J.Crew Everly pumps, Parentesi bag (sold out), Ann Taylor necklace c/o
I received a gift card from LOFT (and asked for a few to share!) to try on their new pant styles. This was timely, as I’ve been looking to expand my wardrobe beyond my usual skirts and dresses. According to a booklet that came in the mail, their pants were redesigned this season after research with over 10,000 women. Changes based on feedback included lifting the rear/back rise, slimming the legs and thighs, and adding reinforcement inside the waistband like in men’s dress pants amongst other tweaks.
LOFT shoppers are probably familiar with their signature Marisa (straight through hips) or Julie (curvy through hips) cut pants. I have friends who swear by these, but both cuts fit roomy on me throughout. When I heard that there was a new Zoe cut this season that runs the narrowest through the hips, I was eager to give them a try.
Each store does carry petites, but I went online for the biggest selection. There were quite a few styles/materials to choose from in the Zoe cut alone, so I was stoked to find some helpful reviews by a very petite customer (thanks “Ardie!”). She reviewed three Zoe styles and noted that the custom stretch bootcut (pictured here) and trouser cut ran smallest, with just a bit of taking-in needed at the waist.
On someone my size (for reference, currently about 25″ at the high waist, 32.5″ hips) the hips, rise, and legs fit well throughout, with about 1.5″ of room in the waist that would need to be taken-in. The length on me is appropriate with 3.5″ heels.
For fellow ladies who can’t find pants that fit right off the rack, Kelly did a helpful post on the next best thing – how to choose pants that can be successfully altered. She notes to look for an appropriate rise, no excessive waist gap, a flat front, and smooth fitting thighs. I second all of these based on mistakes from personal experience. Too much taken in at the waist or hips could result in awkward pocket placement (see my “bad tailoring signs” post). Too high of a rise could result in pants that can’t even be pulled on post-waist alterations (see same post). Too much slimming at the thighs and legs just from the outer seam could ruin the trouser shape and the flow of the leg crease (have had a few Theory pants messed up this way…sobs…).
A waist alteration for unlined pants like these costs $15-$25 at the average tailor, and is necessary to correct sagging or creasing at the crotch that result from a loose waist. I wanted to show the actual fit of these pants, so all photos in this post are pre-alterations. I also wanted to note that while I was in the fitting room during a recent visit, a sales associate saw that my pants were loose in the waist and handed me a card for $10 off a full price purchase (“full price” includes those 40% off everything type sales…as long as there is not an actual markdown sticker on the tag). She said it was a small gesture for customers that may still need alterations on their pants, so be sure to ask for one if that’s the case!
I also wanted to show the Zoe ankle pants in cotton blend (3 colors):
These were similar to the bootcut in the waist/hips/thighs, but felt a little looser in those areas. For someone my size, these would require the same waist alteration as the style above. Even though I love the color of these, I plan on keeping & altering the bootcut as they were more fitted and flattering for me personally.
The measurements of my Zoe bootcut in custom stretch, sz 00P are 14″ across waist, 7″ rise, 16.5″ across hips, and 30″ inseam. Measurements of of the Zoe ankle pants are 14″ across waist, 7″ rise, 16.75″ across hips, and 25″ inseam. In comparison, a Marisa pant in 00P I tried on was 14″ across the waist and 18″ across the hips, so I’d recommend that cut for those who want more room in the hip/butt area.
