When I heard that Ann Taylor LOFT was releasing a plus-size collection, I knew I had to try it.
According to Laura Jacobs, the brand’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, “launching plus sizes took commitment, and it took passion and focus. But it was not hard.”
If it’s not hard, why is a brand founded in 1954 only JUST offering plus sizes in 2018?
Nevertheless, I am glad LOFT decided to come out with a collection full of floral blouses, dresses, and colorful trousers in sizes 16 through 26.
Unfortunately, the plus-size range is only sold online, so I wasn’t able to try pieces on before purchasing. From jeans to blouses to a dress, I ordered eight pieces online and prayed they would fit. Surprisingly, most of my selections fit comfortably while others fit… well, you’ll see.
Watch a video recap below and keep scrolling for the FULL review + photos!
As a woman who carries most of her weight in her tummy, comfortable jeans are very hard to find. I purchased these cuffed skinny jeans in a size 18.
I am a true size 18 and 5'6" and these jeans fit perfectly at the waist and sat slightly above my ankle. They didn't dig into my skin and the denim was nice and thick (hopefully preventing any wear and tear on the inner thigh area).
On anyone taller than me, these may be more of a capri than an ankle grazer. Unfortunately, LOFT does not offer different inseam lengths.
The blouse was also a perfect fit. The color is EVERYTHING and the material was very light and airy but not see-through! Perfect for the spring and even mild summer days.
This flounce skirt fit nicely at my waist and was long enough to be office appropriate but still cute for afterwork drinks.
Because LOFT is a women's workwear staple, even fun pieces take career life into account. For instance, this top, which fit great, has a V-cut that lands right above my cleavage, making me feel fashionable but also secure.
While plus-size retail has expanded with the growth of e-commerce, there are more options in general, but within niches like workwear, maternity wear, and upscale designer fashion, the selection is scant. Plus-size women account for 67% of all women, and nearly 50% of the entire American workforce is female. The math here isn't hard. Women need more office clothing options at all price points in all sizes.
There was ONE item I knew I had to try based on all my favorite plus-size bloggers showing it off on their Instagram pages — these yellow trousers.
Whenever I see something yellow it catches my eye, so I snatched these up quick! Based on the reviews, I got a size 20. The pants fit great at the waist, but were too big at the calf. If I were to get a size 18, it would probably fit my legs perfectly but be snug at the waist. I wanted these pants to work out so bad, but the sizing was off for me.
For a casual work look, I paired these hot yellow pants with a neutral cowl neck sweater.
I love the cowlneck because I know my makeup won’t rub off on it and it’s a universal piece. This is a long tunic that hits below the bum so you can wear this tucked into trousers, like I did, or with leggings.
Since spring is finally coming around, I couldn't resist trying the pink flounce top with the bright yellow pants.
Every woman needs a good wrap dress, and this one is covered in florals.
This seemed like a perfect fit until I leaned down to put on my shoes and felt the sleeves digging into my skin.
I thought the buttons were going to pop.
I raised my arms to fix my hair and felt the same digging sensation. I consider my arms average size, so I can only imagine how uncomfortable this will be for someone with bigger wrists and arms.
To top it off, while moving around this dress easily got wrinkled.
My last piece was this collarless denim jacket, because jean jackets are huge trend for spring.
True, this is a hefty price for a denim jacket, but I loved it anyway. The rose gold buttons were a cute touch and the fit was amazing!
It's nice to find a denim jacket that actually buttons yet isn't too oversized.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised that most of the pieces from LOFT’s new plus-size collection fit nicely.
I was impressed with the quality and fit of the denim, but it would be ideal to have different inseam lengths for tall and petite plus-size women. The place where LOFT deserves the most credit though is in the AMOUNT of plus-size options it carries. The plus selection doesn't compare to the straight-size section (yet), but there are a lot of options — pages and pages of options.
The biggest fail was the dress. Those sleeves aren't going to work for most plus-size women. The price point in general is high, but with most pieces I tried, the quality met the price.
I'm looking forward to new season styles being added and, fingers crossed, the addition of plus sizes INSIDE stores. Overall, we give the line a B+. This is a great start to a new fashion mainstay in the lives of plus-size women in need of upscale casual and workwear.
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