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| Thanks to my friend Jeanette for taking my photo at work... |
What's wrong?
- The shoulders are still an inch too wide. Problem is that the top is made of 4 shoulder-princess-seamed panels. I sense I'm going to have to take the extra fabric from the surplice panel (the front) which may have implications I've not yet considered. But I hope not. I can't simply merge the two panels into one (as my means of diminishing width) because the surplice attaches at the front/side front seam. Which means I need that seam. And I can't remove anymore width from the side front shoulder width because there would be no shoulder width left. The side panel would effectively become an armscye princess seam, not a shoulder one. Although, now that I think about it, theoretically that could work... But looking at the fit, I feel that there's too much volume over the side bust and the side front / front seam is falling too far to the outer bust. That implies, to me, that the place I need to take the fabric from is the front panel - to move that seam where I'd like it.
- The bust apex is too high. That's probably because I removed 3 inches of height / depth at the shoulder seam (an alteration I made to the pattern when first I constructed it 3 years ago. I didn't know much about fitting then...). It would stand to reason that the fullest part of the bust would need to be re-set lower to accommodate this. I didn't consider that at the time.
- Aligned with the bullet above, I'd like to lower the height of the surplice wrap (where it attaches to the side front seam) about 1.5 inches lower (so that it stays under my bust instead of riding up as I move around).
It's amazing that this top - which looks alright in a photo - is as messed-up, fit-wise, as it is. It's slightly more amazing that I seem to take 1 pic a quarter and I've choose to make it one in which I dis the fit of what I'm wearing - given that fit is what I pride myself on! You know I believe in keeping it real here. No sense in pretending I have achieved something I have not.This is a really lovely basic and I'm sure I'll wear it when it fits. Till then, this top is retired.
(PS: Too bad cuz the fabric is luxe.)
(PS: Too bad cuz the fabric is luxe.)
Posts
A PICTURE!!!!! You look fabulous, as you always do. And fun to see you at work - looks like a nice building! (OK, nicer than a public school doesn't mean much...)
ReplyDeleteNow, tell me - are you retiring this top until you adjust it, or retiring it and making a new one? Because this looks way to close to perfect to give up on it! Could you just take in the princess seam over the shoulder, or somehow cinch in the centre panel with some well-stretched elastic along the shoulder seam? I feel like it would just read as part of the gathering for the drape and not look strange. Or wear it as is - look great from here!!!
You are very sweet and thank you. These days I am so critical of my looks. I don't know why I care so much. It's ridiculous. That's my new building, btw. I'll tell you more about it when I see you. It's actually great - and I don't always work in nice buildings.
ReplyDeleteI believe I will make a new version in the next couple of weeks and, if so, then yes - I'm retiring the current one (presuming the new version is better). I don't think there's really any way to fix this without it looking very odd. But I should say that some of the shirt fits well. It's the right length. The side seams are in the perfect spot. The arms fit well. The surplice is a great depth.
I'm not saying it's a bad top. It's just not there yet and it's actually riding up - which is super irritating. And there's too much fabric above the bust at the side-side front seam something I cannot stand to look at. I have to do my above bust small bust adjustment to account for volume that isn't there. I also have to move that seam closer to the midline of my body to get the armscye to fit better.
Wow, if this is how you look when you're wearing an ill-fitting top, you must have a truly amazing figure! I would prefer to see a bigger, closer photo to illustrate the fit issues you mentioned. I just can't see them.
ReplyDeleteCan I have the top when you've retired it? I promise to tell it only uplifting, affirming things that will make it forget everything its former mommy said about it, lol.
You are more than welcome to have the top - if you are willing to pay for the shipping! Let me make the next one (and confirm it works - I'll post about it) and then email me, if you're still interested.
DeleteOk!
DeleteWow! You look gorgeous! I swear if I could get my fit half as good as yours I'd be doing the happy dance! But, the proof of the pudding is in the wearing. Posh building too. :-D
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Evie! Remember, I took the photo in such a way that it doesn't highlight all of the niggling issues :-)
DeleteI like the look.
ReplyDeleteThanks Faye!
DeleteYou look great.
ReplyDeleteThank you Genevieve!
DeleteYou look fabulous! No hint here of any of the body issues you've been distressed by. Truly, you look gorgeous and you really need to see that. I look back on photos of me taken in my early 40s and I do wish I'd known how good i looked....
ReplyDeleteYou are so smart about recognizing your beauty at all the ages! One time my mother said that she wished she'd spent less time caring how she'd looked when she was 30 cuz, when she looked back, she was flat-out gorgeous and she'd wasted so much energy on self-criticism instead of enjoying what she had. I am making a concerted effort (which one hopes may become effortless!) to enjoy how I look every day - just as I aim to enjoy how I feel (as often as possible). This is the only body I've got and my control issues are on notice :-)
DeleteAnd thank you so much Frances!
Just to repeat what everyone else has said, you look great and so does this top! I must just be used to such ill-fitting OTR clothes that I can't tell the difference. ;-) But I hear you on the riding up...I can't tolerate that kind of bad fit.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Jen! Nobody noticed the fit issues (I blinded them with good fabric!) but they're there. Here's hoping they're easy to fix :-)
DeleteThis top is a really great shape for you! I had to zoom in on the photo, but I can see what you mean about the shoulders being too wide. Hope you get it figured out, because it's such a nice top!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad, huh? BTW, because the top has good mojo, nobody noticed it - not even when I pointed it out to them (and one of my new work friends sews). It's the additional width caused by the shoulder princess seam that does it. I have narrow shoulders but this is too wide on just about everyone whose photo I've seen. They should have drafted the princess seam to end at the underarm.
Deletei second, third and fortieth all of the previous hollers. MORE YOU PLEASE.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Love the photos!!! :) good luck with the fit issues. ;)
DeleteWhy thank you ladies! You're my cheerleaders :-) I just need to find a couple of minutes when my friend is free and then I can take other outfit photos. Easier said than done but I'm making it a priority over the next few months.
DeleteYes, more you! On the other hand, taking photos of oneself can become tiresome :-)
ReplyDeleteI think a lot about fit, as I'm sure a lot of us do. For myself, I've decided that as long as the fit is good enough, I'm OK with it. That sounds like kind of a cop-out, but what I mean is that the man on the street is not going to be looking at us and saying, "Would you just look at that ill-fitting garment? How can she go out in public like that?!" In general, I think our "good enough" is far better than the fit of RTW that the rest of the world is wearing. I continue to strive for good fit though, because I like the mental challenge.