Monday, July 13, 2009

Ann Taylor

I must take a moment to sing the praises of Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. Are their clothes for everyone? No. However, as I hit my 30s I realized that it was time for my look to grow up yet I don't want to age myself, particularly important as I am a businesswoman who looks very young. The trouble with most petites, at least in my experience, is most brands seem to make them for girls under 25 and women over 50. Amazing how so many companies never bothered to think that those customers would spend, um, about 25 YEARS between those styles.

A long time ago my father dragged me into an Ann Taylor store and it was actually a little frustrating because it was the first time I found even a few pieces that actually fit off the rack but I was too young at the time to want to dress in those styles. Most petites seem to be designed for mutants or something, but theirs were in proportion and it was a revelation! They also were flattering, not just shrunken versions of designs that would only flatter a woman of 5'8" and up but designs that at least attempted to disguise flaws and highlight qualities.

A couple of years ago my boyfriend got a new job around the corner from an Ann Taylor Loft store and he really liked a dress in their window, so he decided to surprise me with it. It fit perfectly, like it was custom made, and made me feel red-carpet ready even though it was hardly an expensive piece. It was also perfectly age-appropriate and managed to be sexy enough for fun but conservative enough to wear to practically any event. I figured it was a fluke.

Boy, was I mistaken!

Since then, my wardrobe has been slowly taken over by clothes from both echelons of their stores. The Loft jeans fit perfectly (I think any woman can understand how wonderful of a find that is!) and I'm particularly enamored by the ones that are cut just like suit pants as I can look perfectly professional in comfy denim (my favorites are a gorgeous charcoal color that looks almost like very good wool). Many of the tops are perfect for day-to-evening wear, very handy. The most important thing as far as style, though, is these clothes make me give off just the impressions I would like to right now. I get a lot of compliments without making much of an effort, too!

I'm sure my tailor is disappointed, since not one item from those stores has needed alteration yet, but I'm just thrilled. There are other stores with designs I prefer in many cases but it's hard to argue with fit!

The only complaint I have, though, is that my jeans and pants from two years ago are 0s while ones from this year are 00s, which is a little freaky for me. I don't care for now, but I'm pleading with the fashion gods to just let the sizes be! Will they make a 000 in the future or will I be thoroughly out of luck if they are made even bigger?

3 comments:

  1. Interesting post.!! Well, Ann Taylor is one of my most favorite stores for dress shopping. Most of my dresses come from there.

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  3. Ooops, major typo. Anyway, thanks Frida! Both for reading and for letting me know I'm not the only person with a closet full of their dresses. ;)

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