Eileen Fisher Tops - YouLookFab Forum

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Eileen Fisher Tops

Anonymous

These three tops just arrived. The fabric is great. The colors take my breath away.

I am returning them though. They hit my body at the widest part of my hips. The detail draws the eye directly to the bottom of the shirt and it seems to linger there due to the asymmetric hem. I am astounded that other women tried this top on and kept it because my hips are not an issue in any other top.

I guess if I had studied the photos harder, I would have realized that the tops do draw the eye directly to the hips. BUT the colors are amazing. In terms of color, they would have been such a great shirt for my weather and my wardrobe!!! IF there was any way I could think to make these work, I would keep at least one. They really are that gorgeous.

Ok. I just answered my own question about why women might keep this top.

Eileen Fisher Cap Sleeve Organic Linen & Cotton Scoop Neck Top (Regular & Petite)

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Eileen Fisher V-Neck Stretch Knit Top (Regular & Petite)

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Eileen Fisher Cap Sleeve Organic Linen & Cotton Scoop Neck Top (Regular & Petite)

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23 replies

Latest reply was from Olivegreen

DonnaF

Veteran

If you ordered a Regular, might a Petite hit you in a better place? Or the reverse? Or a different size in either/both? It is amazing how a different size in the same style can make all the difference in the world (writes the gal who regularly orders the same thing in two to four sizes).

Anonymous

I never thought of that. I am "regular." I really do like these linen tops. I will talk with Nordstorm and see if they can track down petite. That might make all the difference. Thanks DonnaF.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, that's interesting because, on me, asymmetric hemlines (especially pointy ones like these), while they do draw the eye, are slimming on the hips because it's not one big horizontal line across the widest part of my body.

But, yes, maybe try petites. I find that EF tends to cut things really long. I am just borderline between petite and regular (5'3.5") and usually I just buy regulars but in EF tops/dresses I am always a petite.

DonnaF

Veteran

Just call me *Enabling*, lol. This site can get expensive! I just ordered the leather moto vest that Angie showed from the Rack -- in two sizes and two colors cuz ya just never know about color and/or size. Whenever I've failed to do that I've been sorry.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Love Donna's suggestion! The colors and fabrication are terrific. It's worth a try!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

If you are under 5'5" I would try petite. EF sizing is huge.

I am like Diana in that I find an asymmetric hemline disguises hips to a degree, but then I do not have super wide hips, either. (My width is in the rear and in my thighs).

Are you sure about the visual effect? Sometimes the mirror tells us something different than photos, particularly if it is a new shape for us. Also -- try with a lower contrast bottom. High contrast will emphasize horizontal lines.

dashielle (Ann)

(website)

Veteran

I love my EF sweaters, for the color AND for the focus on the hips that helps balance out my IT top, and I imagine that's why some ladies like them as well.

J.J.

Sterling- I just realized that I need to buy 'petite' tops even though I'm 5'6". But I'm short-waisted. It NEVER occurred to me, ever, because (as Suz mentioned) if you're 5'5" or taller, you're not petite. But now that I started trying petites, I realize that arm holes of shirts are now in the right place (it used to drive me crazy that my bra always showed!) and my hips looked gigantic in all flowy shirts. But: with petite sizing, all of a sudden I look 10x better. Thanks, YLF peeps, for sharing that piece of wisdom!

Hope Nordie's still has some of those EF shirts in colors in the right size. And good for you for not accepting a mediocre fit just because the color/fabric are good.

unfrumped

Veteran

Also, I think we talked once before about strategic use of sizing, such as petites, to get a different effec than intended by the original design.
For example, to get a boxy but fluid top effect I had some success in sizing up in a petite in a style that was supposed to be regular length.
Or sometimes a petite size is not super petite (meaning shortened in arms and length) and it serves as an in-between size.
So I too have been trying 3-4 sizes (& size "type") in things, if I love the color and fabric and so on, to see if I can get my ideal proportions.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Well, Sterling, I am This Close to pressing the order buttons on both the linen sweaters. Now I'm worried, as returning from here is expensive. Any chance you could take a measurement from the shoulder to the hem, and I could do a "mock up" with something else, to see where they may hit me?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

FWIW, I have felt this way about almost every single EF top I've ever tried on. They're just a little too much volume for me, and combined with the lengths, they often just seem to add volume in a way that makes me look more bottom-heavy. The exception is a lightweight sleeveless top that I semi-tuck. I tried a petite size in one top, but that made the sleeves too short.

shiny

Veteran

I have the s/s scoop neck, in white, petite small size. I washed and dried in the dryer --- maybe wasn't supposed to do that. The top shrunk. I actually liked it better when it was a bit longer, though it works great with my VC tube skirt - just the right length.

However, putting it through the dryer also seemed to do something to the fabric, and now I often find myself feeling cool & comfy --- but rumpled/not crisp enough.

I've got a WiW somewhere with me wearing this top, with jean jacket over it, and VC tube skirt, if you are interested in where it hits on me after shrinking.

Diana

Veteran

Shiny, you can often reverse the dryer shrinkage on linen by blocking it back out. Basically after washing, lay it out flat on a towel and yank it out as far as you can and let it dry that way. You can pin it to the towel for even more length. It will dry stiffer too.

Even just hanging the wet tee on a hanger and yanking it down usually works to some extent but real blocking (flat)allows you to control it better.

shiny

Veteran

Thanks Diana! I am okay with the length since it works great with the skirt. Do you think blocking it out would help with the texture? I will have to try that....

Diana

Veteran

I'd try blocking, and pressing it with a hot iron while still damp (if you block on a towel, you could just iron it right there). But one of the properties of linen is that it tends to get softer with repeated washing so you may never get it back to brand-new crisp.

Or possibly take it to the dry cleaner for a light starching (like for men's dress shirts)? I'm not sure if you can starch knits though.

Joy

Veteran

Maybe you need an even longer assymetrical top. This is the EF top I wore today. I think it looks better in motion than in the photo. Photo 2 is the top with the EF vest. Both pieces are regular.

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catgirl

Veteran

I tried this same sweater on in R and P S and XS. Nope. EF just doesn't work on me. The shoulders hit as awkward cap sleeves and I felt fat.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I note that body type seems to play a role in these comments....Curvy women with wider hips seem less enamoured of the shape than ITs and rectangles or slim hourglass types.

I'm convinced that proportions play a huge role.

I'm about 5'4". I have found that sometimes petite tops look better on me, but not always. I'm short waisted, but my torso overall is not short because I'm long in the rise. Sometimes petite armholes are correct for me, sometimes not. Ditto sleeve lengths.

But again, EF is a thing unto itself -- I really do find her sizing quite large.

Anonymous

Elizabeth P - I'll get you measurements tomorrow morning. I'll measure from the shoulder seam to the bottom on either side. If there are any other measurements that might help you, let me know and I'll get you those as well.

Everyone else -- I am returning them. They are very unflattering on me. I would counsel friends to not settle so I am going to take my own advice.

Joy

Veteran

That sounds like the right decision. There are lots of tops out there, so there is no reason to keep something that isn't working for you.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Thanks Sterling, that would be great.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Well, I'm glad you are returning them, because I agree, you shouldn't settle. It's too bad they didn't work out!

To answer your question about why someone would keep them, I am short-waisted, and the cap-sleeve linen and cotton one that I considered getting hit me below the hips at the lowest point, so I did find it flattering. I also agree with Diana that a diagonal line is more flattering on me than a straight hem, even if some part of the line hits at the hips. But I do find some lengths more agreeable than others, even with the asymmetrical styles.

Olivegreen

I am 5 feet tall and very short waisted. Got a white asymmetric hem top which is lovely, but makes me look dreadful. It has a side button detail that I unbuttoned, tied it in a knot to take up the draggy downward line off it, and it looks great.
It went from a saggy baggy figure to a slightly structured top, made a big difference.
Maybe you need a little more structure, which a slight alteration can do for you?