Trying Not to be Frustrated - YouLookFab Forum

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Trying Not to be Frustrated

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I've been shopping for a few drapey, non-polyester blouses that I can wear dressed up or down this fall/winter.

I ordered the olive silk blouse from Banana Republic (Find #1) and was super-excited about it, but it came today and the fit was weird on me... tight enough on the upper arms that I worried about ripping the silk, sloppy in the shoulders, saggy across the chest.

I packed it up to take back to the store and went to investigate a few more pieces I'd bookmarked. The color I like in the Maeve Linden blouse (Find #2) is sold out in my size. So is the Dotscape (Find #3). The Cloth & Stone Panthera is in stock, but a review suggested that curvy types might need to size up and, if necessary, that would size me out. I'm not sure I'm willing to risk it, given that Anthro's return policy charges shipping both ways.

I'm feeling a little foiled at every turn. It seems like every time I click through to a great option, it's 100% polyester, $200, or doesn't exist in my size.

Banana Republic

Pintuck Silk Tunic

Sale

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8

Maeve Linden Blouse

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2

Cloth & Stone Dotscape Buttondown

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0

Cloth & Stone Panthera Buttondown

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3

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from Jenn

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Jenn, do you have any good stores close by? Sometimes it is worth the effort to touch the items and see the colors in person. Buying online gives you so many options but can also be frustrating and time-consuming.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

There's a mall nearby with a few stores - LOFT, BR, Gap, that type of thing. Also, a small outlet mall that I hit last week. Closest higher-end shopping is an hour and a half away in Denver or Boulder.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

There's a lot of rayon blouses at my local Nordstrom Racks at the moment - I don't know, but some of them might be available on the website too.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Laura - I used to buy from Rack all the time when I lived in Seattle. I'll check the site.

Word Lily

Veteran

Very very frustrating! I share your precise sentiments, if not the exact finds. (Although I've browsed both those stores online in the last week ...) I hope you find stuff that works for you, soon!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Some more thoughts: Lucky Brand is good for floaty blouses, although they might be more boho than you're looking for. Check their own site as well as Nordstrom and other 'department store' sites. Have you looked at Loft? They had tons last time I stopped in, although I'm sure some of them were poly.

Other options that will likely require online ordering from you: J. Jill, Garnet Hill, Boden. Do you want silk? Both Everlane and Grana carry silk blouses; they're both in the direct-to-consumer hipster-ish market.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

We do have a local J.Jill, but I'm not super keen on their shapeless aesthetic. Didn't find anything at Garnet Hill, but I'll keep watching. I adore Boden, but their early fall stuff hasn't been in colors that work for me. Also on my watch list.

I'm sized out of Everlane and Grana, unfortunately.

I did have a Lucky Brand top in my Finds for a while, but I removed it for being too boho. I'll take another look at their offerings.

ETA: Laura, you're a genius. I found several blouses I like at Lucky, and they're all on sale!

Meredith

Veteran

I have a strong hunch I lived not too far from you up until last summer. Bummer, it would have been fun to meet you! That outlet mall has to be the saddest set of outlets on the planet! And the other shops are so small! A few thoughts. You could ordering try a fluid/drapey top but in a knit fabric with some stretch (more forgiving?). Laura's suggestion to check Lucky brand is a good one (I think they carry it at Macy's). Also, the Rack in Denver is really great if you make the drive. The one in Boulder is meh.

Anonymous

First off, I can say that the Panthera shirt from Anthro looks better on the webpage than it does in person. It's pretty blah. I don't know where you live, so can't suggest store brands, but i can sympathize with the non-poly struggles. I did order that Vince C cobalt blouse based on NAS finds, but really am not fond of the fabric because it's poly. It is just so pretty though, that I'm going to ignore it. It is in this style category that you're looking for....and reasonably priced.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I really sympathise. I tend to have more luck with light weight cotton knits and cotton/modal blends. There is so much poly out there (in very pretty prints and colours!). Can you wear pure viscose? It is usually easier to find viscose at reasonable prices than silk.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Lisa - That's actually kind of good to hear about the Panthera shirt. Now, I don't have to angst about it. I am in the process of gutting poly from my closet entirely because it gives me a rash (not an allergy, just from the non-breathability). Every time I think, "Oh this one will be fine" and every time my back starts itching about halfway through the day. I'm done.

Meredith - Too funny that you knew exactly where I was, just based on that description. They tore down the mall in FC and are building a new shopping complex in its place, so fingers crossed some great shops come in there!

I did find some good prospects at Lucky Brand, and on significant sale.

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Meredith

Veteran

Yes, the limited shopping is seared into my memory! That's great to hear about the new mall in FoCo. I bet it will be very nice based on how that area is booming. Your Lucky picks look like the will fit right into your closet. I didn't get a chance to comment on your closet post, but I am very impressed by the cohesion.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Those Lucky blouses look great! I hope they work for you. And bonus that they are on sale.

I've been shopping for my daughter today. She is difficult to fit. She's about my height but she has very big upper arms (broad, deep), a small bust, and muscular legs. Armholes are often too snug for her. Jackets and woven tops with any kind of sleeve are really, really difficult for her to wear -- the knits are so much more forgiving. She also runs hot, so natural fabrics are much better.

None of that helps you any, but it's just to say that you are not the only person with these fit challenges.

I will add that about 3 or 4 months into my YLF adventure I felt very discouraged -- I had a really tough time finding the kinds of things I wanted in my size/ fit and even if I did, I couldn't make complete outfits. It has taken me a couple of years. Angie used to say to me that nobody builds a great closet in a few months.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Meredith - Thanks, on behalf of my closet! I'm successful at being picky about colors, I guess. I'm still learning to be picky about style, fit, and fabrication,

Suz - Thank you for the therapy. I needed that.

I went ahead and ordered the first two (hand-washable) Lucky blouses. Not holding my breath that they'll fit, but we'll see.

stainedglass

Most of the blouses at LOFT are 100% poly. It makes me itch, so I understand your frustrations about finding non-poly blouses. In addition to Nordstrom Rack, I've had decent luck buying non-poly at Off Fifth and Last Call. Neither store has free returns by mail. Also, depending upon the store, the size charts can be a generic chart, unlike Nordstrom where the charts are brand specific, so I've sometimes had to check Nordstrom for the right size chart. Good luck with the shirt quest

celia

Veteran

It is frustrating when things are just quite but not totally right.
Fwiw I really like the Lucky tops you ordered.
In the end the good thing is that what makes its way to your closet is a perfect 10.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jenn, don't worry. Shopping can be very frustrating. It goes through good and bad waves. Relax into it and try your search in Sept. Rest assured that you look great.

abc

Veteran

Chiming in to wish you good luck on the ones you found. And also to tell you that I machine wash (in a lingerie bag in cold water in a front loader on regular or gentle cycle) most things that say hand wash bc I am lazy like that.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

I really love those Lucky Brand blouses. Hope one or both work out for you. I tried that olive silk from BR, was super excited because olive is a great color on me but it was cut down to my navel. I guess I could have worn a cami with it but didn't think about trying that. It may still have looked goofy. I love LOFT for a lot of things, but blouses made of poly is not one of them. We were in FoCo for a baseball tournament this summer and the drive from Denver is not fun if there's any kind of traffic, which there usually is. So I hope you get a good mall up there.

And me too, abc - machine wash on gentle - hand wash, I don't think so.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Linda - My husband commutes to Denver in a vanpool, so I'm quite familiar with the trials and tribulations of the drive, although we're not quite all the way up in FoCo. The traffic can be awful if you hit it at the wrong time. And I do get down to Denver a few times a month for various reasons. It's just not as convenient for regular shopping. That olive blouse... I didn't realize it was possible for an item to simultaneously be too big and too small, but it managed.

...and abc - I'm all about the laundry bags and delicate cycle too. The one I didn't buy was dry clean only. I'm okay with dry cleaning things like jackets, trousers, and skirts, but I couldn't stomach it on a blouse.

Thank you all for the therapy and commiseration! I'm taking deep breaths. I still have some time before the weather turns chilly for reals, but the morning temps in the 40s have me a little panicked!