ISO silk button-down that doesn't gape at my chest

Ann in New England

OK, that sounds like most blouses are lecherous, but you know what I mean.
I feel like I've tried every <$100 silk blouse out there. I love the look of the Equipment silk blouse -- that's what I'm going for, but I just don't know if it would get the type of wear frequency that would justify the expense. And, for all I know, the Equipments would gape, too.
I'm not *that* busty, but this is always a problem with button downs. I almost came close with the Vince Camuto Two silk blouses. I tried both a Medium and a Petite Large and while the PL fit better, it still had some gape. I know I could use that tape stuff, but I don't want to. I want a great fitting blouse.
I've had the same trouble with Ann Taylor, btw. Not sure where else to look. I'm curvy and, evidently, busty.
Help?

(ETA that I figured out the finds thing!).

Nordstrom

Two by Vince Camuto Silk Utility Blouse (Regular & Petite)

$89.00 $49.90

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9 years ago

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7 replies

Latest reply was from Ann in New England

KikiG

Veteran

Right there with you. I look for popover styles, with a button placket that only goes so far, and that solves the problem, but just isn't as crisp and structured as a proper button front shirt. What would really be ideal would be if every shirt had twice as many buttons and button holes, so all the buttons were much closer together and just couldn't gape. I suppose I could buy a blouse, buy all new buttons, work extra button holes and sew on all new buttons, but golly! what a lot of work.

9 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I'm NOT particularly busty and I often have this problem, even when a shirt has quite a bit of positive ease. For me, it's a combination of two things. First, I have a very short upper body, so the buttons are not quite in the right place vertically. For a perfect fit, I'm told that you have to have a button that lines up exactly with the widest point of your boobs, which is usually at nipple level. Plus the armpits tend to be too low, which also causes weird pulling sometimes. Second, my boobs are very wide-set and I have a broad sternum, so there's this wide flat gap between them that seems to exacerbate the pulling problem.

Petites CAN work, but generally I end up with sleeves that are too short then. Honestly, my solution is just to sew up the button plackets in the offending area and just put them on over my head.

9 years ago

Ann in New England

Active Member

I never thought about sewing the offending area. I could take it to a tailor, who would certainly do a better job than I could. Hmmm....

Though I think KikiG's idea is the best, if only some manufacturer would listen. More buttons, better placement.

9 years ago

Diana

Veteran

You can try it with a couple of safety pins at home first if you're still trying to decide whether to keep it.

9 years ago

Anonymous

If you try a safety pin first and decide that it works, you can sew one of those little velcro fasteners to the inside of the placket. You know those little round ones. You can sew it to where the stitches won't show on the outside of the placket, and no one will ever know it's there.

http://www.velcro.com/products/for-fabrics

9 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Have you tried Nexx brand? I've got one that doesn't gape.

9 years ago

Ann in New England

Active Member

Nobody seems to carry Nexx, that I can find

9 years ago

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