic fit, and I always like a cowl neck. I picked this up for $13 (I think).

This sweater is in that popular cut with the wing effect sort of thing going on. I believe extra petite referred to them as 'batman sleeves'. Either way I'm a fan but every other option I tried until this one just looked ridiculous and huge. You may find black boring, but I like the idea of a black sweater to pair with more colourful accessories. The fabric on this one felt nice too. I picked it up for $20.

This sweater was a huge disappointment. The colour was this great shade of orange and I was happy with the fit. However, I wouldn't dare wear it without some sort of blouse underneath because oh my is it itchy. I didn't just want this sweater to layer over other tops though so I just passed on it. Too bad....

Do I have to say anything? I found it highly amusing that they were pushing this on the display table directly in front of the entrance. They really must want people to buy it. Mind you, this is an XS. Yes, an XS. It sort of resembles a snuggy to me. No thank you. The sleeves went three inches past my finger tips (and I have long arms, and usually have to size up in sleeved tops over it) and, as you can see, hit at the knee's.

It also had elbow pads which is a neat little detail. What's not so great is the top of the elbow pad started where the lower portion should be on my elbow. In case you weren't able to guess, this was a pass (ha).


Thank you for reading and have a great day!

The Big Debate: Ann Taylor Ribbed 3/4 Sleeve Pullover

My quest for a cozy sweater similar to that featured in my midweek treats post from Wednesday led me to this sweater from Ann Taylor. Online it looks very comfy and still very chic on the models. It's just a simple sweater but I like how the buttons on the sleeves give it just a spark of interest.

Luckily, I was able to snag in during Ann Taylor's 40% off sale. I actually originally got so bummed because when I went to order it online, only a size large was left in the colour I wanted! A visit to my local store led me to discover it in a XSP, not my usual XXSP (which is usually preferable) but due to the cropped length of the sweater I was looking to size up any how.


I really like the sweater. When wearing it, I feel like I have a blanket on but it doesn't look like one when my skinny jeans are paired with it. Now though, I need your help. Is this a return or a keeper?

Keep in mind the following:

1. The sleeves are bulky which means it's not cardigan or blazer friendly. (I'm very sad about the blazer part because every outfit in my head of this sweater included one).

2. I'm always skeptical about how a sweater like this would work when Winter weather comes along. What are some problem solving options?

Also, I apologise for the slightly blurry photo's and the mess in the background. The only room in the house with a mirror acts as a storage room.

Thank you for reading and have a great weekend!

Gap Weekend Sales: Trousers and things

Through Extra Petite, I found out about the Trouser/Jeans sale at the Gap last weekend. Being a recent college graduate with NO professional wardrobe (ill-fitting items do not count) I decided to take this opportunity to see if I could find my ideal pair of trousers. That being said, my ideal pair includes: a slim leg, and hits at the ankles. Being petite, even when you find a regular boot cut trouser that fits, you run into the problem of excess fabric dragging on the ground.

As I knew exactly what I wanted upon entering the Gap, I made a bee-line right for them and then just skimmed the Fall arrivals quick to see if anything else caught my eye. I was also interested in trying on the Gap Legging Jean after reading this ExtraPetite post.

Gap Slim Cropped Trouser in black 00R (buy)



Here's the part where I extend an apology for my socks. It was raining that day, so not cute footwear. These photo's aren't the best of quality but you can pretty much see they fit perfectly. It's also good to mention they're a 00R, NOT 00P. This Gap didn't carry Petites, that I could find anyway, so I gave regular sizing a shot. These are probably supposed to end just at the lower calf or right below it but for my purposes, regular sizing turned out great.

Gap 1969 Legging Jean in brilliant blue 24/00 (buy)

It turns out I don't have any fitting room photo's of these. If you look earlier in the post you'll see that I have linked to Extra Petites post about them. I will give a mini review though. I loved the colour. I love blue, it's so vibrant and bright.  It's easily my favourite colour to wear when I feel like dressing a little funky. I also loved that these jeans were actually fitted. Most of the time, I have to shrink my jeans in the dryer several times before they're adequate. The one thing I did not like was the fabric, it felt thin and lacked support. It reminded me of these jeans all the kids wore when I was 13. They just don't lift, and they certainly don't add structure. That's something I need in a pair of jeans, so I passed on this find.

Gap Raw-edge layered T in XS (buy)

This top was so cute in person. It's very simple but I love the detailing. It fit loosely, but that was intentional. The only reason it did not go home with me is because, even in an XS, the sleeves had too much of a gap for me. It wasn't huge, but I find that I am really particular about that. If you're not too picky about it or have a longer torso, then I think this is a great basic t-shirt to add to your wardrobe. I can see it being formalised for work or with jeans for weekend errands. Goodness, writing this makes me want to just forget my picky ways and buy it. :)

Thank you for reading! Have a great day!

Shopping Haul: H&M and Ann Taylor

**Ann Taylor is currently offering FREE Shipping on anything!!**

This past weekend Ann Taylor had their '40% off a full-priced item' sale. I took the opportunity to pick up the very coveted Refined Chambray Shirt (buy here) as it has been on my wishlist all Summer. So many of the petite blogs I read picked up the original AT from the Spring, so I was very happy when they came out with this version.

On  a recent shopping trip to H&M, I caved and purchased the striped sweater that I mentioned in the recent Fall Trends post (read here). It's got a very boxy sort of cut but it's a great casual sweater.

Examining the sweater in person, I was worried it would be a little itchy on but it totally passed the test and there was no problem. I see it with a button down, in particular the AT Chambray shirt mentioned above, and maybe a pair of shorts or skinny jeans depending on how far into Fall we are. I have a few outfit idea's that I hope to share with you in the near future :)

Another thing I had my eye on was a slouchy sweater in the same colours above except the black stripe is navy on the one below. I love the idea of a slouchy sweater. This I think speaks for itself though. I found it ill-fitting and resembling a tent on me.

I hope you enjoyed reading. Have a great day!

Did any of you indulge in the Ann Taylor 40% sale?