Rainy day gear & petite-friendly sale finds

Boden petites trench (past review) c/o, altered, LOFT blouse, Longchamp Planetes tote H&M scarf, Hunter wedge boots (similar), duck umbrella (similar cuties in yellow or red)
I've received requests to show more "practical" attire for cold and wet weather, so am putting together a post soon of favorite pieces for various outdoor conditions. Recently we were blessed with a little warmth, but of course that didn't come without rain and gusty wind! I've been reaching for this Boden jacket quite a bit despite the oversized fit. The water-resistant material does its job, and my cold hands love the fleece-lined pockets. I really hope the brand will consider expanding into smaller petite sizes.

In the world of reviews, I wanted to start with this surprisingly well-fitting find from Old Navy that also comes in a classic navy stripe. I rarely stop by ON, but saw this knit blazer through the window. It was peeling off the mannequin from being too small in the shoulders. I'm trying the XS regular which was slim, and not bad at all in even the torso and sleeve lengths. I imagine it would fit someone my size perfectly in petite sizing (available online only, so I haven't yet tried).

Old Navy Ponte-Knit Blazer in regular XS (4 colors, $26 with code NEWSTYLE)

You can see here the importance of using proper-sized hangers. This jacket was carelessly hung in-store on a too-wide hanger, which left these unsightly pokes in the shoulders.

Flattering back and side profiles. Please note that I was wearing a very thick top underneath. The material has stretch. For anyone who was interested in but missed out on this J.Crew knit jacket, I'd highly recommend this one as an alternative.

I also popped into Banana Republic and tried on their latest Sloan dress. After checking with their PR team, Sloan refers to both the material and fit - "the mix of expert tailoring combined with our signature contour stretch fabric instantly refines and sculpts your figure, while maintaining the garment’s shape." Whatever it is, it's my favorite style at BR because it runs small and is comfy.

Banana Republic Sloan colorblock dress, trying on 00 petite ($91 w/ NEWSTYLE)
I loved the classic black, tan, white combo and the flattering placement of the colored blocks on this dress. For those with minimal curves like myself, it adds some shape and makes the waist look very small. It's sleeveless, but you can easily pair it with a shrug sweater or cropped cardigan/jacket. I was bummed to turn the dress around and see just solid black - feels like a shortcut to me, more often seen at H&M and the like. The fit was good just like the other Sloan dress with sleeves I tried on before - very fitted in the torso/waist (but not uncomfortable due to the stretch), with about 2 inches of extra room in the hips.

Gap girls quilted jacket, also in a classic white black trim combo ($26 w/ code NEWSTYLE)
I saw this through a Gap Kids window and thought it was a pretty mature style for little kids. Here's the fit of a girls sz L/10. I was surprised by how comfortable it was, and think the grown-up structure even makes it work-able for professional outfits. The quilted material is warm with stretch, albeit unlined so you see the insides of the little pockets (all 4 are functional...maybe for storing candy?).

One downside I noted is that the snap buttons were stiff and take some finagling to snap on and off. I wouldn't wear this jacket shut though, so that may not be an issue. A different button and higher quality faux-leather trim would've also taken this jacket up several notches, but at the end of the day I know it's a (very affordable) kids piece. I already have an abundance of jackets in same the square, cropped with 4 slit pockets style but just wanted to share this review.