Care to help with a few more HZ items?

I could not muster the energy for a bike ride yesterday, as beautiful as the day was, but hubs and I did some little projects around the house, and I worked through a pile of mending. It was satisfying to get that long-delayed chore done — it’s been sitting so long it inlcuded my black wool coat with a button that had fallen off back at Christmastime!

I pulled a few woven summer tops out of the holding zone to assess.

1-3. BCBG silk tank. Probably 7 years old? Bought in Boston during a big YLF meetup, when I also got some old favorite jackets (one of which I still own — the slit-sleeve black blazer). I still love this print. And these colors are not so easy to find in recent seasons. I wore it a lot when the long-over-lean thing was big, and layered it under jackets too. I was a little thinner then, so it hung straight at my hips then, and now it catches on them. I’ve thought about having my tailor shorten it so it would fall nicely and not get hung up on my hips. First pic shows it semi-tucked, which makes it look better from the front, but the side and back views are less than fab — shortening it all around would correct this. Is it worth the expense?

4-5. Trouve grommet detail woven black top. Maybe 6 years old? I wore this soooooo much, but it’s still in very good shape, and I still like the style — except for how long and roomy it is. Again, a holdover from the long-over-lean era. I should have put this on with different pants for these photos. I don’t do full tucks so it’s either shorten this like I described for the last top, or let it go.

6-7, 8-9. More from Trouve from about the same era as the last top. I got the blue one first and wore it so much i got the burgundy version too, which never got as much wear. In the photos I like the blue more. Does not tuck well at all due to the slight stiffness of the black stripe. They still fit but are a little fidgety — the strap sometimes slides down my shoulder, exposing my bra strap. Maybe one of those little snap and loop attachments is in order if I keep one.

Ignore hair that had been in a ponytail all day and obvious lack of makeup or styling. And geez I need an arm workout.

Thoughts, reactions?

It’s not the same trying stuff on without my little shadow in the room.

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4 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Actually, I was just thinking how nice your arms are, and how fab you look in sleeveless! You have a beautiful bust line too

Dear Janet, the tops look great. Nothing is dated and you wear them fabulously. It's really a question of how they compare to what you have, and what style mood you are in these days. You have a high style quotient and a large wardrobe. If you don't think you would miss them and you have better in your wardrobe - pass them on to their second home.

Roxanna

Veteran

I like the first one a lot - the colour s are so nice on you and it feels current because of the tie dye (I like our half tucked - you are right, it looks too boxy left out.) the grommet one feels a dated to me (the ‘zippers abs grommets on everything’ trend a few years ago) and the others don’t feel as interesting or edgy as your usual style. But as Angie says all are perfectly good so in the end it’s up to you

Mirjana

Janet, I am absolutely with Angie. They are nice, especially blue and black top na but you should decide according to you feeling.

Anonymous

I do like the pale blue/black accent top the best. But I know exactly what you mean about how the stiffness of the stripe makes the top hang funny or make difficult to semi-tuck. I have a white/black one that does the same thing, and hence I never wear it . Anyways, it's flattering with the open neck line and the graphic sensibility is still in tune with your style. While I love the colours of the first top for you , the high neck makes it seem boxy and busty .I'm particularly sensitive to this for myself, so maybe I'm looking at it through my own lens. I note that Angie says otherwise, so take me with a huge grain of salt. I can imagine how much you're feeling Tippi's absence ........

slim cat

I like the first top and the pale blue top with black stripe the best.
All tops fit you however the black with grommets and the burgundy top look a bit too dark on you now and less interesting than the rest ( it's maybe my perception only ).
You look natural-pretty with the soft shape of your hair.

Star

I personally find the last 2 the most flattering, not sure why, maybe the contrasting stripe down the middle.

Star, it's the V-neck. That's especially flattering on Janet.

Janet

Thanks for the great feedback! I refrained from mentioning my own inclinations towards keep/donate just to get unfiltered opinions.

V-necks are almost always the most flattering on me, so not a surprise to see some love for the last style. I’m feeling the blue more than the burgundy (the burgundy color feels more fall-ish), so if I were only to keep one, it would be the blue.

I have an affinity for the black with the grommet detailing because it’s so hard to add a little edge to summer outfits. But the shape of the top feels all wrong now. I suspect that what I need to do is look at this top with my other black summer tops and decide whether this serves any purpose not already covered by the others.

And I see how the first top looks boxy in the photos. I don’t think I’ve worn it alone in years — it serves more like a shell, to be worn under jackets. I have a couple of other tops that work that way but that I don’t enjoy wearing alone. So I think if I’m not considering them summer tops, they kinda work? But when the weather cools, I like wearing a top with a bit of sleeve under my jackets in case I warm up and want to take the jacket off, but not be too exposed. If all of that makes sense to anyone.

The black with the grommets is my favorite on you. I love the blue print- but the shape is very boxy. The burgundy I like more than the grey- it's just too mid tone.
And it would be perfect biking weather if the wind would quit :/

Sal

Tippi does leave a big hole. Very sad times - she would have enjoyed having her people around more during lockdown for spring.

Re the tops - I would pass on the first two - unless they work well under a particular jacket. I see the last two as also being good under jackets especially in spring or autumn. The small amount of black makes them easy to incorporate.

I quite like the last two as stand alone tops. They are a great shape and your arms look absolutely fine.

nemosmom

I like the grommets but not the shape much. The last two are great and I could see both working well in your wardrobe. I also like the tie-dye, but not as a stand-alone top for reasons I cannot articulate - maybe because it's solid on the back? *shrug* I think your arms look great!

rachylou

I love the third top. I like the way it hangs. The others have little things about them to me that make them good but not as perfect.

Runcarla

What Angie said. Arms, shoulder, bust - beautiful! Keep wearing sleeveless, Janet. I like the v-neck and the colour of the maroon top best. The colour of the grey and blue abstract least.

unfrumped

You wear all of these well.
I have least love for #1 print due to the cut of neckline and shoulders on you - unless you need something very conservative. The sleeveless tops hang better when the shoulder is cut in a little, plus the V necks of course.

Jaime

My favorite is the first one - I just love the color and pattern on you. None look dated to me and it comes down to which you want to keep.

Suz

Oh, I remember when you bought the first one!! Elie Tahari....I bought my suit that day!

(I never really wear the suit any more but I still have it...)

I love that first one and still like the pale blue/ black a lot. But, what Angie said. If these don't fill any good function in outfits you actually want to make today -- bon voyage!

bella

I am with Angie. These all look great as is. If you are not wearing them though, pass them on. I would be very happy to find these in a second hand shop.

Oops, Suz, you’re right! I misspoke — not BCBG (where I got the jackets), but Elie Tahari! My mind is a little muddy these days.

It occurs to me that my nieces might appreciate the tops I’m not wearing anymore. One of them is a psychological counselor and looks great in those watery colors from the first top — I bet she’d wear it a lot to work under blazers. And the black grommet one would suit my other niece. That may be a good solution. I’ve never regretted passing things along to them because I know they are appreciated.

There you go! I like how you are re-homing these. Feels right.

cindysmith

Not a fan of the grey one. Love the 1st one, but don't shorten it. Maybe have the tailor "vent" it with side slits at the bottom of it?

Gigi

I quite like the grommet top on you but feel that the others are a little so-so. I wouldn't go to the expense of having the others altered; I might alter the grommet one, though. I know what you mean about the grommets being an easy way to add edge to a summer outfit.

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