shirts these days...

crazyone

I like buttondowns (especially in softer, more casual fabrics like flannel or silk), but I'm running into an issue quite frequently with them-they're cut long and straight, and they'll fit everywhere on me except on my hips, where they will be too tight. Given the button spacing I can sometimes get around this by unbuttoning the bottom-most button, but that's not always an option and tends to look less sharp. The BR flannel shirt does this on me, but just barely, and if I want to be more comfortable I do undo the bottom button.

I have it sometimes with non-buttondown tops too. It's surprising to me how straight up and down these shirts are cut--on me this results in plenty of loose material in the waist, but tight in the hips.

Anyone else running into this issue?

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8 years ago

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11 replies

Latest reply was from crazyone

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I nolonger buy women's button down. I purchase men's and have them tailored to fit.

8 years ago

Liz

Veteran

This is a primary reason I stay away from button-front shirts. I love the look of a soft button-front, but not many are cut or shaped to flare out at the hips. Perils of being an hourglassy pear.

8 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I've had this problem my whole life. In addition to being a pear, I'm short waisted with a high hip so the "hip shaping" such as it is isn't even in the right place anyway.

I have a lucky brand plaid shirt that has what is essentially a half peplum in back, which is a perfect solution. In the front it just looks like a regular shirt.

8 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

I have this problem sometimes even though I have narrow hips! I think when that happens it's because I'm too short for the shirt, and the waist area is hitting closer to my hips.

8 years ago

crazyone

Veteran

Hmm, I have some older button-down shirts, from Express, for example, and they're cut with a well-defined curve in the body of the shirt. Nowadays shirts seem to be cut more straight up and down (that said I haven't bought any buttondowns from Express). This is especially problematic since tops are longer these days (which is great in general).

Diana: that makes sense that being short-waisted would result in this problem, but I'm surprised that shirts no longer seem to come with that in built "hip shaping".

Thinking to my fitted t-shirts, I actually think this might be true for t-shirts as well, that they're no longer as "shaped" as they used to be! Wonder why this is!

8 years ago

Liz

Veteran

crazyone, like Diana, I've had this problem my whole life -- it hasn't started recently -- unless I was able to find a shirt with princess seaming and bust darts. Sounds like you hit the jackpot with those Express shirts back when you found them!

8 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

Pretty sure the straight cuts (which are a big problem for me in pants these days from pretty much all the big manufacturers, esp J Crew and Gap) is a cost-cutting measure. It drives me batty. I can't tell you how many garments I've tried that would only fit a two-dimensional rectangle.

I have some older oxford cloth button-downs from Lands End Canvas that fit like they're tailored for me. Ditto for flannel shirts from LL Bean, Patagonia, and Vermont Flannel Company. And a really nicely made chambray from Alternative Apparel. (That's pretty much my entire button-down wardrobe. I'm strictly catch-and-release with tops that don't fit perfectly.) I've heard good things about Brooks Brothers fit, but that's out of my budget.

8 years ago

crazyone

Veteran

actually, the Express shirts did have princess seaming and bust darts, as do my buttondowns from the Limited, etc. I just think that style was more common back then!

I bought this shirt Final sale and received it yesterday and it fit perfectly everywhere except in the hips Fortunately it wasn't expensive and I will gift it to a slimmer friend who is also much less-hippy.

LP: I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who feels like shirts are being cut differently these days! I know my older shirts are more shaped that the ones on the market these days. And don't get my started on pants--this is part of the reason why I've started to give up on wearing them.

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8 years ago

Angie

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The reason for the straight cut is the semi-tucking trend. Shirts are supposed to be partially tucked in front for the most part, these days.

8 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I wish princess seams in general would come back! I really miss my old princess seamed fit and flare dresses. I pretty much don't buy fit and flares any more because they all have waist seams/bands which just make them pouf out unattractively IMO. The princess seam/no waist type was so much more elegant.

8 years ago

crazyone

Veteran

Ah ok, Angie. I do tuck my shirts in, but to skirts, not pants. Hate the constant readjustment of tucking shirts into pants that occurs with frequent bathroom usage. These shirts ARE workable for me if I tuck and leave the bottom button undone, since that's not visible But I prefer the versatility of wearing them completely untucked!

8 years ago

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