The Verdict: J.Crew Petite size 0 (P0)

**This post has an update. View the dress post-alterations here.**

I was very excited for the arrival of my J.Crew goodies. My expectations were low, after the comments and input from this post, but needed to see for myself and put my curiosity to rest. I also wanted to see whether the fit could be correct by alterations, and if so, for how much $.

First up, the Terra Paisley dress in 0P. On the J.Crew model (left) and on me (right):

Side and back view:

 

Measurements: 16 inches across from armpit to armpit, 13.25 inches across the waist.

The fit was loose and blah, but it was not swimmingly huge like I had feared. A petite lady 1 or 2 sizes up from me could probably fit perfectly into this dress.  

When I took this to my tailor, she said it needed alterations in the following areas: straps shortened so that the neckline could move up (it was a little gaping), sides taken in, plus hem shortened slightly. Because there was a side zip and side pockets, she would have to take it in via the two back darts instead of the sides, thus shifting the symmetry of the dress. 

Loose arm holes:

 

Waist and torso about an inch or two too big:

Because this dress was silk and fully lined, the alterations were costly - about $50 total. With my discount this went down to $40, but still a lot for me to fork over for one dress that was pretty expensive to begin with. The dress was final sale (silly me) so I ended up going for the alterations. To make myself feel better about spending all that cash, I returned my Theory Chanesa Dress, since it was still hanging in my closet with tags and all.

Click "Read More" to see the fit of a J.Crew P0 blouse.

I've had my eye on this pretty little thing since months back. It comes in ten gorgeous colors and two of my favorite shades are on sale (plus EXTRA30). I gave into ordering after I discovered that it was not part of final sale, and thus, returnable.

Click for more info

The misty lavender (poor ruffles are crushed from shipping):

Same problems as the dress. Loose arm holes:

and wide torso:

Measurements: 16" from armpit to armpit, 18" across the bottom, and 23" length. Well, I was warned by a number of readers. J.Crew's silk blouses really are generously sized. My mom who is a Petite 4 could probably fit into this top. I was quoted about $25 to have this blouse slimmed, since it is 100% silk. It's not worth a total of $80 to me, so...back it goes!


Final Verdict: P0 sleeveless (sleeves add a new dimension of difficulty!) items work for someone my size with the appropriate alterations. Sorry to ladies more petite than I am - no hope for you and the Crew! If I didn't care about eating well, or higher education, or buying a house or a car, then I would splurge more often on J.Crew P0 clothing and shell out for alterations. In my opinion, the design and fabrics, prints, and colors are just a notch above WHBM, Banana Republic or Ann Taylor. 

PS - Just picked up the silk paisley dress, and the alterations turned out even better than expected (view it post-alterations here). This is bad news for my wallet, now that I know the potential of J.Crew pieces after a trip to Hemmingway ...