Correct me if I’m wrong, but I get the impression that unless you’re twig-thin, the top worn over leggings should be at least crotch-length. Like a tunic.
Since I avoid belts if I can help it, and since I find that un-belted tunics tend to look like maternity tops on most busty women, I avoided both tunics and leggings until last October, when I fell in love with this sweater at the Busty Clothing Swap.
I proceeded to buy my first pair of leggings to go with it, but during my November OOTD Challenge, I finally accepted that while the color may be great, the style of this sweater makes me look like a popsicle on a stick when combined with leggings. Plus, noone ever complimented me on it when I wore it.
However, now I owned a pair of leggings, and they were as comfortable as everyone had always claimed. I wanted to be part of the leggings crowd!
I started looking for more tunics, but I couldn’t find any, which was a giant surprise given the gazillions of women I see walking around in crotch-length tops over their leggings all the time. Then just after Christmas I found this promising tunic for $24.99 on the Land’s End website and bought it in size Large Petite.
The length was perfect. It was super comfortable. The color was flattering. Even the neckline, which some customers reviewed as too low, fell at a flattering point just where my cleavage begins (although it doesn’t look very flattering in the photo below).
But something was wrong.
Could it be the diagonal folds coming from the apex of my breasts? And if so, can such a thing be fixed?
I’m going to try to find out. I’ve pinned darts into this top, and I’m sending the pics to Leila Breton , the ultra-talented blogger over at Three Dresses Project.
Here are my questions for her:
1. Can alterations make this look more streamlined on me?
2. If so, what changes do I need to make?
3. How difficult will it be?
I get super impatient with sewing, but I’m almost tempted to buy a sewing machine if she tells me it’ll be worth it.
How about you? If you believe you can get away with belt-less tunics and have tips for doing so, please send me an email at darlene [at] hourglassy [dot] com with pics for a follow-up post.
I’m not very busty, but nipped in the waist, so extremely curvy, so I have all the problems busted women have with tunics.
There are two options which make without a belt flattering on me:
– it’s fitted (darts! or jersey + bat sleeves and thin in the waist)
– it’s lightweight and drapes very well.
As usual, another great insight, Malica. I think the drape of this top is a big problem now that you’ve brought it up.
Just experience )
It seems to me that this tunic was made from “hold the shape” sort of fabric, so to save it from being unflattering it should be fitted (not too tight, but in accordance with body shape). It seams to me that there are a lot of excess fabric near side seams, so there is not smooth lines there as it should be, but some folds. I think that the one more dart can help it.
It seams = It seems
My English even worse when it’s 1:20 am )
I wear tunics without belts every day! The trick is to get dresses, just dresses that are SLIGHTLY too short to truly be dresses. I find you never really find anything online listed under “Tunics”, but if you look in the “Dresses” category and just check the length, a really shocking proportion of dresses are WAY too short to really be dresses. My personal shortest length limit to be worn with leggings is 28 inches, but that will vary for everyone based on torso length and butt size.
I get most of my tunics (which are supposedly dresses) from H&M, Forever21, and Marshalls/TJ Maxx.
Another thing you can do is just throw on a stretchy miniskirt with leggings and a top that’s too short to be a tunic–it creates a tunic-esque colorblocked look.
This is so smart, Bras I Hate! I needed someone to come along with some out-of-the-box thinking like this. Thanks!
I think it is a bit too short and stiff. You might be happier with something like this tunic. http://katiekadiddlehopper.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-02-07T10:00:00-07:00&max-results=3
All right, now you’re making me want to sew something from scratch! This pattern is exactly the thing.
I’ve always found tunics a problem not because of being busty but because of a busty + short-waisted combination. It seems like a lot of tunics are cut in an upside-down V shape from a point around the bust that never coordinates with my smallest part but is instead right underneath my chest(on yours it looks like that point was actually above the bust!) and so ends up looking like maternity wear. I’ve always looked forward to being pregnant so I can buy them without doing alterations because I love the look of leggings and tunics together :-). I think darts are a great idea if it’s not too hard to do.
You don’t have to wear a belt on your tunic in order to look less bulky. I think that the right pattern that leaves room for your bust but still emphasizes the waist is the key. As a curvy women I also prefer to have woven long shirts since woven fabrics provide a tailored look and can make you look thinner. Here is an example http://dd-atelier.com/Denim-look-Kerry-big-breasts-shirt.html