Review: Ann Taylor Petite Silk and Silk-like Blouses

In continued pursuit of petite-friendly silk blouses, I ordered a few to try on during Ann Taylor's last 30% off sale. They currently don't have white, my top choice, but do carry a range of jewel tone and wintery colors. A nice long-sleeve collared blouse can be a workhorse for the office and on the weekends, both worn alone and layered under something for a pop of color. Here are the ones I tried on, in the order of slimmest to loosest cut:
1. Petite Silk Legacy Blouse, 2 colors, 91% silk/95 spandex. Untucked:

Tucked in:

Likes: The fit for me was perfect as a dress shirt. The blouse is cut to be close-fitting and tapers in at the waist, allowing for minimal poofing when tucked into skirts. The sleeves hit just at the right length. Touch of spandex makes the material stretchy and didn't pull on the buttons when I moved my arms around. The other rose quartz color looks beautiful, like a blush pink.

Dislikes: The material in purple had too much sheen for me and reminded me of silk charmeuse. The fitted dress shirt style makes this more appropriate for the office and less for wearing casually over denim. Also on the pricier end of their blouse options.

Measurements of a 00P: 11.5" shoulder to shoulder, 15" across underarms, 22" long sleeves, 22" total length, 13.5" across waist.

2. Petite Covered Placket Long Sleeve Shirt, 4 colors, 100% polyester. Untucked:

Even though I was looking for a silk blouse, I loved the look of this top online and wanted to give it a shot. I've had luck with Ann Taylor's polyester - one of my favorite blouses from there looks and feels like silk to me, but is actually 100% polyester. I wear it much more than I probably would with silk, because it's so easy to maintain and wash.

Tucked in:
Likes: Out of the 3 I tried on, I think the cut and design of this one was my favorite. I personally love clean vertical details that go down the front, as I feel they are lengthening and look great peeking out from under a jacket/cardigan. This blouse reminds me a lot of a front placket blouse AT had in 2011 that I missed out on. The cut is not too fitted nor loose, and suitable for tucking in or wearing with jeans. The reviews online mention "gapping" at the front buttons, but this was not a problem for me probably due to my smaller bust.

Dislikes: Length may be short for someone taller than me. The polyester is slightly coarser than my old favorite blouse, and isn't as vibrant in color as the green verdigris in silk (#3 below). Before I tried on blouses #2 and 3, I did a mini blind fabric test by examining and feeling the materials only. #3 below was the winner for the more fluid material and vibrant color, and it just so happens to be the 100% silk one.

Measurements of a 00P: 12" shoulder to shoulder, 15" across underarms, 16" across waist, 22" long sleeves, 22" total length.

3. Petite silk camp shirt, 5 colors, 100% silk. Untucked:

Tucked in:

With denim:
Likes: As previously mentioned, the color in person is very vibrant. The material feels nice and has good movement. Price point after AT's frequent discounts is lower than that of other 100% silk blouses on the market in petite sizing. I usually do not like the camp shirt look due to boxy chest pockets, but these pockets are more discrete.

Dislikes: Cut is looser and sleeves are longer than the 2 blouses above. They are marginally too long for me but nothing like the super long-sleeved regular-sized silk blouses, and I can possibly wear the sleeve cuff folded up like in the photo paired with denim. There are buttons on the middle of the sleeve intended to be used when the sleeves are rolled up. If I keep this blouse, I would remove those buttons and also slim the torso and sleeves a tiny bit.

Measurements of a 00P: 12" shoulder to shoulder, 16" across underarms, 16.5" across waist, 22.75" long sleeves, 23" total length.

Verdict: Still undecided and slightly torn. I prefer the design and fit of the second, but the material of the third. Price differences were slight (~$10) after discounts and a cardmember reward. I am leaning towards the third, and snapped photos of it in my last post but have not worn it out yet.

On a side note, Twitter & Facebook friends may already know my latest obsession - this little girls' trench cape. I've been wanting to try a cape silhouette for a while, but wasn't sure where to start. I was afraid of being overwhelmed by fabric, and didn't want to pay too much for a trendy item. I was thrilled to see this kids option online last week and purchased it, but was even more excited to see it in stores marked down to $19.99 plus extra 30% off for cardholders. I asked a sales associate in-store to do a search on which stores had my size in stock, using the item # 175412. They also ship from stores to homes for $6.

GapKids Trench Cape, trying on girls size L(10) on the left and XL(12) on the right

Both a L and XL were okay on me, but the belt was a little high on my waist in the L. The belt loops through the cape across the outer back center, so it is visible from the back (as shown in stock photos). I preferred the shorter length of the L but went with XL for better belt placement. The material is nothing to write home about, but definitely decent for a children's trench at this price. I have to admit I enjoyed running down my hallway playing superhero with this on.

Readers - Which of the three blouses above do you like best?