Casual

LOFT (00P-16P)—Suitable for mature college students and busy moms alike, LOFT is the more affordable sister brand of Ann Taylor. I dig their everyday casualwear in styles ranging from floral blouses and linen tunics, to crisp shorts and stretchy dresses. LOFT does a great job of offering extended sizing in almost every store, versus other brands that usually reserve petite apparel as an online-only option. 

Gap (00P-16P)—I was ecstatic to find legging-jeans with real pockets, as I never know what to do with my hands. Even better? No hem job required. Known for their plain tees and blue jeans, Gap has a decent denim selection in petite lengths. A shortie favorite is their oh-so-stretchy dark legging-jeans that have a slimming effect on women of all sizes. Last year, they also introduced several cuts of "premium pants" for work. Petite sizing is online-only, but shipping is always free for orders over $50.