I loathe shirt shopping - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

I loathe shirt shopping

Maya

Veteran

Spring is upon us early in NYC so I'm scrambling to figure out some new outfits. After months of luxurious layering, I'm feeling very stuck going back to standalone pieces. I realized today that I really hate most of my tops. Some are nice but not very versatile. A lot of them are just crappy knits that aren't flattering at all, making my chest look gigantic while showcasing every seam and detail of my bra. I have taken a woven-only oath recently but it's a definite uphill battle. When I went to H&M to return the red dress, I tried on a bunch of woven tops and hated all of them. I regularly get "stuck" in wovens that don't have stretch, and I ended up in a panic when I almost couldn't get one of the tops off! I don't know if this is because of my bust or if it is a common issue. This happens in tops with zippers and without, although zippers make it a bit easier. The others that I tried looked awful. I like the voluminous trend, but it gets tiresome when that is the only option and it isn't even done properly.

I found a heavenly citron woven shirt at Macy's with Angie but when I went to look for it, it was gone Not available online either. It was $59 anyway but I had hoped it might go on sale. I really wish I bought it now though. It had smocking in the back which was genius and made it fitted in the waist while leaving room for the bust. It fit so well and was so, so flattering. I'll never find another top like it so perhaps it was worth the investment.

My cardigans are also suffering and I need to replace most of them. My two cascading cardigans from YesStyle are great, but not the best quality. I ruined my boyfriend cardigan by washing it improperly by mistake. Two of my classic cardigans are years old and look really worn out and shapeless. I just don't have the money to do everything at once and it's frustrating me. I didn't expect it to get warm so quickly and I'm already struggling to get dressed every morning. It was so easy when it was just jacket + boots.

There was no point to this other than to vent my frustration. I kind of wish it would just go back to 30 degrees again. At least I know how to dress for 30 degrees!

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Alecia

marianna

Veteran

I feel your frustration... I need a lot of spring basics but I can't buy everything I need all at once. It's going to be a slow process. I'm slowly opening up to the idea of thrifting... much more affordable and doable that way, it seems. But just as frustrating. Sigh.

I've had that panicky feeling getting stuck in shirts before. I also get panicky like that when I try on a ring in a store and then can barely get it off my finger. No fun!

marianne

I think it's just a spring phenomenon - the sun is brighter and you see all of a sudden how worn all your old stuff is. My friend's kid used to say, "Spring is here, it's getting warmer, everything is blooming, mom has nothing to wear".
I actually saw a polka-dot blouse at H&M the other day and thought of you - it had flutter sleeves and low tie-neck. And I think it had a band at the bottom. I know it's not very helpful, just throwing some ideas.

JuliaInGermany

Maya, I feel for you. I also like layering and don't know what to do once spring is here. (Though I loooong for warmer weather!) And I can relate to the frustration of having to buy lots of things and not knowing where to start. Ugh!

Why are you on a woven-only ban? You are making your life more complicated than it needs to be. If you find nice woven tops by all means buy them. But why restrict yourself to this? You might miss the opportunity to buy a great knit top that way.

Rose

Maya- I empathize. I am on a mission to find basic tops that fit me EVERYWHERE (bust, waist, etc). I know you are on a knit-ban and I understand why, but have you heard of/considered these tops (sized for bra size)? I am considering trying one..
http://www.kstreetnyc.com/shop.....t_id=29780

Maya

Veteran

Rose, those tops don't even come close to my size. Rebecca & Drew offered to have me come in for a fitting a while back and I intend to take them up on it eventually, but I can't afford it right now.

PM, I already own mostly knit tops, and I honestly don't like most of them. I hate how they cling and make me look like Pamela Anderson from the waist up. I hate how shabby and shapeless they look after each season. I don't feel confident wearing clingy, shabby tops, and I don't want to have to replace them with more clingy and shabby tops every season. Wovens are hard but not impossible. If i am able to find some good ones, I won't have to replace them and I'll feel a lot more secure. It would be worth it.

Marianne, I tried that shirt actually. I didn't like the band. I'm actually looking for fitted tops since I already have so much volume as it is, and of course now that I'm looking for them, I can't find them!

shana

Veteran

Maya, I empathize with you on finding good woven shirts. It's definitely going to be a challenge! But don't settle and keep searching. Tell me what size you are looking for in that citron top and I'll check for it in my local Macy's. Out here in the 'burbs, the smaller sizes do not sell out as quickly!

Marianne, I think I bought that H&M polka dot shirt. I tried it on with a skirt when I was in the dressing room and thought it looked great. When I got home and tried it on with my jeans, it poufed out and made me look pregnant! It has a band right under the bust and some pretty lace detailing on a v-neck. I wish it had worked out. Maya, it may work better for you - it is really pretty!

As I mentioned to Maya last Saturday, I am also on a knit shirt ban for this year only to be broken if I find something absolutely incredible. I loaded up on knit shirts last year and am not happy with how they survived - I have a couple of Martin & Osa knit shirts that started to pill after just a couple of wears (before even washing! Yikes, no wonder they are going out of business!). Knits are also terrible at camouflaging the few extra pounds that I picked up over the last few months. I like having a focus to my shopping trips - makes me less likely to duplicate or pick up stuff I really don't need. Last year I was on a pant ban which was good since I have a habit of buying pants since they are usually the easiest clothing item for me to fit.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I hear you on the shirt struggle. Have you checked the clearance rack at Old Navy recently? I saw some there, and I have had decent luck with them recently- plus they are cheap.
Oh- I get stuck in tops and panic, too. Sometimes I think that must be why they really have fitting room attendants.

Phoebe

Veteran

I get stuck in tops, dresses and even boots all the time!! I totally panic and feel like a big clumsy monster after having struggled with a piece of cloth for several minutes in a lonely fitting room! I get stuck in pieces that fit perfectly, so I don´t know why this has to be...
Why not stick with the roomier cuts and buy just one bold new pattern?

Tricia

Veteran

I feel your pain - it warmed up quickly here too and I'm lost. I started coming here in November, so I haven't had a YLF-inspired warm season yet. I've been picking up new spring pieces here and there but haven't started putting them together. I love layers and boots and I'm going to miss them!

Maya

Veteran

Shana, the top you are talking about might be different from the one Marianne mentioned. I tried both and they were equally unflattering! I'll post more later. I don't have web access at work today.

Anonymous

I hear you on the shirt shopping pain. I don't have the boob problem...I have short neck syndrome. I've been looking for a button front shirt for layering for a year now. Almost everything with a nice collar bumps up against my chin. Or is too closed up around the neck, making me look like I have no neck at all. I've tried shirts at many different price points and they all have fit problems of one sort or another. And now all the shirts have some sort of embellishment! Honestly, some of those ruffles are so huge I feel like I have a parrot on my shoulder! And you can't layer them because of all the goo-gahs all over them.

I may do what I do with pants: accept there is nothing off the rack that will fit and build in altering costs when I purchase. So my question is: what parts of a shirt are easily alterable?

I am focusing my layering shirt hunt on sweet-pea type tops. The nylon fabrication seems to be fairly durable (no pilliing) and it lies nice underneith my sweaters and jackets. Nordstroms has some versions in the Classiques dept that are good (but pricy).

Why does shopping have to be so hard?

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Marlene- check The Rack for Sweet Pea tops.

Tricia

Veteran

I found some reasonably priced Sweet Pea tops on Overstock.com this week, too. And I got some fantastic deals on them at Smart Bargains, but they don't seem to have any right now.

Anonymous

Maya, you seem to like more structure in your tops, correct? Perhaps you should be building a collletion of cotton, linen, silk, structured jackets for when the weather warms up. This is what I'm doing finally, now that the jacket styles are designed more along the lines of fitting me properly this year.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Marlene, where have you shopped for shirts? With a short neck, have you tried collarless shirts?

Maya, try more INC woven shirts and blouses. Their silhouettes seem to fit your body type best at the moment. SUCH a pity that the perfect one we found for you is sold out. Did you ask for it at the counter?

It's a shame that many of you are against the denim shirt. It would probably be really easy to fit :0)

Maya

Veteran

I went to macys today and hidden in the back, behind a stack of 8's and 10's, I found the last 4! I checked the tag and was disappointed to see it still marked $59, but remembering how sad I was when I thought it was sold out, I thought i will just have to sell some more junk on eBay to make up for it. When I went to pay, though, the girl at the register said "$44"! Yay! Still more than I should spend but it is sooo hard for me to find tops that fit as well as this one did. Wovens are tough but so worth it when you find the right ones.

I also looked for that woven shirt with the hook 'n eye closure but didn't have time to do a thorough search. I really think Macy's is a bit daft for not putting their entire INC collection online. I know their website is lousy in general, but to not even display THEIR OWN line of clothing?

I don't think I'd get a denim shirt anyway, even if I liked the look. It's not what I'm looking for. Like the ubiquitous buttondown, it isn't terribly interesting on its own. I'm looking for tops that shine on their own. When it gets warm, I prefer a "less is more" approach. I'm also after fitted, regular length tops because I have way too many tunics and voluminous shirts.

Anthropologie wovens also fit me very well. Too bad about the price tag.

Anonymous

Maya - so glad that you were able to find your perfect shirt! Its OK to spend a little more on an item you'll wear a lot and makes you feel good. It was meant to be!

Angie - oh, where have I NOT looked! Over the past year or so, I probably have hit everywhere. My last attempt was at Nordies at Bellevue Square. I had about 3 sales associates helping me hunt...all with no success. They all admitted that the perfect white shirt is elusive and when they do get a style that is fitted and good for layering, it sells out fast. I have the card here of a SA that promised to call when their next shipment arrives. Still waiting...

I have considered collarless shirts. But I have not hunted them to the same degree I have been hunting collared shirts. The few I have tried in the past, I guess since they were the mandarin style, they were too closed in around my neck. If I could find a collarless-v-neck-button-front-fitted-long-sleeve-bright-white shirt....well, I'd be in business.

Susan

(website)

Eek, I totally get the shirt anxiety. I am hard to fit because I am pretty broad shoulders, with a longer torso, small waist and a smaller bust. I usually have to fit my shoulders to not suffer, but then lose out on shape. I've gone with knits to make up for this, but it requires constant replacement.
This spring, I am sticking with dresses, sweaters, and jackets for a while. I had no idea how to dress this Monday, when it was a glorious 65 degrees in NY (I was sweating on the subway ride home). Good luck with your hunt!

Alecia

Veteran

Maya, I'm so glad you found the top! You might want to consider in future getting the SKU number on those things you think you'll wait on. I bet there'd be a bunch of us willing to check our local Macy's for you for stuff like that if you faced missing out on it. I know I would.