ASOS Petite Reviews: Lace Dress and Belted Military Jacket

ASOS Petite Exclusive Belted Wax Jacket - see review further below, ON legging jeans (both on sale)

ASOS is having a sale where code (Update 11/12 - this promo ended) MTVU2012 gets 25% off full-priced items, and some other items are temporarily marked down with no code needed. Shipping and return shipping is always free. I wanted to share two items that I tried on from their petite line, both of which are fairly decent:

ASOS Petite Exclusive Lace Dress with Cutout Back, 2 colors, trying on size US 1.

Design: Flattering cut with fitted torso and full skirt. Lace mesh over a cream lining is pretty in-person. I wanted the red version of this dress for an upcoming holiday party, but small sizes were sold out at the time. If you don't have any black lace party dresses in your closet, this one is elegant yet fun. However, you do have to go bra-less (and the design does a good job of concealing) or wear pasties due to the open back.

Fit: I've always had trouble with the waist running small on ASOS items. The upper torso of the US 1 fit nicely, but the waist was 1-2 inches too small for me - no chance I was zipping this baby up.

The description also did not mention the triple layers of tulle under the skirt...

The tulle is there to keep the skirt shape full (pardon the wrinkled side view as the dress was straight out of the mailer bag), but if I were to keep this, I would probably cut off one layer for a semi-full skirt. The dress is completely lined, and there is an extra layer of lining below all the tulle.

Measurements of a size US 1 (petite): 14" across armpits with some flexibility due to an open back, 11.3" across waist (waist runs small!), 12" bodice length, 17" skirt length.

Closeup of mesh lace:

Verdict: I am returning this one because it is too small, but ordered a red pop-back in one size bigger (US 2). For $59.37, the design and quality of this dress is not bad at all for a wedding or holiday party. It's difficult to find unique special event dresses that fit, so I am shopping a few weeks early.

Next up, ASOS Petite Exclusive Belted Wax Jacket, 2 colors, trying on size US 1.

Design: I have been looking for a versatile, casual military-style jacket. This jacket has a lot of things right - pockets that fit into the style but aren't overwhelming, zipper plus button closures, a waist-cinching belt, and snaps at the wrist for adjusting the opening width. The jacket is fully lined and the material is lightweight. However, I have two qualms - 1. The collar was short, and I love having a higher collar both for warmth and a more "structured" look. 2. The material (as denoted in the title) is a coated 100% cotton with an slight waxiness to it. It's not shiny but any means, but has a smoother finish than the typical military jacket khaki.

Fit: I had tried on military-style jackets from other stores in non-petite sizing, and this one fit the best by far. The waist was at the proper place, allowing for legs to appear lengthier. The jacket is fairly fitted even without the belt, so there is less bunching at the waist than typical military jackets that have drawstrings there. The hip-length is also great for wearing with pants and skirts alike.

Trying this on with Old Navy Rock Star Jeggings in black (18 other colors available), in size 0 short. Use code ONGIFT to get these for $23.60. Now that I own both 0 short and 0 petite, I've noticed the petite is much tighter around the waist and hips than the short. The short is more comfortable for me, but these are last year's so the sizing could've changed.

Measurements of a US size 1 (petite): 14" across the shoulder, 16.5" across the armpits, 15.3" across the waist, 22" sleeve length, 23" jacket length.

Verdict: Returned - I loved the fit and was hoping to overlook the material, but decided to hold out for a true khaki jacket. If you don't mind a smoother finish, this is a good petite-friendly cotton jacket for the sale price ($61). Also comes in navy.

Readers - Have you found any winners from ASOS lately that you'd recommend during this sale?