Alterations: Ann Taylor Texture Pencil Skirt

I recently made a trip to the tailors, which never fails to leave me in a state of mild shock over how much tailoring costs can add up... but I have to say that I absolutely love the results!  One of my favorite alterations this time is the Ann Taylor pencil skirt that I mentioned in the last post, which turned out fantastic!

I probably should've taken proper pics, but was so excited by how it turned out that I just grabbed my phone to snap away, and also threw on the ensemble that I was planning to wear for my presentation, which again was inspired by this stock photo:

My initial thought was to get the skirt hemmed, but my tailor convinced me to get the sides slimmed, which would allow it to fit better overall.  With that alteration it would sit higher on my natural waist, and would therefore hit me at a good length without any hemming needed... and she was right!  I thought she did a beautiful job and it feels seriously amazing on... I think this is probably the best fitting pencil skirt that I currently own!

Here again is how the skirt looked before:

And here again is the after:

Blouse: AT Charmeuse Ruffle Shirt, size 00P (post)

Skirt: AT Riley Texture Pencil Skirt, size 00P      

Shoes: AT Perfect Leather Pumps, size 5

Unfortunately it was a cold rainy day today and I was freezing even with the added cardigan & white coat:

So instead of wearing this outfit, I made a last-minute decision to switch to the petite-favorite (and warmer) Banana Republic tweed dress that I'd also just gotten back from the tailor.  I took a few iPhone pics of it but they turned out blurry, so I'll have to retake the pics for another post.

I'm so glad my presentation is done... a big thanks to everyone who shared helpful public speaking tips and words of encouragement!  I actually had a really good turnout of attendings... some of whom I'm sure came for the free catered food lol, but it felt good to have an audience to show the fruits of my labor to nevertheless.  Now that it's over, I can relax and enjoy my one week of vacation time that starts today!  I hope you guys are having a fantastic weekend! :)

Ann Taylor 40% + Stackable 20% Off Sale!

I'm really supposed to be working on my presentation, but did a little quick shopping since there's a really good promotion going on right now at Ann Taylor.  They are offering 40% off all sale items with free shipping on $150+ order.  I also found that the code 10000000110 will stack to give an additional 20% off entire purchase!

Pickings are slim in the small petite sizes, so I ended up getting these:

Lace Bootie, size 5.5 ($66, reg $198):

Tweed Perfect Flat, size 5 ($57, reg $158):

Shimmer Tiered Shell, size XXSP ($20, reg $78):

Don't forget to go through your credit card shopping links for additional cash back (Discover is offering 5% and Chase has 3%).  If you don't have those, you can go through eBates for an extra 3% cash back (referral link).

On a side note, I recently tweeted about this AT Riley Texture Pencil Skirt in 00P:

I picked it up in a previous order for ~$55 and was planning to wear it in the work outfit I talked about in the previous post.  Here are some quick & grainy iPhone pics:

I've actually never tried on any Ann Taylor pencil skirts before and was pleasantly surprised by how the size 00P fits!  I initially thought I could even get by without any alterations, but am now considering getting it hemmed.  I prefer for it to sit slightly higher on the waist as well, but slimming sounds like a potentially complicated alteration per Jean who definitely knows what she's doing!  Any thoughts?

100th Post! A Day In The Life...

I just realized that this marks my 100th post! It's also been almost a year since I started blogging... in fact, it's that time of the year again for my annual big presentation, and the one time a year where I actually wear something other than scrubs to work!  You can see what I wore last year here.  I've barely started to work on my presentation, but I already have my outfit picked out!  Lol... I'm thinking about something almost exactly like this:

I have that blouse in teal and am planning to pair it with a charcoal pencil skirt and a skinny black belt.  As for shoes, I decided to pick up another pair of the AT Perfect Leather Pump in black, since I currently don't have any black pumps.  I'm normally a size 5.5/6, but these pumps fit me perfectly in size 5... and I seriously love them!

It's basically going to look just like this outfit I posted before, except in different colors with an added white coat:

Since it is my 100th post after all, I figured I should share a bit more about myself and what I do.  I'm currently about halfway through a medical residency.  For those who are not familiar with the US medical education system, it consists of 4 years of college and 4 years of medical school.  After finishing those 8 years, even though you're technically a "doctor", you can't really practice (or know how to) until you complete a residency in the field of your choice.  Residencies range from 3 to 7 years depending on the specialty, and the first year of residency is traditionally known as internship.

I'm doing my residency in radiology, which is a specialty with limited patient contact.  Radiologists are the ones who interpret or "read" all the imaging studies like CT, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound, and so on that other doctors order.  It's mostly a desk job, but I do see patients when I'm doing procedures like lumbar punctures, barium studies, or ultrasound-guided biopsies or drainage.  This is where I spend most of my time when at work or on call... a dark room with the 4 basic essentials to be a radiologist:

It's a little ironic that I actually celebrated never having to write another literary analysis essay again when I graduated college.... because I ended up basically writing reports for a living!

I hope you enjoyed learning about one of the lesser known specialties of radiology!  In any case, I'm giving my big presentation next Friday and only have a grand total of 8 slides so far, so I'll likely need to put blogging on the back burner for a bit to focus.  It's a pretty formal presentation and I'm dreading the public speaking part since I still get super nervous, so please share any tips if you have them! :)

My First Theory: The Gratian Blazer

Ever since Kelly of AlterationsNeeded first wrote about the Theory Gratian blazer, it seems like virtually every petite who managed to get their hands on one has absolutely loved it.  And even though several other Theory blazers have come onto the scene since then, I still secretly wished for but had given up hope on ever finding my very own Gratian.  They simply weren't available even if I had the $$ to pay the hefty full price (which I don't!).

But I must've been a VERY good girl last year because not only did the style resurface over the holidays in a black textured version, my Secret Santa also helped me track down the ever elusive size 00!

This was my very first Theory item and I love it.  Since Jean of ExtraPetite already did a thorough post on it here, I won't go into too much detail.  I knew it ran small from seeing it on other petites, but was still quite surprised at the shrunkenness of it in person.

 

It's slightly boxy on the side view, but because the length is cropped enough, I think it's still do-able.  And the best part?  A very reasonable price tag for a Theory blazer since it was an outlet find!

Thanks Santa!!  You're amazing and I'm so glad we wear the same size! :)

New Year Giveaway: Pick Your $10 Gift Card!

Dear lovely readers, in the spirit of Chinese/Lunar New Year and the tradition of giving out red envelopes that symbolize good luck, I've decided to hold a mini giveaway!  One "lucky" winner will receive a $10 gift card of their choice from the list below!

Fashion:

Beauty:

Department Stores:

Entertainment:

Food:

All you have to do to enter is be a follower, but extra entries will be given for tweeting, for "liking" PetiteXXS on Facebook, and for posting the following button on your blog or sidebar:

(Copy & paste text below to grab button)

<a href="http://petitexxs.com"><img src="http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/4486/gcgiveaway.jpg"></a>

This giveaway is open to all readers, and ends on Monday, Feb 28th at midnight PST.  The winner will be announced shortly after and will have 72 hours to claim and pick their gift card!  That's it, and thanks for reading! :)




*Please note: if you are a US resident, the gift card can be shipped directly to your address. If you are an international reader, I will forward it to you after I receive it, so it might take slightly longer.

Fitting Room Reviews: LOFT, Banana Republic, H&M

Work has been stressful lately for me, and so I haven't been able to really keep up with the blogger world.  But I still check Twitter and try to read some my favorite blogs during random free moments, even if my comments haven't been so timely!  In any case, I've been holding on to a bunch of fitting room pics that I haven't had a chance to incorporate into proper posts, but I figured I should share them so that they might be somewhat helpful while the items are still available.

The first store up is LOFT...

1. Abstract Print Shell in XXSP:

The armholes were good and the neckline was slightly on the low side but I can probably still go without a cami.  It also comes in a couple of solid colors, but I like the print which is great for spring and I believe is the same print as this cute pencil skirt that's now available in petite sizing.  Verdict: Want!

2.  Cotton Metallic Tiered Jacket in 0P:

There was no 00P in store, but I doubt sizing down would've helped the silhouette of this jacket.  I liked the soft lavender color, but layers of ruffles all around just made it too puffy and boxy.  Verdict: Pass.

3.  Deep Cowl Neck Shell in XXSP:

A simple knit top with an overall decent fit.  I thought it was slimming on me, but I'm afraid the material will pill after a few washes.  Verdict: Wait for deep discounts.

The next store is Banana Republic...

1. Classic Trench in XXSP:

I was hoping BR had improved their sizing since the last time they offered a classic trench.... but no such luck.  Their XXSP was still a size too big on me, and doesn't look quite right even when cinched.  Verdict: Pass.

2. Brigitte Double-Knit Ruffle Dress in 00P:

Despite being a knit dress, it was still loose on me especially in the bust.  The only thing I did like was that the material was a thicker knit.  Verdict: Pass.

3. Cascading Ruffle Dress in 00P:

Loosey-goosey fit, thin material, may be better if belted... but I thought it was overpriced at $130.  Verdict: Pass.

And finally, my visit to H&M was once again largely unfruitful... that is, except for this jacket!

I must've made 4 trips to different H&Ms trying to find a jacket that PAG reviewed several months ago, but without success.  Imagine my delight when I spotted this jacket which looks almost like an exact duplicate, and also fits tiny!  The price is not bad either at $35, and it also comes in black as well as a peach color that you can see on PetiteLittleGirl here.

Hope you enjoyed the virtual shopping trip!  As always, comments and opinions are welcome.  I've been trying to cut back on the spending so didn't end up buying anything (except for the H&M jacket), but it's always good to know which items are winners so I can snatch them up if they go on sale later!