Dressing Room Diaries – It’s Banana
Before we caught the ferry to Victoria, I dragged my husband all over town to do some shopping. He would rather poke his eye out with a stick than go shopping so this is a petite version of what I like to do.
Dressing room diaries is when I go into stores and try on merchandise so you can see how it looks on a woman over 25 who wears a size larger than zero. I am 5’4″, and around 145 lbs ( I’m guessing closer to 148 after quarantine) with broad shoulders, a long torso, long arms, and straight hips.
This faux wrap top has a stitch at the front so it doesn’t gap open. It’s a nice twill fabric available in several colors in regular and tall. I’m wearing an xs which is miles too small for me. It’s machine wash and dry for super easy care. The jeans came home with me because I’ve been looking for classic jeans in a pale wash. They’re a classic cigarette jean, that has a “skinny fit from hip to knee, and a slim, straight leg thatās a little roomier than your favorite skinnies.” They come in petite, regular, and tall. I’m wearing the 29 regular.
This sweater is made from a blend of wool, soft alpaca, and eco-friendly recycled polyester, sourced from 5.5 post-consumer plastic bottles. It’s lovely and soft and I couldn’t get it off my body fast enough because I’m allergic to alpaca! It comes in 4 colors sized XXS – XXL in regular and petite. I’m wearing a large regular which is too big.
This super-soft plaid flannel shirt is Banana Republic’s popular Dillon style which comes in multiple colors in regular and tall, XXS-XXL. The chest buttons are placed very well to prevent gaping. I’m wearing a medium so it fits true to size. The jeans are a wide-leg, high-rise style with a nice clean hemline. I went in specifically hoping to try these jeans on. The wash is nice and they fit beautifully. They’re available in regular, tall, and petite. I’m wearing the regular length which is a dorky length on me. They’re too short to be cropped and too long to look right so I would try them in tall which would make them full length on me.
This ribbed polo sweater comes in four colors in regular and petite. It’s a super soft, viscose rayon blend that feels like a silky cotton. I am wearing a medium in regular but would need the petite. It runs true to size. These are the very popular Sloan leggings with tons of stretch in a firm, smoothing fabric. It’s hard to tell, but these are a mossy green color. They have a seam stitched down the front of each leg which makes them look even more slimming than they are.
These are the same Sloan leggings in a nice beige houndstooth. They have a side zipper and smooth waistband so they add no extra tummy bulk. I’m wearing an 8 regular and would be better with the petite version. I had high hopes for this sweater but I would have needed a medium in petite rather than this XL in regular. I love its soft cotton blend fabric but boatnecks aren’t my best shape. I think it runs a bit large.
This classic trench coat has all the flaps, buttons, and storm guards you’d expect in a classic military trench coat. It’s even water-resistant! It’s pretty awesome but I’m swimming in it because I’m wearing an XL in regular and need the M petite. This would really keep you dry in nasty weather. I’m also wearing their soft stretchy viscose blend turtleneck in an XL and needed the M. I love that the neck isn’t the strangle-you type. It comes in 3 colors sized XXS-XXL.
Most, if not all of these items are marked way down. Some as low as 50% off!
I could have bought several more things to supplement my travel wardrobe but my sizes were sold out in the store. Plus, since I’d already dragged my husband through several other stores, he let me know he was done shopping!
Have you been shopping in the stores lately, or strickly online?
So glad you mentioned button placement on blouses! Womenās breasts sit at various levels and sometimes the center gap spot just doesnāt line up. One reason I opted to sew most of my shirts.
Really like all your choices. Love the trench coat.
You were made for slim legged pants. Really a nice outfit with red ribbed top. Very slenderize and adds height. I look best in wider legs but need a heel with them or I look glued to the floor.
Many sweaters are blends and contain plastics or acrylics which give me an immediate heat rash and racing heart. So must pass up some of the pretty, easy care items containing those fibers.
This was a fun post. I enjoyed seeing you in all of the outfits. Thank you!
If I had to pick an outfit for myself, I would pick the black window plaid jacket and black pants in the first photo (where you were sitting down outdoors). What a chic and casual outfit! My cup of tea.
I love you in pink but if something itches me, it’s not going home with me. I like the moss green pants too. They show that color on my iPad. I’m wearing more pink with green lately. Geranium pink with sage green is my favorite right now.
It’s rarely cold enough here for full out coverup so I have to be content with wearing basically the same type of clothing I wear for Fall. No fur lined anything. No sweaters unless we get a cold spell of freezing at night for a few days. I love Winter clothing. fur lined boots, knit caps, gloves, quilted jackets. Cashmere!
Welcome to Victoria! It’s beautiful here just now, and I hope you enjoy your stay.
Oh what I wouldn’t give to be in Victoria right now. One of my favorite places on earth. let alone Canada.
Thanks for a great DRD! It’s to bad though that they didn’t have your sizes in several items that you tried. I really liked the jeans (looks like they were made for you) and the Sloan leggings also seemed like they were very slimming. The dark green color would be a nice change from my regular black. The only store that I’ve been to lately is Talbots, but I’ll have to give Banana Republic a try. Vancouver looks beautiful!
Hi! Just joined your blog recently. I like it a lot. However, I’m 5′ 7″ with a long torso, but I have a big tummy The clothes that look good on you would not work for me. I like slim style jeans and they suit me. I can’t tuck anything in due to the tummy!
Welcome, Nicola
Glad to hear you’re in Victoria Jennifer! I’ll wave if i see you on the street or in the shops. And make sure you pop into Munro’s for books and beauty and Murchies for the very best tea and yummy pastry!
Be sure to say hi because I won’t recognize you, Deanna:)
I love that first outfit – blouse and cigarette jeans ! Really cute! I agree you looked so good in the pink sweater but allergies……
I still havenāt gravitated toward wide leg jeans. Iām about your height with narrow hips but thick waist. Canāt wrap my head around them yet!
Thanks for the shopping spree post!
I could never go shopping with my man he would rather sit through a root canal so kudos to yours!
I have not been in the stores;our local Mall is understandably not much fun and it is stressful, so mainly I go online now to shop. I do drive an hour to my local Talbots when I need a friendly face and advice on something, as I prefer in person if i can, and I like to support people, but hey we are all adjusting. Love Victoria Island. Me and my little kids (at the time) had high tea in the grand hotel.
I have not been shopping in stores lately. Covid is raging here. I may make an online purchase from Uniqlo soon – lambswool turtlenecks. It is freezing cold where I live.
Hey Jennifer,
You always look nice and I enjoy your blog very much. Wish I was shopping with you there it looks great.
Thank you again.
I am also 5 ft. 4 with a long torso and wide leg pants make my legs look a foot shorter. I like either skinny jeans or slim leg straight leg pants. Too bad about the pink sweater It was very pretty on you.
Thank you for the virtual shopping trip. Several of the items I would love to have in my closet. Welcome however to petite shopping in Canada. I am very similar in size to you but at only 5 feet I am minus the long torso which makes things even trickier. Very few stores carry petite clothing any more and it is mostly business attire if available. Even The Bay where I live has taken out their petite section. I so miss my jaunts to the States where there are more petites in one store than in all of my city. Not an online shopper, I was excited to order the slim jeans in petite but alas the dark wash are back ordered with delivery in the new year. Enjoy your time in Victoria.
Shopping is more a challenge in Canada, so I understand completely
Love the light wash jeans on you. I can’t get into the wide leg ones. Didn’t really care for them in the 70’s either, but I guess all styles of jeans are in now. My husband actually likes to shop if we are actually looking for something in particular. He can’t understand the ” I’m just looking thing,”
That’s funny, Rose. Just looking is one of my favorite ways to shop. That way I can think about things and not buy something I will regret
I was out shopping early September to pick up a couple of things to supplement my fall/winter wardrobe. Iām not spending a lot on clothes this season. Where would I wear these new pieces?
My husband hates to shop for clothes. It takes a lot of nagging to even get him into a store for his own needs. Even then, itās an in/out affair. So I hear you!
I think you look best in slim leg pants which show off your slender legs. I should be so lucky!
My husband doesn’t even want to shop for himself so everything is bought online
Hi, Jennifer,
I really love the first look; those cigarette jeans are something I would consider. I’ll never be a fan of those wide legged jeans, either cropped or regular length. They do nothing for me, whereas a pair of skinnies or straight legged jeans elongate my body and make me look very slim. I’ve been shopping strictly online, not just because of coronavirus, but because I live in a very small rural town and the shopping here is very limited! Not to worry–my favorite online retailer, Chico’s, has really been my go-to this year.
You look fabulous in all if the outfits. The only pants were the bell bottom that I didnāt care for in particular. Wore enough if those in the 70s.. have a great weekend. I have a husband just like yours at home. Same sentiments abiut shoppingšš
Happy Weekend Dianne
So I have questions about the wide legged jeans. In the photo they appear to hit the bottom of you ankle, but you say they are too short to be cropped. Would the Tall be too long in the rise? Would the Petite have been a cropped look, but fit in the rise? (Some lines don’t change the rise, or not much; I don’t know about Banana Republic). What would your preferred length be for these and what footwear?
I have a long torso so don’t think the rise on the tall would be too high. For a wide leg like that, I would prefer it cover part of my shoe or boot so a bit longer would do that.I would wear these with a flat or low heeled bootie.
Thanks for the guidance! I’m only 5’3″, but have long legs. I know several people have voiced their reservations about this style, and it’s not my first choice, but for an occasional change, I think it’d be fun to try. Besides, it makes it easier to wear my long underwear rather than stuffing them under a slimmer pant leg.
Oh yes, it would make it much easier.