Blouses v shirts

[sewingj]

I`m not sure what the technical definition is but for purposes of this I am going to say that a shirt has buttons right up to the neck, and a blouse doesn`t and is in effect a v-neck

Anyway - today I have realised that if you have a small bust, blouses are not a good idea because even if you try to raise the neckline, every time you lean forward everything gapes  and you reveal all.  On the other hand if you have a shirt you are basically dealing with 2 straight lines which want to stay closed and you can shift the buttons around for ideal coverage

Is this making sense?  (I know what I`m talking about)

Sadly, as I try to get to grips with this fitting lark, I am discovering that there are more and more styles that I should avoid!

[elephun]

Shirts and blouses have different sleeve cap shapes (and sometimes construction methods) from one another. I’m not too sure of any other technical differentiation between shirts and blouses, but that probably doesn’t make any difference as you are simply trying to get tops to fit without gaping, correct?

It is possible to make the neckline hug a bit to your body, depending on the type of top you make.

[DementedFairy]

you can shift buttons around for coverage in either case, and even put snaps between for extra security!

[sewingj]

this is the pattern I`ve had the problems with

https://www.simplicitynewlook.com/6407

I did a small bust adjustment and raised the neckline up by an inch but it`s not wearable.  I think if I raised it anymore it would just look odd.  On the other hand, button up to the top type "shirts" seem to work well for me.

I have slowly come to the realisation that if you want something to fit, you are best to start off with something that suits your shape in the first place! (and just because a pattern suits the model on the packet it doesn`t mean it will look so good on you!)

[DementedFairy]

this is the pattern I`ve had the problems with

https://www.simplicitynewlook.com/6407

I did a small bust adjustment and raised the neckline up by an inch but it`s not wearable.  I think if I raised it anymore it would just look odd.  On the other hand, button up to the top type "shirts" seem to work well for me.

I have slowly come to the realisation that if you want something to fit, you are best to start off with something that suits your shape in the first place! (and just because a pattern suits the model on the packet it doesn`t mean it will look so good on you!)

Oh yes, choposing the right styles helps!  Choosing the right size is also vital- if you have a small chest/shoulder area, you should choose the size to match that not your actual bust.  This can make for a much closer fit, and less tweaking

[Renegade Sewist]

What DF said. When I was younger I was barely an A cup on a good day and had no trouble with a v neck, so long as the shoulders fit. If I got something a bit loose up there it was a peep show for the world.

If your shoulders are a bit forward or rounded, or you are thin and have what they call a hollow chest you have to compensate to avoid gaposis. I think that's partly why knits are so popular today. They auto correct a lot of fitting issues to some extent. Wrap dresses and tops too.

Good luck finding what works for your current body. 

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I always thought a blouse was what women wear and a shirt what men wear 

[Lowena]

Me too Bodgey 

[BrendaP]

I agree, a shirt is what a man wears and a lady's shirt is based on that.  It has a straight collar on a stand (or it may just have the stand) and the sleeves have a shallower head than blouses.  The buttons don't necessarily go right up to the collar.

Any front opening upper body garment with a shaped collar, or no collar, is likely to be a blouse rather than a shirt.

The usual construction method of a shirt is close shoulder seam then attach sleeve head to arm scye then close sleeve and side seams in one pass.  Blouses are usually set-in sleeves with shoulder and side seams closed, sleeve seam closed and then attached to the armhole.  That though doesn't affect the style or type of garment; either can be sewn in either way.

[DementedFairy]

Just to confuse the issue, the earliest women's 'blouses' were called shirtwaists or just waists.  Here's me in one of mine

And this is an earlier 'Garibaldi' shirt/blouse[described as either]

[Kwaaked]

@DementedFairy that is magnificent.

[Morgan]

this is the pattern I`ve had the problems with

https://www.simplicitynewlook.com/6407

I did a small bust adjustment and raised the neckline up by an inch but it`s not wearable.  I think if I raised it anymore it would just look odd.  On the other hand, button up to the top type "shirts" seem to work well for me.

I have slowly come to the realisation that if you want something to fit, you are best to start off with something that suits your shape in the first place! (and just because a pattern suits the model on the packet it doesn`t mean it will look so good on you!)

I have that pattern and tried out view E (short sleeves adjusted a bit longer) for the blouse shown in the bottom photo here. 
Like you I found there are some fitting points to look out for with this pattern.  It has quite a bit of ease above the bust level and enough around the hips, but not so much around the midriff/ribcage. Also on me it was too long from shoulder point to bust point and I had to make a Neckline gape dart adjustment for the chest area to fit as it should after raising the V of the opening. (It also meant drafting new bands.  I cheated and made reverse facings rather than making add-on bands.)

When anything has shaping around the ribcage (vertical darts and contoured side seams in this case) ensuring a perfect fit above the bust level becomes quite important.

With this particular Newlook pattern I suspect the front V opening is quite low because when it's raised or higher the shaping over the bust and shoulder changes slightly because that area has to become more form fitted.  It's connected with the neckline gape dart adjustment that should always be made during the pattern development stage for a V neck garment so the fabric holds closer to the body and doesn't show all when someone bends over.  I suspect that it wasn't done when this pattern was drafted.

[sewingj]

@Morgan   thanks for that reply - I feel a lot better knowing that someone as experienced as you also had problems with the patten.  I thought it was going to be an easy one for me to get to grips with doing a small bust adjustment but obviously not!