Brands occasionally switch direction with their style which can be fun to watch or feels like being at the scene of an accident. It has felt the latter for many years with the Banana Republic but of late, they’ve gone back to their roots and I find myself loving more and more of their clothes.
If you’re new here, welcome. A dressing room diary is when I go into a store and try on new merchandise so you can see how it looks on a woman over 25. For reference. I am 5’4″ tall and weigh around 136 lbs. I have an inverted triangle body shape with broad shoulders and straight, narrow hips. I have very few curves. I have a long torso and long arms so I often wear one size larger on top than the bottom.
As always, you can click the red text for more info and to shop the item.
I’ve been very curious to try this Aire knit. The yarn is made with wool produced using global standards that protect the sheep who supply the wool for this sweater as well as the land they graze on. I love animals so this is awesome plus the yarn is very lightweight, super cozy, and not itchy. Win/win! It comes in 4 colors, regular and petite sizes XXS-XXL. I’m wearing a regular in the small.
These ultra high-rise jeans are a wonderful fit that comes in regular, tall, and petite sizes 24-25. They fit above my waist and are roomier than a skinny fit. The website says it skims the ribcage, but I have a long torso so they’re not that high. The fabric is 78% cotton, 11% recycled cotton, 6% recycled polyester, 3% elasterrell, and 2% lycra so they’re very stretchy and won’t bag out. I’m wearing a regular in 29, medium wash.
Here’s the blue in this turtleneck, which came home with me. The color is one of my very favorites. This jacket is faux suede and vegan sherpa meaning no animal was used in this coat. It’s all faux, very soft, stretchy, and super comfy. It comes in petite and regular XXS-XXL. I’m wearing a regular in small so it runs TTS. To wear it over this sweater IRL, I would opt for the medium jacket. I’m wearing the same ultra high-rise slim jeans as the first outfit, this time in regular 30, medium wash.
This silk charmeuse blouse is incredibly soft and beautifully tailored. It comes in four colors, regular, tall, and petite in sizes XXS- XXL. XSL I am wearing the regular in the medium. It’s machine washable which is a big plus to me because I haven’t used a dry cleaner in many years and don’t plan to start anytime soon.
The jeans are a nice high-rise in medium wash. I’m loving the BR slim-cut jeans because it’s somewhere between a skinny and a straight. The hip and thigh area is almost skinny but the leg has more room so you don’t get that strangled feeling in the calf.
Think of this sweater top as a tee-shirt alternative for cooler months. It’s very thin and perfect for layering. It comes in 9 colors, sizes XXS-XXL. They call it a raglan sleeve but it’s technically a saddle shoulder and has similar properties to a raglan. The fabric is super soft, 65% LENZING™ ECOVERO™ (viscose), 30% silk, 5% yak. What the heck is that?
ENZING™ ECOVERO™ is a breathable fiber derived from certified renewable wood sources, produced using methods that reduce water impact and emissions by up to 50% compared to traditional viscose. Banana Republic is going all-in for recycled fabrics and using renewable resources to help lower the footprint that clothing manufacturing has on our planet. I love that! I won’t wear fast fashion, but I will wear products like this from a company doing what they can to protect our environment.
These cords seem to be flying out the door because there was not one pair in the soft ivory color even close to my size. They come in navy, this camel, and ivory in regular, short, and tall sizes 24-35. I’m wearing a regular 30 which is a bit loose for my straight thighs so I would go down to a 29. The website says they run large, but I didn’t find that to be true for me. They’re organic cotton and spandex and feel amazing on.
The ribbed polo sweater is super soft and a fun new shape for fall. It’s available in 4 colors, XXS-XXL. This is a regular in small. It’s fiber content is 50% LENZING™ ECOVERO™ (viscose), 27% polyester, 23% nylon.
This crew neck is seamless and also made with the “responsible wool”. It comes in 7 colors sizes XXS-XXL. I am wearing a small but could easily wear a medium or large if I wanted it slouchy. The raglan sleeve is very flattering for both broad and narrow shoulders alike. I am wearing a small so it fits TTS.
Here’s that coat again which seems to improve every outfit I put it over. The body is unlined and made from a recycled wool/nylon blend. The sleeves are lined for easy on-off. The seaming makes it very flattering and it’s selling out fast. I am wearing a small.
These jeans have a great high-rise and a slim but not skinny leg in deep indigo. They come in regular, petite, and tall, sizes 24-35. I’m wearing a 29 in regular so they run TTS. These have a skinny fit from hip to knee, and a slim leg that’s a little wider than a skinny leg. This advanced bi-stretch denim is engineered with special, 4-way stretch for a holds-you-in feeling that’s still soft to the touch. These happily came home with me:)
This picture illustrates why petite pants can be an issue for me in the winter:) These cargo pants would be very cute with higher ankle booties but that would also make my legs look shorter so I would opt for these pants in regular length. The closeup on the right shows one way to “deal with an extra-long self-belt, rather than just letting it dangle.
I’m wearing the seamless, responsible wool turtleneck that comes in 8 colors sizes XXS-XXL. It’s very soft and not the least bit itchy around the neck and a great layering piece. The cashmere cardigan is dreamy soft and drapes beautifully. It comes in 3 neutrals sized XXS-XXL. I am wearing a small which fits perfectly. I love this type of cardigan as a great alternative to a jacket on milder days.
Are responsibly sourced fabrics and garments important to you?
Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
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