Problematic Equipment shirts - YouLookFab Forum

I have a couple of solid color and a couple of printed, sheer-ish Equipment silk shirts from a few years ago. They are lovely shirts but I find them difficult to wear because they are *just* a bit snug in the hip, when worn untucked with jeans, but the fit is great everywhere else. You can see the issue in the photo of the teal-ish shirt pictured here, when I wanted to wear it under my tweed jacket this week. I had to leave the last button unbuttoned for the shirt to fall at my hips rather than catch on them. But I was afraid it would just look like I was wearing an ill-fitting shirt so I changed.

I show the white shirt pictured here for comparison -- it is the very similar Vince Camuto shirt, which is obviously cut more generously in the hip.

Is there anything that can be done? I've thought about asking my tailor to cut the side into a more vented shape -- what do you think? I would love to salvage these so I can enjoy wearing them.

This is why I envy anyone with normal-to-slim hips.

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9 years ago

Diana

Veteran

You know, this is the reason I've never found an equipment shirt that fits me. But I don't actually think it's that our hips are too big, but rather that they're too *high* or that our upper bodies are too short. Pull up on the shoulders a bit and I'll bet your pulling at the hip goes away too. I also find the armholes of most equipment shirts too long, for that matter. I think they're cut for women with long or at least "normal" waists/torsos.

ETA: it should be pretty easy to have a tailor add /lengthen side vents. Shortening the armhole/torso on the other hand is pretty difficult.

Janet

(website)

I never thought of that, Diana, but you may be onto something.

Then again, the VC shirt is nearly identical and falls freely past my hip, so I can't help but think the Equipment version just might be cut narrower as well as long. I don't find the armholes problematic, as long as I'm not trying to wear the shirts under any tight sleeves.

JAileen

I've rehemmed shirts like this to make them shorter. Depending on where the bottom button is, it's a pretty easy fix.

Colette

'Hippie' girl here with the same issue. I like Jaileen's hemming idea. I usually just semi tuck, full tuck or unbutton the bottom two buttons so it looks intentional.

UmmLila (Lisa)

I find Equipment shirts to be too long, anyway. I am also short waisted ... If I had the extra inch or two or a straighter spine it might not bug me.

Marina

Active Member

I think opening its laterals a little may be enough to solve this if you don't mind the lateral openings being a little above the point where they are now. Alternatively, a more "drastic" alteration is dismantle the seams on the "buttons band" and create a new one with another fabric, using the original band reminiscing fabric to allow a little bit more room on your hips and making this alteration looks like an embellishment (my grandmother did this in one of my shirts once to augment it on breasts and hip and worked very well, but it is not always possible to do this and it takes a lot of skill to do it right).

Muffin

I too think Diana may be on to something with body porportions. I have the same issue with Equipment and do as Colette does with tucking. I will have to try the intentional 2 buttons undone- haven't tried that yet. I suspect with my hourglass that tucking is probably my best bet though.

catgirl

Janet, im an XS in these and they are not loose around my hips either. In fact I usually leave the last button unfastened because otherwise they pull when I sit unless I hike it all up.

I'm a little relieved that I am not the only one with this problem!

So does it look ok that I have that last button unbuttoned in photo 3-4 with the jacket?

I don't want to cut the shirts shorter -- I actually like the length and think it works well with the shorter jackets I own. But I think I may take one to my tailor and see what she thinks of adding to the side vent. My Burberry shirt has a similar issue -- it technically "fits" on the hips but I wish it were just a little easier. So far I've been wearing it tucked but I don't tuck much, and sometimes the semi-tuck just doesn't work, especially in the cropped jacket scenario I mentioned.

Thanks for all the suggestions and commiseration!

Anonymous

Same here. Too straight a cut with no room at the hip line - and I too think Diana has something here. I most definitely have a high hip, and these shirts don't work for me. I didnt seem to get the message though because I have (well, now had) 3 of them : one shirt and two t-shirt style tops (woven) . Despite paying all the $ for them, I wore none of them more than once . Dumb. I've decided they are cut for small breasted uber-slim (or low waisted) women. It may be worth seeing what a side slit accomplishes on one shirt - and then move forward from there. I've passed on all three of mine now.

BrieN

I am so glad you asked this today. I was fighting with my one Equipment shirt all day yesterday for the same reason.

It looks better than just ok with the last button unbuttoned

deb

The last button undone matches the top button undone to my eye. The looks very pleasing to me. Leave it undone and do not cut.

Style Fan

I like the look of the shirt with the last button undone. It looks less formal. You don't look like you have large hips. I have large hips. I find Equipment shirts fall off my shoulders. Do these shirts fit anyone?

unfrumped

Don't have Equipment shirts, but I have to watch cut of shirts due to the same issue, to get good fit in the shoulder and have free movement at hip.

Ginger

I have this problem ALL the time. (It's the rule rather than the exception for me.) I think vents at the side will be very beneficial, and it doesn't look like they'll have to be very long.

FWIW, the lowest button on the VC shirt is higher than the lowest button on the Equipment shirt. That inch or two makes a difference as well.

texstyle

I think they look great. I leave most of my shirts with the last button undone anyway as I like the look of the inverted triangle to match the v at the top.

Aziraphale

Janet, I often leave the last button undone even if the shirt isn't pulling around the hips, simply because I like the look of it. It gives off a casual vibe, a bit like semi-tucking. I never do up all the buttons on a casual coat, either (or a blazer; at most, only one button!).

I think those shirts fit you well. You look fab. Your hips are fab (says the woman who would like to have a bit more in the hip department, lol) xo

Glory

They are lovely and I think altering one to see if side slits accomplish the fix is well worth it!

I've also rehemmed shirts so the side is shorter and the front the same length as before. It's a little harder to do, but still not really difficult.

rachylou

I like the last button undone a lot. I rather think without it, it would just look like a failure to tuck... They're very flattering on you.

LaPed

I agree that leaving the bottom button undone is more than fine; I think it adds intentionality to an untucked shirt. That deep teal is really nice on you. I would definitely keep that shirt; it looks great.

Aida

Hm the higher bottom button placement on the VC looks very similar to how the Equipment shirt looks with the last button undone. So you could always try removing that last button, too.

anne

Just chiming in to say that I am long torsoed, small busted and low-hipped (and don't wear Equipment shirts) and I still sometimes have this issues with shirts.

Cerinda

I routinely have the tailor put 1" vents in my silk shirts; even if they fit my hips perfectly, I think they tuck more smoothly that way. Done properly, it's not noticeable.

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