Neutral Zone

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Dress:  Ann Taylor Petites (Available here)

I apologize for being a bit M.I.A.  I've been working a lot, catching up on some family time, and I'm working on some new posts!  I hope to have a lot more fall fashion up on the blog soon.

Today, I'm featuring a neutral color block dress with faux leather insets.


Boots:  Target (Available here)

Bangle:  Ann Taylor (Available here)
Rings:  Torrid

Necklace:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

Even though this dress is a petite, I still initially encountered some issues with fit.  The straps were cut too long, and the overall dress was also too long. 

Because the shoulder straps were too long, you could clearly see my bra under my arms and the waist band was sitting down too low.

I first had the straps shortened, but I initially opted against shortening the dress until I was able to see how much length was lost by shortening the shoulders.

Once the shoulders were shortened, I had the dress shortened as well.  

In the end, these two easy fixes gave me a much more flattering fit.

Since most everything requires alterations, I try to minimize cost.  Usually, I choose sleeveless dresses like this one as they are easier (hence, cheaper) to alter in the shoulder area than dresses with sleeves.

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)

Since the weather is cooler now, I added a classic black blazer for warmth. 

Ankle booties and a faux croc satchel maintain the fall feel.

Satchel:  Express

Do any of you have a problem with petite clothing still being proportioned too long?  What are your wardrobe fixes?

For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.