Stylish Petite | Fashion, Reviews and Petite Style: May 2011

Monday, May 30, 2011

My first blog post with shorts...

Top: Ann Taylor luxe chambray shirt- size 00P (buy HERE or HERE)

Shorts: Banana Republic seersucker in linen sand- size 00P (buy HERE or super cute version)

Belt: taken from H & M skirt

Shoes: Nine West nude peep toe pumps- size 5 (buy HERE)

Necklace: Pearls and Amrita Singh

I never thought I would ever do a blog post on shorts but these shorts look so cute on AlterationsNeeded that I had to have them. I got the linen sand color because they were completely sold out of fatique. You can see Kelly's full review here. She looks amazing in them - I really don't do these shorts justice :) The only complaint is this color is slightly see-thru and there is a tiny waist gap but like Kelly said, wearing a belt solves this problem.

I consider myself pretty one dimensional when it comes to fashion comfort zone. I'm either wearing a skirt or a dress...I know so boring! These seersucker shorts and chambray shirt is very masculine for me and totally outside my box so I feminized the outfit with some pumps and pearls. If you love seersucker but want something more feminine, then these buttercup seersucker shorts may be a great option! I love the bottom detailing but unsure of the fit.

I am trying really hard to try new colors and different styles than from what I am used to so you don't get bored of me. If these shorts aren't your cup of tea, these yellow morracan seersucker shorts are so adorable and comes in a 00!

I was super excited to go shopping this past weekend thinking I would score some major deals but only found a few goodies. My shopping ban has been officially lifted and it feels so good! *dancing* :D

Did anyone score anything good?

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Weekend Casual Chic

Even on the weekends, I am not a very casual type of girl. Maybe that's because I am so used to dressing up for work that it's just natural for me to want to dress up on the weekends. Plus I hate feeling like a slob - even on my off days:)

Shirt: Ann Taylor Chambray- size 00P (buy here or different version or cheaper version)

Blazer: LOFT military blazer- size 0P (similar here)

Skirt: BB Dakota Groton skirt- (buy here)

Shoes: Ann Taylor perfect leather pumps- size 5 (buy here)

Pendant: Peri Cameo

I'm surprised this chambray shirt and skirt hasn't shredded to pieces since I apparently seem to wear this quite often. Is anyone guilty of this? I find something I love and then wear it to shreds. For some reason, I keep grabbing for the same darn articles of clothing...creature of habit perhaps?

Since I haven't bought any clothes all month (who's proud of me?), I'm forced to work with what I've got. So here's a casual chic outfit I put together. The zipper on this BB Dakota Groton skirt was so poorly constructed that I was forced to have my tailor put in a new zipper! So now I can finally wear it again.

I haven't worn this blazer since last Summer only because it's slightly too big for me but it's nice to wear as a jacket over an outfit like this. I settled last year because they ran out of the 00P. If you are looking for a navy blue blazer, this one is a good option for you.

I was naughty this morning and bought 2 more pairs of sandals! I don't know what possessed me but I bought these mid-heel gladiator sandals . I've been looking for some summer casual sandals that I can wear on the weekends and figured these should do the job- plus I can beat on them. I got both brown and light brown to compare. There are still some size 5's left and they are on major clearance so hurry! And you can get 15% off with code: GLAMOUR thru Aldo.com plus free shipping with $100+.

Here's the same outfit but with my crochet skirt:)

How do you dress on the weekends?

Monday, May 23, 2011

Lookbook: Ann Taylor Crochet Dress

Dress: Ann Taylor factory- size 00P (tailored) (similar here and here and here)

Belt: taken from Bebe blazer (similar here)

Heels: Aldo t-strap- size 5 (similar here and here)

Purse: Chanel

I was super nervous bringing this dress to my "new" tailor because I haven't built that trust factor yet. And given that he's a 77 year old Italian tailor didn't help my nervousness! But he did an amazing job on this dress. I didn't take before photos because it looked like a big lace table cloth on me. It had no shape whatsoever and made me look like a box.

He had to slim both sides and remove the zipper completely and then re-attach it. *sweating* I was pretty panicked wondering will he be able to do this? What I love most about this dress is the neckline. I thought at first it was one of those cross wrap styles where I'd have to wear a cami underneath because cleavage would be a big problem but it's not! YAY!

You can also see this dress on Cee, Jean and Callandra. They all look amazing in it! Let me know if I missed anyone and I will link you:) There are many crochet dresses to choose from out there. If you are looking for an affordable one, this Forever 21 crocheted dress is super cute or if you are looking for one with sleeves, this version comes in petites!

The back of the dress turned out really nicely. My tailor said that you can't slim the sides too much otherwise the seat of the dress would be too tight and not look classy. I think he took the right amount in because it's looks and feels fitted but not skanky skin tight.

Can you believe I am not wearing pumps? I haven't busted these shoes out since the beginning of my blogging days. The heel is so high, it's hard to walk in. I feel like I'm walking on stilts.

I wanted to include this shot because it was so different and I am so tired of my same poses staring at the camera with one arm on my hip and trying to look natural. So if I look crazy...my apologies in advance!

Sorry for all the crochet posts lately but I just love the vintage feminine look to it :)

Have you jumped on this bandwagon?

Friday, May 20, 2011

Tailoring: Before and After (and 1st winner of shoe giveaway)

Blazer: Ann Taylor hidden placket jacket- size 00P (buy here)

Top: Ann Taylor factory ruffle chiffon shell- size XXSP

Skirt: Ann Taylor textured pencil skirt- size 00P (buy here)

Belt: Ann Taylor perfect patent skinny belt- size XS (exotic version)

Shoes: Ann Taylor perfect patent pumps- size 5 (buy here)

I cheated on my tailor! *oops* I decided to try out this other tailor just to compare. I am a loyal person to a fault but this time, I had to put my clothes first! :)

The alterations were very minor but I can definitely feel the difference when I have the suit on. I took up the skirt hem by a couple of inches. I was going to slim the sides but because of the darts in the back of the skirt, it would have made it much more difficult. So I opted to just take up the hem and I think it will work. I took up the sleeves of the blazer a few inches as well but because there were button holes, I couldn't take the sleeves up as high as I would have liked. If I wanted it shorter, I would have had to go through the shoulders and it would have cost me an arm and a leg (no pun intended). I will definitely make sure to look next time to see if there are button holes or not- had no idea it would be so challenging.

Just by taking up the hem makes a huge difference in the overall fit. It's still slightly wide for me but it'll do. Learning lesson for me is to check the darts of the back of the skirt before purchasing because this can be costly to slim the sides. Will I get a lot of wear from this suit, probably so I am happy with the results.

Skirt: Ann Taylor Yvonne tweed skirt- size 00P (buy here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Simple 100's- size 35/5 (buy here)

Belt: Ann Taylor perfect patent belt in granite- size XS (exotic version)

I debated getting this sides of this skirt slimmed but the tailor suggested I take up the hem first because it usually alters the fit. So I decided to listen and was happy to save some money. I probably could have gotten away with not doing anything to this skirt because it was okay but I wanted it to feel good when I wore it. So I took up the hem just a tiny bit and it really did make a difference (to me at least).

Hopefully you can see the difference. Very minor alterations but when the skirt is on, it feels just much more fitted and proportional. Am I happy with the end results? Yes! The alterations were very minor but made a big difference to me.

What are your thoughts?

**The 1st winner of the Alonai shoe giveaway is AubreyOhDang! Please contact me with your selection and info so I can pass it along to Alonai. Congrats! 2nd winner will be drawn at the end of this month.**

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Stella Dot Jewelry Giveaway!

**This giveaway is now closed!**

This must be the month of giveaways on my blog because there are so many! I absolutely love doing giveaways because I love rewarding my readers. You guys are the best! I received this bangle from stylist Heather at StellaDot.com. She sent me this as a courtesy for this review. I was really excited to see that the diameter measured 2 1/4" so I thought it was going to fit my small wrists. But it's still too big:( See me wearing it HERE.

The quality and weight definitely was a nice surprise to me. Usually bangles are flimsy and cheap but this one has great weight to it. The bangle was super easy to open and close which I really liked. It's made out of turquoise enamael and epoxy stones on a gold plated band and really shines when you have it on. It arrived in a super cute box and packageing (love the small details). Heather at StellaDot.com is gracious enough to offer 20% off with code: REALLYPETITE20. You must either contact her on facebook or you can call her to place an order with the code. Also, she is offering to give a $50 gift certificate for Stella & Dot to one lucky reader! There are tons of gorgeous jewelry you can get for $50! Here are some of my suggestions:

Olivia Pearl and Ribbon Necklace and La Coco Silver Strand Pearl

Garden Party Green/Gold earrings

Camilla Ring (adjustable)

♥Guidelines♥

1. Open to U.S and International Readers! (*Stella Dot does not ship internationally but I will pay for the shipping costs personally)

2. Giveaway ends on 5/31/11 at Midnight (PST).

3. Winners will have 48 hours to contact me with their info or I will re-draw.

♥How to Enter♥

1. Follow me on Twitter . (+1 mandatory entry)

2. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. (+1 bonus entry)

Disclaimer: Product was given to me as a courtesy but does not reflect my opinion or review. Giveaway is being sponsored by Stylist- Heather at StellaDot.com.

Winner will be chosen at random! Good luck!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Lookbook: Mustard and Crochet

Sweater: J.Crew Merino Chiffon Cardigan- size XXS (similar here)

Skirt: ModCloth social hour skirt- size small (similar here and here and here)

Belt: J.Crew painted denim belt in spicy mustard- size XS (similar here)

Necklace: Amrita Singh

Bracelet: Sunset bangle (courtesy of Stella Dot)
Pumps: Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps- size 5 (buy here)

Purse: Chanel Beige Flap
Earrings: Chanel Diamante Logo

I'm trying really hard to wear older items and mix with my newer items until I can go shopping again:) This ModCloth crochet skirt is super cute but I have some issues with it. You can see this skirt on Jean here. The skirt is a size small but the waist is too big for me so I have to wear it really low on my hips. Therefore the length is longer than it should be. The lining is nice but extremely thin and see through so you have to make sure you are not wearing colored panties!

I am LOVING my J.Crew painted denim belt in spicy mustard. The XS is teeny weeny which is perfect for wearing high up on my waist. See my belt post and video here.

I have come to realize that these Ann Taylor perfect leather pumps in saddle brown are seriously HUGE on me even in a size 5. Can you see the huge gap in my heel? So sad:( The only AT pumps that fit decent is the perfect patent pumps which I have in black and porcini. The suede ones which I ended up selling for dirt cheap and these saddle brown's are gigantic:( So there definitely is a size inconsistency going on here!

Do you have a crochet skirt and how do you style it?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

20% off ASOS, 30% off Loft and 40% off Ann Taylor!

For those of you who follow me on twitter, you know that you are supposed to hold me accountable because I have officially put myself on a shopping ban until Memorial day weekend (end of May). I have done really well so far despite all these very tempting sales. So to help passify my cravings to shop, I wanted to show you a few things I am dying to get but am refraining. I have had my eye on this tuck detail dress for quite some time now. I just love the color and can see myself wearing it with cardigan and a cute belt. Not sure of the fit but it's just too cute! Loft is having a 30% of sale with code MAYSE514E.

For those of you looking for a cream/white skirt for Spring or Summer, this vintage cream pencil skirt is so adorable!

Lace is so in right now and I am waiting to get my Ann Taylor factory lace dress back from the tailor's today! ASOS is having a 20% off sale with code: 20ASOSUSA. I haven't ordered from here before but this black lace dress is so hot and is very similar to the famous Chantilly lace dress everyone loves.

And of course Ann Taylor is having their 40% off sale with code Chic40 and my favorite cardigan is on sale! I so wanted to pick up the safari color (still avail in XXSP) but am trying really hard not to order it:(

So hopefully this post will get me through the weekend! Thanks for the ladies that tweeted and held me accountable for my shopping temptations!

Are you taking advantage of any of these sales?

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

How to: style your hair up for work

I tweeted a pic awhile back with my hair up and had some requests to do a hair tutorial on how I wore my hair. I was a bit freaked out about posting this because I don't know much about hair and usually just leave it down. I thought I would do a quick video on how I wear my hair up for work. I hope you enjoy this video:)