What’s Good at Ann Taylor Loft These Days?

I bought this tank in navy, but would love to own it in white and black as well. It’s made of a thick yet soft 100 percent cotton fabric and has wide, flexible trim around the neck and armholes that makes it look polished and modest enough to wear to work.

While this tank is very different in style, it has a similar high neck and wide boxy shape. It is one of my favorite things that I tried on, because it immediately made me look stylish and feminine without feeling fussy. I also like that I can wear any bra underneath because of its generous coverage. Just note that the color is much creamier in real life than in the photos on the website. But the lighting in the dressing room also made it look yellower than it actually is.

I loved the fit of this mesh maxi dress, and the green animal print is a bit abstract, making it look more elevated. My only complaint is that the lining doesn’t go all the way down to the bottom hem, which makes it look less finished and a little cheap. Even so, I strongly considered purchasing it.

I found this dress on the reject rack in the dressing-room area and loved the crisp 100 percent cotton-poplin fabric, adjustable spaghetti straps, dramatic black background with pink flowers, and detailed smocking. It would make a perfect beach wedding-guest dress, as it’s light and comfortable but still formal. It even has pockets. I didn’t end up buying it, as I don’t have any weddings or other dressy events coming up soon. And unfortunately, it’s largely sold out online (except in sizes M and L). But I did find it in XXS on Poshmark.

This is basically the same dress but with stripes instead of flowers. It is also made of 100 percent cotton and has pockets and adjustable spaghetti straps.

I was hoping to try on this 100 percent cotton dress, but it wasn’t available at the Fidi location. I love the cutout back, ring detail, and bold floral pattern.

At this point, long white pillowcase skirts are less of a trend and more of a wardrobe basic. So I decided to try on the Loft version and was pleased by how comfortable and not sheer it is. Unlike the animal-print dress above, this skirt is fully lined and both the shell and the lining are made of 100 percent cotton. It has an elastic waist that is fine and comfortable, even if it doesn’t look as nice as the waistband onDoên’s Sebastiane skirt. And the eyelet and pin-tucked seams around the bottom are all much nicer than the same details on a lot of similarly priced dupes. I bought this skirt and am looking forward to experimenting with how I style it. I think it could work with everything from oversize T-shirts and lightweight sweatshirts to a bikini top and a denim shirt or jacket.

I made a beeline for this chambray vest with tie closures and was excited to try it on with the white maxi skirt above. The fabric is light and soft with enough structure to make it feel dressed up. I could wear it many different ways, including to work by layering it with a slim T-shirt underneath. I love the color of the wash as well. I grabbed the last medium and was surprised to find that it was much too big. I didn’t mind the longer length (though I prefer the more cropped fit on the model above), but the armholes were gaping and showing too much of my bra. I probably would have bought the size small if I could have found it at the store, especially at just $30. Unfortunately, the smallest sizes are all sold out online too.

I love this top for its small-scale gingham that looks more like mottled gray than an actual pattern. It is also made of 100 percent cotton that felt nice on my skin. However, it was my least favorite of Loft’s Doên dupes because the size of the puff sleeves looked overwhelming on me and the style made me feel boring. That said, it was nicely made, and I think it could be a great choice for someone else.

First of all, I don’t think the photo of this top does it justice, especially for its current price of $16. It’s so soft and fluttery and pretty that I did a spontaneous little twirl as soon as I saw myself in the mirror. The fabric is, once gain, 100 percent cotton. But it feels more like a cotton-jersey T-shirt than a cotton-poplin dress shirt and has a lovely drapey quality. There is a ribbon that you can tie at the neck for a more modest look, or you can wear it with the neck open for a sexier vibe. And there is elastic at the bottom that you can loosen by undoing one or two of the bottom buttons. It comes in regular and petite. I bought it in a regular size small for a more cropped fit, but I could have gone up a size, too, and it would still look nice.

Like the Doên-y eyelet top above, I felt immediately sexy in this off-white lace top. I also felt a little thrill at wearing something that reminded me so much of my teen years. I would have loved to own this top back then and, though I didn’t buy it because I was already buying too much other stuff, I loved wearing it in the dressing room. I tried on the size small and loved how it fit. The ruffles at the neck and the flowy cap sleeves give it lots of drama without making it look like a costume. It also comes in awarm pinkish brown colorthat was not available at the store during my visit. And it’s currently on sale for $20, making me reconsider my previous decision not to buy it.

Since the top was so flattering, I was excited when I spotted this dress in a pink version of the same lace fabric. But it was so ill-fitting that I couldn’t even bring myself to take a photo wearing it. There was only one size left in the store, a large, which is part of why it didn’t fit me well. But compared to the lace top that I loved, it is kind of shapeless with a boring neckline. Also, the lining stops above the knee, which makes it look cheap. I was very disappointed, because I liked the color a lot.

This pink paisley set with a bustier top and full skirt seriously reminded me of Mara Hoffman’s designs. I was hopeful it would look a bit like her clothing when I put it on as well. But the bust area of the top was way too big for my chest, even though the rest was kind of tight, so it looked awkward on me, and when I bent over, my boobs were on full view. The skirt fit me well and looked very nice with anoversize white button-up. I didn’t buy the set or the white shirt, but only because I was already buying other things.

I looked like a baby in a romper when I tried on this gingham vest-and-shorts set. The shorts were by far less flattering on me, and I would have needed a size medium in them, while the vest fit better in a size small. I was also a bit shocked by the full price, $120, when I first looked at the tag. But upon closer inspection, the fabric and construction were very good quality, and the vest is fully lined and substantial enough to wear to the office without a tank underneath. It looked very cute and Reformation-y (but better quality) paired with my worn-inRudy Jude utility jeans. The vest alone is definitely worth the sale price of $51.

Loft launched a new denim line, Rivete, in February. The collection is designed to be ultra-inclusive with nine different silhouettes available in regular, tall, short, petite, and curvy fits. I tried on several pairs including the wide-leg, the kick-flare, and the barrel jeans. But the pair I liked best were these high-rise, straight-leg jeans in a medium, slightly distressed wash. I ended up sizing down from my normal size 29 or 30 to a size 28 in the regular fit, which has a 28-inch inseam. Since they are made with a blend of 76 percent cotton, 23 percent Lyocell, and one percent spandex, they have a good amount ofstretch. That stretch makes the high waist comfortable and not constricting, even when I am sitting down for hours. And after wearing them almost nonstop since buying them, they have loosened a fair amount. Still, I think I bought the right size, and I like the more relaxed fit they are taking on. Most of all, I like that they hang straight down my legs from my hips to my ankles, giving them a classic or vintage look similar to Wranglers or vintage Levi’s. I also like that they are currently on sale for just $40.

Denim Bermuda shorts are everywhere right now, and this pair is a solid choice. I almost bought them, but then remembered I have something similar (in white fromBuck Mason) and don’t need two pairs. They have a slight flare from the waist to the knees that makes them feel breezy rather than tight. I sized down a full size in these as well.

You can’t see it in the photos, but these linen pants have a center seam that runs down the front of the legs, which elevates them above many other elastic-waist wide-leg pants. And the fabric, a blend of 55 percent linen and 45 percent cotton, is sturdier than a lot of other linen pants I have tried. I felt very professional and stylish in them and plan to wear them to work throughout the summer.