JUST SAY "NO" to Mom Jeans!

---------------CONTEST CLOSED!--------------

and the winner is....



Jill said...
I love them all but my favorite is the casual holiday. I'm all about comfort with style!
Jill
jilliandrhodes@yahoo.com

Thu Dec 10, 09:41:00 AM

CONGRATS, woman! Happy shopping!!!!
Suz

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This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Loft.

I must admit, when I heard that I would be trying on clothes at LOFT (used to be Ann Taylor LOFT)...I didn't fully understand the differences between Ann Taylor and the newer division company: LOFT.

Allow me to share my research findings between the two stores:

Ann Taylor:
high quality
classic looks
conservative
high end prices
older business class women
majority of items are dry clean only
(where your mom shops)

LOFT:
casual chic
trendy and classy
great quality at a reasonable price
middle to younger business professionals
majority of items are machine washable
(where you shop)

HOW HAVE I NEVER WALKED INTO THIS STORE BEFORE?!?! It was love at first sight!


When discussing age-appropriate apparel, my friends and I often talk about how we are "stuck"...you know, stuck in between a "teenybopper" and a middle-aged mom. It is a common conversation among women my age (29 & knockin' on thirty's door), am I right?

But I'm tellin' ya, girlfriends---look no further! LOFT is exactly what I was looking for and caters to all the many different aspects of a woman's life. BlogHer hooked me up with: a $200 LOFT gift certificate (thank you, BlogHer!), an amazing professional stylist
(thank you, Bret!), and a very talented professional photographer (thank you, Heather!).

We were given 45 minutes to complete a “Style Challenge”--where we put together three perfect holiday looks from LOFT: the perfect party outfit, an office-to-party outfit, and a casual holiday look. Here are pics from my very own, SUPER fun, LOFT SHOPPING PARTAAAY!

Perusing the aisles before we begin--SO many cute things to choose from!


Trying to find the perfect combination...Modern Boot light wash jean with a swirl appliqué T-shirt and toggle-button sweater coat.



Look #1: Casual Holiday...a laid back look that will keep you cozy and cute during your downtime this holiday. Black cords paired with a chiffon blouse, complete with a stylish gray sweater coat and long fringe necklace.


Bret working his magic! (Umm, can you come shopping with me every time?)



Look #2: Office-to-Party...a versatile look that you can transform from office-appropriate to party-ready in no time! Cuffed, wool striped trouser pants with a cascading ruffle blouse and soft velveteen blazer.


Lets not forget the SUPER cute bauble necklace! (They have THE BEST accessories! I was in heaven.) I LOVED the royal blue shirt paired with the long magenta beads. I'm all about colors that POP!



Look #3: Perfect Party Outfit...from low-key style to full-on glamour, an outfit that will make you shine at any get-together. A beautiful party dress with an iridescent sheen paired with a long knotted rope necklace. Simple and smashing!


Okay--now down to business...what to purchase?! My dressing room was filled to the brim with layer after layer of adorable clothing & accessories!


I hear great things about LOFT denim- so I enlisted the help of my uber-fashion-extraordinaire stylist to find me a pair of skinny jeans that I could wear with my (previously purchased from another store) boots. I am TERRIFIED of skinny jeans, but LOVE the boots-over-jeans look that is so hot right now. (yes, I just used the phrase "so hot right now"). Here's what we put together! I LOOOOVE them! Bret made me a believer.


SOOOO...What did I make it home with???

The adorable gray sweater coat and the Modern Skinny dark wash jean (Regular, Size 6).


The Deep Twilight Blue Corsage Crew Neck Cardigan with "jewel" buttons (I LOVE the girly corsage- which dresses up your ordinary cardigan. LOFT was full of cute tops with ruffles and frills---right up my alley! SO hard to choose!)


Modern Boot Cut light wash jean (Regular, size 6) which fits me PERFECTLY--LOFT denim runs true to size, which is SO nice. Oh, and by the way- these jeans were on sale for $14.99! (Playing with my little monkey- Ethan...one of my 2 yr old quadruplets! Click HERE to see more of my precious family)


And if you know anything about me...you know I just couldn't pass up this awesome necklace! Accessories are KEY in taking an outfit to the next level. (and I LOVED the blue and purple combination)



Is LOFT a good "fit" for you? Here are some things to consider...

STORE ENVIRONMENT:
The store at NorthPark in Dallas, TX was well organized and easy to maneuver with super friendly and accessible staff members. You can find LOFT stores inside a mall or outside shopping center (Click HERE for a store locator). They have special store events like last Saturday-there was a live DJ playing, the atmosphere was fun and relaxing--just an all around great experience. Did I mention there were free snacks and drinks on this particular day? I was comfortable and did not feel out of place---you know, like at those teenybopper stores where you are the oldest person in there? Yah- not the case at LOFT!


LOFT CLOTHING:
Trendy. Casual. Fun! I texted my hubby & several friends on the way home and told them that I just found my new favorite place to shop--(no lie!) If you are looking for fun and flirty---LOFT has it. If you are looking for classy business attire---LOFT has it. If you are looking for casual and comfy---LOFT has it. And the greatest part about it- is that you can mix and match everything! Such a versatile collection of cute, affordable clothing---exactly what I'm looking for in this economy.

I also love their easy-to-use online website. If you want a quick way to check out some of their styles, click on "Looks We Love" ...its like having your own personal stylist right there in the computer! See below for an exclusive coupon before you start shopping!

A quick run down on their prices:
Tops- $9.99 (sale price) to $49.99
Pants/Skirts- $19.99 (sale price) to $89.99
Dresses- $39.99 (sale price) to $100+
Jeans- $14.99 (sale price) to $79.99


LOFT DENIM:
JUST SAY NO- to "Mom Jeans"!
LOFT recently re-tooled all of their denim fits and washes to make them a perfect fit at a remarkable value. I 100%, absolutely found this to be true with my experience. The two jeans that I tried on, I purchased (MODERN BOOT & MODERN SKINNY). I didn't have to size swap--I knew my size, tried on my size, and was ready to go! Which is SO nice and time efficient. Their jeans average around $59- which I think is affordable for the quality of the denim.


PETITE COLLECTION:
Some of my closest friends and family are short in stature and it is challenging to find appropriate fitting clothes (pants especially). The fact that LOFT has an entire section devoted to their petite collection shows just how much they try to cater to all body types.


FREE COUPON!
LOFT has provided an exclusive coupon to BlogHer and our blogger readers to shop in-store nationwide. CLICK HERE for coupon, valid through 12/31/09.


WIN A $200 LOFT gift card!
Tell me your favorite LOFT look, out of the 3 outfits we pulled together, and you will be entered to win a $200 LOFT gift card! Just leave a comment below.

Outfit 1: "Casual Holiday”
Outfit 2: “Office-To-Party”
Outfit 3: “Perfect Party”“


You have 15 chances to win a gift card! Visit this page for more details: BlogHer.com special offers page

The contest will begin at 12/10/2009 and will end 12/25/2009. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
Please see the official rules here: Official rules


Thank you SOOOOO much BlogHer and LOFT! I had an absolute BLAST with this review (and Bret & Heather!)---SO much fun! And to all of you blogger buddies: Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!!! DON'T FORGET YOUR LOFT COUPON!!!