I’m in My 30s and I’m Buying All My Petite Coats At Loft

Of all the jackets that I tried on from Loft, this is the one I’ve reached for the most. It fits perfectly with the hem hitting right below my waist and the sleeves just slightly past my wrists. While it has room to layer thicker sweaters underneath, it has a good amount of structure, so it doesn’t look frumpy if I’m just wearing a tee or thinner longsleeve. It also wasn’t boxy or stiff right out of the box. It’s mainly made of polyester, but the 14 percent wool makes it feel more expensive than it actually is. To boot, it comes with a removable faux-fur collar, meaning you can dress it up or down.

This denim jacket fits very similarly to the boucle option above, hitting me just below my waist with sleeves that go slightly past my wrists. It’s a bit more lightweight than the boucle — about a midweight feel — and hits a balance between structured and slouchy. I’m usually a purist when it comes to a denim jacket, but I didn’t mind the faux-leather trimmings on this. I think the solid dark wash helps to pull this off without it cheapening the look. Made with 99 percent cotton and 1 percent spandex, the jacket feels extra durable but not overly stiff. I’ve also washed it a few times since receiving it, and it’s held up nicely.

Loft’s coat section surprised me the most. Every one I tested fit perfectly, which is almost never the case with coats as a petite. Usually, I’m swimming in fabric or the sleeves go past my fingertips, as though I’m a child playing dress up in adult clothes. Instead, these looked tailored to me specifically. I especially liked this boucle cocoon coat. It adds nice texture to an outfit while still being pretty neutral. I’ve found myself reaching for it on my morning walks when temperatures are in the 50s, and it’s extremely cozy, even with a T-shirt underneath.

Before trying on the shawl-collar coat, I was worried it would overwhelm my smaller frame. Thankfully, it has the perfect amount of structure to it, so it drapes beautifully. Instead of looking slouchy or sloppy, it looks more like a statement coat. It’s slightly roomier than the boucle coat, so I can layer thicker sweaters underneath without any issue.

I lost my eBay-sourced trench coat in a recent move, so I was very happy to test this one out. It fit well, just like the other coats I tested, and I appreciated the pattern-lined cuffs that make rolling up the sleeves look very intentional. Plus, this jacket comes with a cute removable scarf in the same pattern. My only issue is that the material is very susceptible to wrinkles. If I don’t hang it up immediately after wearing it out, I’d have to hit it with my steamer before reaching for it again. Aside from that, it’s a worthy replacement for my long-lost vintage trench.

The brand’s corduroy cadet jacket fit well and was even a bit more snug than the denim jacket I tried. I wasn’t completely sold on the corduroy material, though. It had a slight shininess and slickness that I don’t typically associate with the fabric, and it was on the flimsier side. (I chalk that up to the blend of cotton and modal it’s made of.) Because of that, it wasn’t my favorite of the bunch.