Fashion, Retailer Reviews

Fall 2024 haul review: Banana Republic Petite

Fall has fallen, the leaves are changing, and workplaces across the continent are jumping on the RTO trend. Yep, that’s right, after years of sitting comfortably at home working in pyjama pants, many of us are back at the office at least a few days per week

This caught up with me this season when I realised, hey, I have nothing work-appropriate to wear that’s less than five years old. And while I usually favour timeless pieces over trendy ones, there is a point where a wardrobe refresh is in order.

With that in mind, I splurged on a few items during Banana Republic’s recent 40% sale, with a mind towards picking up a few work-friendly staples. How did I do? Read on for reviews:

First off, I decided I needed some pants that weren’t jeans, leggings, or yoga pants. I have a couple of pairs of vintage BR Sloan Skinny black pants that have been wardrobe staples of mine for ages and would do in a pinch. But I decided I wanted an option that wasn’t skinny, and wasn’t black. Wide leg has been super trendy lately, but it doesn’t tend to work on my curvy petite pear frame. So I split the difference and picked up a pair of these straight leg Italian wool trousers in navy blue:

Pants: Banana Republic Siena Straight Italian Wool Pant, navy, size 4P, $115.75 CAD (reduced from $200)

They’re basically suit pants, meant to be trouser length. Here’s the fit on me:

So, the colour is good and the wool feels nice and light. However, I am not loving the fit on these. Like far too many pants these days, these are high rise, which is just awful on us short-torsoed petites. They come up to nearly my bust, and they are super uncomfortable to sit down in. At some point I need to write a rant post about the high rise trend.

The fit is also slim through the hips and thighs, which clings unflatteringly on my curviest part and tends to pull at the crotch area. The wool, while light, is unlined and feels a bit cheap, with a couple of loose threads already visible. And even in a petite, these have a 31″ inseam, which is just way too long even with heels, and drag on the floor without.

I wanted to like these, but alas, I just couldn’t. I promptly sent them back.

Next, I bought this 100% silk blouse in a gorgeous dusky green colour, which I thought would pair well with either dark denim or black pants:

Blouse: Banana Republic Perfect Silk Shirt, nori green, size SP, $115.75 CAD (reduced from $200)

Here it is on me:

I have a love-hate relationship with silk. It feels luxurious, sure. But it also is so difficult to keep clean and unwrinkled, costs a fortune to dry clean, and while it’s supposed to be very breathable, I’ve found it sometimes tends to make me overheat. But this feels nice and lightweight, very soft and silky, and I have to admit I love the cool greyish green colour.

However, there are some fit issues. The blouse looks pretty good tucked in, but untucked, it’s obvious that it’s too big. In my usual size of Petite Small, the shoulder seams are too wide, the sleeves are too long and need to be rolled and cuffed, and it’s just plain baggy. Another example of vanity sizing run amok.

I like this enough that I may try to exchange it for a size down and see how it fits in petite XS. But this definitely runs big.

Finally, this isn’t technically Banana Republic, but I’m throwing it into the same post because it’s from sister brand Old Navy and I bought it in the same order. This burgundy button-down vest seemed like the type of item I could style with or without a top underneath; a nice alternative to a blazer or jacket that could instantly make me feel more polished. Plus, it was in one of my favourite colours, so I couldn’t resist:

Vest: Old Navy Relaxed Button-Down Vest in Cherry Bark, size SP, $34.72 CAD (reduced from $44.99)

Here it is on me:

I personally find a vest is also a bit tricky to pull off when you have a short torso and wider hips, since it adds bulk around the middle and makes my whole body look wider. I also find that the length is too long for me, despite it being a petite size. It doesn’t give that cute cropped effect. I find it rather oversized and baggy for a cropped vest. The XSP might have given a more fitted look, but I don’t really love it enough to bother trying to exchange it.

The colour is also brighter and redder than it appeared on the website. I also find it looks odd over a shirt, while wearing it sleeveless like the model is doing in the photo isn’t super practical for a workplace, or, for that matter, in Canadian winters.

This vest just isn’t for me; I sent it back.

Haul summary:

Well, that was a bit of a bust. I was oh-for-three on the purchase list, possibly one-for-three once I get the silk shirt in the smaller size. To be fair, I should have known that the high rise pants wouldn’t work for me. But it’s been so difficult to find lower rise pants for these past couple of years that I took a chance, which unfortunately didn’t pay off. The silk shirt was nice but too big. And the vest just looked awkward.

The search continues for some petite-friendly return-to-office basics. Alas, these just weren’t it.

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