Talbots: a few try-ons and product review of the lace shell

I am going to post the pics of the few items that I could try on at Talbots two weeks ago before the accident. They were from the pre-fall collection so I don't know if there is anybody out there interested in purchasing them, but I think it's interesting to see how they look on me, especially if you have never shopped at Talbots and you are confused about their sizing (very different from JCrew). I came back yesterday to get one of these items and they had received a partial shipment of the fall collection. I tried on a few things to get a sense of what to order later and in which size but I didn't have my camera with me. I must say that I really liked some of what they had, especially because the colors are very different from what's currently offered by JCrew (more in the beige-camel color palette, which is everywhere this fall) and almost no ruffles. By the way, I used the same fitting room than the last time and there was no trace of the accident.
In the meanwhile I have also received my first order, the Lace shell and I am going to review it at the end of this post.

This was the first time that I ever stepped in a Talbots store, let alone try something one and I was surprised to find out that I wasn't sized out, maybe because I am a petite. If they regular sizes (misses) generally start with a size 2 in jackets and skirts (but 4 in coats) and were too big on me, the equivalent petite sizes should fit me.
All the items in these pics are misses, except for the sheath dress, that was a 2P.

First, a silk sleeveless top that I can't find any longer on the website. The 2 was definitively too big but I kind of liked the Pierrot collar. If it came in a solid color I would have added it to my "sale wishlist":



The next one is the Gold button cardi. The white one (that was more ivory IRL) was very classic in a good way, but they didn't have it in a XS. I tried the yellow:



I really liked it (loved the buttons) and even if it wasn't very fitted, it wasn't too big either. Don't need a cotton cardigan now so a pass.

The next one is the top that I went back to get yesterday. I couldn't find it on the website but it was still FP in the store ($39.50), so it is probably offered in store only. I really like this print, it's a little bit old school JCrew and in this color more of a spring than a fall piece but I HAD to have it. I don't have many long-sleeved tees and JCrew hasn't offered a print in a very long time (only stripes and I am completely striped-out). Anyway, this is the top in a XS:



The fit (as you can see) is great. It has a little bit of spandex in the fabric so it's stretchy. If you are interested in this top, it also comes in a more fall-ish orange colorway (instead of the green) and the style number is 34140590 (unless it's the other number on the tag, 236066). I hope that the colors are not going to fade at the first wash though.

I tried a jacket to get a sense of the sizing. This one was definitively on the website but I can't find it any longer. Anyway, it was a 2:



And the last thing that I tried was a sheath dress. This one was a 2P and it was almost too fitted, maybe because of the textured fabric (a cotton tweed). It was hard to get on and off and it didn't help that my daughter woke up and started to cry when I was trying to free myself from it:



Still a little bit long on me, but I could easily hem it if I wanted to. I would have liked to try another dress in the same size to see if the fit was different but the petites section was downstairs (this one had been misplaced in the misses section) and I couldn't go with the stroller :-(. Anyway, I think that a 0P would have been too small.

And now, the lace shell. I had been wanting to try this since I saw it in the Lookbook and it was one of the first new arrivals to be up on the website. They didn't have it in the store yet, so I ordered it with a 20% off coupon. I ordered two sizes, a 2P and a 0P because even after calling their CS for measurements I was still undecided. The 0P was definitively too small (especially around the armpits) and I didn't even take a pic of it. All the pics below are of the 2P.
I tried it two ways: ladylike, with the JCrew pencil skirt and pearls and with jeans, like the model on the website.

First of all, the lace was exactly what I expected and didn't disappoint me (it's a thick crocheted). I forgot to check if the inner shell was poly, acetate or silk but it didn't register as silk. The side zip goes all the way down:



There was no gaping at the armpit holes, so I would say that it was my size:



What I didn't like is that it isn't cut straight and it widens at the hips. This is not a product fault, I just didn't like it on me:





It was also a little bit boxy, I wouldn't have minded a couple of extra inches length. It's more visible when worn with jeans:





I could have exchanged it for a 0 (that now appears to be sold-out) but I didn't like it that much. However, it's more a question of personal style (I don't see myself wearing it) than of disappointment in the product itself. If you have a more classic style you will probably love it. It just wasn't for me (it didn't pass the jeans test and there are very few occasions when I could wear it ladylike way, and I am not even sure that I would like to wear this shell in those occasions).

So, my first order ended up with a return but I am more confident in ordering at Talbots now.

What are your thoughts on Talbots and especially their sizing? Have you tried something from the new fall collection yet? Please share!