The first stop in proper fitting clothes is blouse fit and how to create a good fit. In past posts you learned what your Five Body Elements are telling you. Your body elements give you clues as to what design lines and colors enhance your body which helps you tap into your confidence and personal power easily. Your Five Body Elements are:
If you don’t understand what your Body Elements are telling you then follow the links and determine them now.
Once you understand what design lines and colors enhance your body and you find blouses and tops that have those design lines and colors, it’s time to try them on and look at the fit.
The first stop is to look at the fit for blouses and tops.
In the last post Clothes Fit — How Do You Know, you learned that in the process of understanding fit your need to consider:
- Circumference
- Length
- Fabric type — stretch vs non-stretch
- Style
In the previous post we concentrated mostly on circumference and length and talked a little bit about fabric type and style which affect these areas.
The areas of your body that you need to consider for blouse fit are:
- Shoulders
- Shoulder blades
- Bust
- Waist
- Hips
- Hem
- Petite vs regular
This blog post will go through how a blouse or top should fit in each area. Let’s get started.
Blouse Fit -- Shoulders
Proper blouse fit starts at the shoulders. This is because tops hang from this point. Also it can be a difficult place to alter. However, very skilled tailors and seamstress can make these alterations.
The shoulder seam should lay flat on the top of your shoulders and around the neck. This is the area where the rest of the blouse or top will hang from.
There are four common shoulder fit issues when considering blouse fit:
- Square Shoulders
- Sloping Shoulders
- Forward Shoulders
- Shoulder Width
Square Shoulders
The first shoulder fit issue is square shoulders. This means your shoulders don’t slope or have less slope than the fit models.
If you have square shoulders, you will find excess fabric where the shoulders and neck meet. You will see fold lines radiating from where the shoulder and arms meet. Pinch the excess fabric at the shoulders and neck. If the fold lines disappear then this is a fit issue.
If this is a common issue for you, find an experienced tailor/seamstress who can make this alteration. This can be a difficult adjustment. As a result having blouses custom made can be a much easier route.
You might think that you can’t afford that. Think about the cost per wearing. If the blouse fit is perfect for you, you will wear it more frequently, resulting in decreased the cost per wear. Also custom made clothes tend to be better quality, resulting in wearing it longer and decreasing the cost per wearing. The goal here at Beauty Fashioned Simply isn’t to have a giant closet full of clothes you love to wear. It’s about having enough clothes that cover your needs and you love to wear every single one of them.
Sloping Shoulders
Another shoulder issue in looking at blouse fit is sloping shoulders. This means your shoulders slope lower than the original fit model’s shoulders.
When you have sloping shoulders you have excess fabric where the shoulders meet your arm. You will see fold lines radiating out from where your shoulders and neck meet. Pinch the excess fabric where your shoulders and arms meet and the fold lines will disappear.
I have sloping shoulders and this is a problem for me. I once tried on a top that had 1 ½ inch straps. It was a cute top. However, the straps didn’t lay flat around my shoulders. If I pinched the strap on the side of my arms it lay flat. I thought I could fix it but couldn’t figure out a nice way to do it. From then on I knew I can’t wear straps like that. Now when I come across them I don’t take them into the fitting room to try them on.
If this is a common problem for you, like me, then find an experienced tailor/seamstress to make this adjustment. It’s easier than the shoulder/neck adjustment from above; but still can be difficult.
Like with square shoulders, custom made blouses/tops are a good option to get a perfect blouse fit.
Forward Shoulders
Another blouse fit problem in the area of shoulders is forward shoulders. This is when the shoulders lean forward causing the shoulder seam to lie back on the shoulder. This causes the neck to ride up. My shoulders do this in many ready to wear tops, especially button blouses.
The only time this alteration can be made is when you also have sloping shoulders. If this is you then ask your tailor/seamstress if they can do both adjustments. Otherwise if this blouse fit issue bothers you, like me (because I always have to adjust my blouse when it starts riding up on my neck), you will need to have it custom made.
My remedy is to sew my own and in the pattern, adjust the shoulder seams to fit my shoulders. If you’re like me and have a lot of blouse fit issues, you can custom make your own blouses.
Shoulder Width
In general, when the blouse or top has a sleeve you want the shoulder seam to meet the top of the sleeve at the arm socket. There are styles where they meet below this area. If you have a “V” Body Shape you want to avoid this style because your shoulders will look even wider.
If you have a “V” Body Shape buy for your shoulder width. Then if other areas are too wide have them altered. It’s easier to have them taken in than adding width.
If you have an “A” Body Shape you will need to buy for your hips resulting in the shoulders being too big. In this case work with your tailor to have the shoulders taken in.
Shoulders are an important part of the overall blouse fit and can be difficult to resolve if there are issues. If this is you, find an experienced tailor or seamstress and see if they can make the alterations. Remember not all tailors and seamstresses are the same. Look for the one that the alterations you need are their bread and butter.
Blouse Fit -- Shoulder Blades
Shoulder blades are located on your back between the top of your shoulders to your armpits.. They move back and forth as your arms move. This is an important area for fit. If the width in this area is too tight your arm movements will be limited. Most blouses and tops have built in ease which allows your arms to move freely. This ease might decrease when using knit fabrics or fabrics made with Lycra.
When you try on a blouse or top, especially ones with sleeves, move your arms to make sure you can move them easily without any restriction. You can also look in a three way mirror and look for stress lines in the shoulder blade area, especially ones radiating out from the side seam underarm area. When you see these stress lines go up one size bigger.
If the blouse/top is made out of a knit, most likely you have no restrictions. However, in this fabric your concern may be seeing all your bulges. You want it to fall from your shoulders skimming over your shoulder blades not accentuating any bulges.
This area is also a crucial area because it’s difficult to alter. If you find this area is always too big while other areas fit well, then make sure the blouse fits in this area and look for a tailor/seamstress who can alter the other areas on a regular basis.
Blouse Fit -- Bust
There are three types of bust blouse fit issues:
- Cup size
- Rib cage circumference
- Chin to bust length
Cup Size
The bust area can be a difficult area to fit because most designers/manufacturers design for a B/C cup. If you are smaller this area is always too big and if you’re bigger this area is always too small. This causes a circumference problem. When you’re small, the circumference is too big. On the other hand when you’re too big, the circumference is too small.
You know the blouse or top is too big when you see excess vertical fold lines in the area and especially under your arms. When you pinch the side seams they disappear.
Your blouse or top is too small when you see horizontal stress lines between your bust.
If you’re smaller than a B cup consider wearing padded bras or ones with underwire. In my younger days this was me. I wore a 32A. To help fill in the excess space, I wore padded underwire bras. This worked perfectly for me. You can also consider alterations by taking up the side seam.
If you’re larger than a C cup you have to look at larger sizes to get the right circumference. I know the shoulder seam won’t be perfect. This is when I would find a tailor/seamstress to alter the area.
Ribcage Width
Ribcage width is another area to consider for blouse fit. It’s the circumference of your ribcage just below your bust.
If you have a “O” Body Shape your rib cage can be wider proportionately than your shoulders. In this case, go for a larger size and alter the shoulders.
Chin To Bust Length
Another issue relates to length. Body proportion wise some women are short from their chin to their bust, while others are long in this area. If the style of the blouse has darts or princess lines, then this can be a problem. This is one reason many women who are short or long in this area like tops made out of knit fabric. They don’t have to worry about darts or princess lines.
If you want a blouse with darts, the side dart point should be horizontal with your nipple and 2 inches away from it closest to the side seam. If there is a vertical dart the point should end 2 inches below your nipple.
Blouse Fit -- Waist
The goal for waist fit is to have the blouse/top skim over the ribcage down over your waist to the hem. The blouse fit areas you need to consider are:
- Waist circumference
- Bust to waist length
Waist Circumference
In considering circumference fit around your waist, there is a fitting ease you need to look at. When we sit our waist circumference changes because in the sitting process our inside digestive area moves which can cause the circumference of your waist to increase. A blouse/top can fit perfectly when standing but when you sit it can become uncomfortable and may ride up.
Having 1 to 2 inches of wearing ease in this area is ideal. Having this ease will also help with hiding any muffin top caused by your pants or skirt.
Many styles have more than 2 inches of ease built in. This type of style is great if you have a tummy or waist line you want to hide.
If you have a “V”, “A”, “X” or “S” Body Shape, you might find that blouses tend to be too big in this area. I highly recommend getting it altered by either adding darts (front and back) or taking it in at the side seams. This is a simple alteration and your tailor/seamstress will know which is best.
Bust To Waist Length
If the blouse/top is made out of woven fabric and the style is for a curvy silhouette, you need to make sure the placement of the waist is right for you.
Remember in the last post I said most clothes are designed for a 5’5” or 5’6” well proportionate woman. If you’re taller or shorter than the design height, you might have problems. The same thing is true if your body proportions are long or short in this area. This can be a hard alteration to make. Ask your tailor/seamstress for help, if you love everything else about the blouse or top.
Blouse Fit -- Hips
The last area to consider when looking at blouse fit is the hip area. The hem of most blouses or tops are some place between the waist and hip. However, there are a few styles which flow over the hip area and the hemline lands someplace between the hips and knees.
Many women choose this style of blouses/tops because they want to hide their hips. If you’re one of these women also review all the clues your Body Elements give you so visually you can create balance, for example, putting horizontal lines around your shoulders.
If this longer style is just “you,” then for fit make sure there is at least 2 inches of wearing ease around the hips because when you sit your butt muscles spread and take up those inches.
Blouse Fit -- Hem
The last thing to consider is where the hem lies. Is it right for your body elements? Understanding your Body Shape and Body Proportion will give you clues to hem placement.
Also make sure it’s not close to the crotch. If it’s in this area, then that is where a person’s eyes will stop. In my opinion this isn’t a great area to bring focus to, especially for work clothes. You want wondering eyes to stay focused on your face so they can hear what you’re saying.
I have this problem for long tops. My torso is 2 inches long proportionate wise causing long top hems to land in this area.
There is an easy solution. Most hems can be altered, but some styles and fabrics don’t lend themselves to be altered in this area.
Regular Vs Petite
Do you shop in the regular sized department even though the clothes feel frumpy? When you pinch the shoulders, does everything magically fall into place? Go to the petite department.
Petite clothes are made for women who are 5’2” or 5’3”; however, there are women who proportionally have short torsos. If this is you, consider going to the petite department. You might have better luck there.
I know it’s getting harder to find cute petite clothes. Go online. Many stores have more petite clothes on the website for example Macys, Ann Taylor, Gap, J Crew and Talbots to name a few.
Summary
When looking at blouse fit, make sure the shoulders fit well because this is where tops hang from.
If any part is too small go up a size until it fits. Then look at the other parts and determine if they are way too big. If so can they be altered? Talk with your tailor/seamstress to determine what they can and cannot do. If it can’t be altered, look for styles that can work for your body.
An easy fix on any blouse is long hems. If you find most tops are long, have them altered to a place that enhances your body.
If you are tall or proportionately have a long torso, you might have problems with length. What should you do?
I’m one of these women. I’m 5’8” with a long torso.
There are several websites that cater to tall women for example American Tall — 5’10” and above.
If you can’t find an experienced tailor/seamstress to do the alterations or alterations can’t be done, have your blouses custom made. I know they can be expensive, but consider the cost per wear. This is the cost of the blouse divided by the amount you wear it. The more you wear it the cost per wearing decreases.
Another option is to create your own blouses. There are YouTube videos that can help you with the altering of patterns to fit your body and how to sew the blouse or top. Benefits are:
- It gives you creative time
- You have clothes no one else will be wearing
- All design lines and colors reflect your body clues
- They fit your body perfectly
Did you learn anything new regarding the fit of blouses and tops? Tell us what you learned by writing it in the comments below.
Next week’s post is on dress fit. Much of it is similar to blouses and tops. It’s called Dress Fit — How To Create A Perfect Fit.
Wear Your Greatness!!
Great Joy! Now I know how to shop for a blouse
Thanks you!