Be honest w me about this blouse

[lizzieoak]

Please ignore the white jeans & trust me when I say that this blouse at the Gap is lovely. Question is - is there some way to fix so that I (very small waist, big boobs) can wear it. When I tried it on the colour looked pretty great & it's very comfy. However o also looked 6 months pregnant/inexplicably had a balloon stuffed under my shirt.

I wear a size small in blouses (due to waist size and overall smallness), but am 34E in bras. Could I cinch it at the back via a sewing machine? When I did this w my hand in the dressing it looked much better & my waist reappeared. Would that look silly? Are blouse and I not meant to be an item?

Forgot the photo - here it is.

Honesty? I don't think off-the-shoulder tops suit people with big boobs. Mine aren't even particularly big, and they make me look about 2 sizes larger than I am.

Sorry.

I was thinking of barely off the shoulders, not way off like the model. It's more the bagginess that I think of as a problem.

Remind me why people think big boobs are great! It is hard to look chic with them (I have small hips & bum so not even balanced).

You could add a ribbon that matches the sleeves under your bust to nip it in.

Questionable, that sounds pretty but wouldn't it be Empire waistish? Empire waists hate women w mid-large boobs.

Would the same thing (ribbon) at the small of my back work?

The Gap also has some very pretty colourful dresses right now which drop like sacks to the hips, which is where why've deigned to put the waist. Not everyone is 5"10 and flat chested Gap!

I couldn't officially wear this style either for same reasons. But I do sometimes and just accept it's not that complimentary. Cutting it in would help as we both suit more figure shaped tops.

Sigh. Frustrating isn't it? I love the colour and fabric and would like to wear something a bit girlier than the button-up shirt that fabric traditionally comes in. It suits my face, but makes me look like I have a 40 inch waist below which is a teeny bottom and spindly legs. I will mull over cinching it in - the ribbon idea sounds lovely.

If you have a small band/are slim with big cups then yes this could look really good because strapless bras would fit really well.

I note that even the model has it tucked in a bit (but that would look daft in real life).

I should stay out of the Gap: they've also got a gorgeous dark grey soft wrap skirt in "tulip" shape, and an olive green little jacket - both of which I have the hots for.

Astoria, I don't own a strapless but could look online. I don't think it does suit me as it is as it makes my waist look umpteen times it's actual size (not usually a good look on waists). It just drops from the boobs as the amount of fabric is voluminous.

It would add a few pounds. Annoyingly

I think if you tailored it in you'd no longer be able to get it on/off, as I presume theres not a zip opening?

How about sewing a ribbon to each side, then tying them at the back? That way you avoid the empire line issue

After spending my 20's and 30's looking 2 stone heavier than I am suddenly fabric w a wee bit of stretch was invented. Suddenly I could wear flattering clothes (prior to that the only flattering clothes were dresses from the '50's). I refuse to wear baggy stuff now, having spent my pretty youth wearing clothes that didn't fit.

Curls, that's a good point about being stuck in it forever, I hadn't thought of that. Ribbons should fix is and we have a marvellous shop that sells ribbons nearby.

I'll ponder that overnight, thanks all!

And I know some people are already allergic to the bra intervention converts jumping on every thread, but have you checked your bra size recently? Generally if you wear a 34 back, I would expect you to be a 14/16 top, not a small - if you are looking for strapless bras you need to get the size right, otherwise they won't stay up.

I'm not conviced doing anything to this particular top would work - it is meant to be boxy and floaty. There are plenty of off-shoulder but stretchy tops around that would look way better with a tiny waist - this one from Boden is very flattering
www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/womens-tops-t-shirts/short-sleeved-tops/wo152-nav/womens-navy_ivory-geo-bud-off-shoulder-ruched-top

Hm actually, what if you put a ribbon just under the boobs, not around the waist? Like this top? That could show you have a waist, but would still show off the floaty fabric
www.italist.com/en/woman/bluse/ermanno-scervino-lace-detail-off-shoulder-blouse/5673849/5843375/ermanno-scervino/?sembox_source=Popsugarcpc_uk&sembox_content=Feed&utm_source=Popsugarcpc_uk&utm_content=Feed&utm_medium=cpc_content&utm_source=shopstyle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopstyle

Zara currently have some that are very similar, blue and imo look nicer.

We don't have Zara here :(

Katharina, that shape of top with it pulled in under the boobs tends to draw attention to them (imo), do not sure that would work.

I love Boden, but it's not the off the shoulder part that's attracting me, it's the gorgeous fabric & colour. Normally chambray just seems to be in button-up shirts & I liked that this was more feminine.

Oh, and not sure about the bra size, but definitely not a sie 14!! (Sounds larger to me as in Canada I'm a 6). I'm a 10 in Boden and Marks tops.

If you check your underbust measurement I would guess you are closer to a 30 than a 34. And need a bigger cup. Check out Mumsnet Bra Intervention threads.

Another option is to wear it tucked in, like this model does - she also looks pregnant otherwise .
www.shoptiques.com/products/do--be-off-shoulder-top-15?signalSource=shopstyle&cc=GB&utm_source=shopstyle&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=linkshare_us&utm_content=481847&pmrw=1&rcid=108&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=0RpXOIXA500&utm_campaign=Linkshare_10
Fully tucked in though, not like the GAP model, that just looks like you got the hem accidentally stuck in your waistband.

32.5! But to get a bra that's pretty and does not look like it was designed by Stalin (and does not cost £1million) I get the 34E from Marks and it pretty much works.

My waist really goes in - its probably my best feature.

There might be enough fabric so that you could restyle it to suit you better. Try with the ribbon - if you pin it you can try it in different spots to see what suits you best. Maybe you could nip it in a bit and add a zip.

It sounds as if your waist is quite high? In which case either tucked into a high waist bottom (jeans/tube skirt/trousers) could work. Failing that, a corset over the top sitting just under your bust can look fab.

Those wench-y tops just make your chest look bigger. I used to wear them in my 20s to fool people that I had more than a 36A.