I love the first one. I would wear that.That's very nice. But what's around at the moment is lots of loose, billowy things with big sleeves.
Women (etc): do you wear blouses?
- Thread starter RubyToogood
- Start date
QueenOfGoths
Fuck you Dave!
No I don't, they don't really suit me but I'm not sure why. They just tend to make me look like a lump.
I do have a couple of shirts (which I would define as being tighter fitting) and they're less lumpy!
I do have a couple of shirts (which I would define as being tighter fitting) and they're less lumpy!
That's very nice. But what's around at the moment is lots of loose, billowy things with big sleeves.
No, don't like those big sleeves, can't wear puff on the shoulder. I like the first but it wouldn't suit me, too much going on in terms of pattern and puff. The third one with the dropped shoulder is awful, really meh fabric and shapeless.
I don't know if people wear these things out in the wild, but I think the first you might buy in a shop, the last one looks like you went to a sewing class.
kalidarkone
Bringing YOU round.....
There are literally so many kinds of blouses that the mind boggles. I think they are great with a pencil skirt for a 50s look.
I don't think I have anything I actually call a blouse.
This is advertised as a blouse (its a Spanish shop) but I'd say it's a 'feminine' shirt, I would never call it a blouse. But my mum would probably call it a blouse just because it's for women. The second is called a blouse on the Free People site and I'd agree with that but blouse is a weird word, I'd call it a top. I haven't worn pattern for a while but I'd wear all of these if I had some spare money, especially the first and third.
This is advertised as a blouse (its a Spanish shop) but I'd say it's a 'feminine' shirt, I would never call it a blouse. But my mum would probably call it a blouse just because it's for women. The second is called a blouse on the Free People site and I'd agree with that but blouse is a weird word, I'd call it a top. I haven't worn pattern for a while but I'd wear all of these if I had some spare money, especially the first and third.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I’d wear the top two if they were long enough. I like a bit of billowing sleeve.That's very nice. But what's around at the moment is lots of loose, billowy things with big sleeves.
Boudicca
Seaside Queen
I don't have anything in my wardrobe which I would call a blouse. I have shirts, with collars and cuffs and then everythng else which is not a tshirt would be called a 'top'.
If it fitted the description of blouse in my understanding of the word, I probably wouldn't buy it. Cos I'm not a blouse person.
If it fitted the description of blouse in my understanding of the word, I probably wouldn't buy it. Cos I'm not a blouse person.
May Kasahara
take me to the feeling
Shirts and blouses fall into the category of "often like the look of them on other women but almost always look awful/wrong/bizarre on me", so hardly ever.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
The meh fabric is linen, which is popular with sewists because it's more sustainable than most fabrics, I forget why. And is quite expensive. It's a crap colour though, it's true.
The lack of natural fibres in the shops is one of the main reasons I sew now I'd say.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
I'm amazed that nobody has yet mentioned ironing.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I bought some crease release on the recommendation of my friend but he thinks my expectations are slightly too high.
I’m actually thinking of getting a little hand steamer because I hate ironing so much.
pinkmonkey
2.4 hour party person
Well I don't have one at home, can't afford the invertor to power one (although I now have the correct type of battery). Two grand to run an iron. I keep meaning to get a cast iron one for the top of the stove. My old neighbour in Tottenham was a traveller and she had a paraffin iron! She had all the solutions. But you can't go round in crumpled stained clothes if you're a traveller, she always wore a freshly ironed and laundered white blouse. I do have things that need ironing but they have to wait til I'm at my mums.
I voted no, but I've got a couple of Indian block print smock tops, a couple of 80's mens printed silk shirts and I got a black silk buttoned Whistles top in the charity shop the other week, I think it might count as a blouse.
Rebelda
Nearly as bad as Badgers
Yeah that can fuck off an all
ElizabethofYork
Old Crone
I haven't ironed anything for about 10 years since my kid left school and my husband stopped working in an office.
I once said to a work colleague that I didn't do ironing.
Him: 'Oh, you send it out for ironing?'
Me: 'No.'
Dystopiary
putting up a hook to hang my hopes upon
Yeah, it depends what counts as a blouse. Very recently I realised that a lot of tops I like could be called blouses.
I'd definitely wear the middle one with one caviat - 3/4 length sleeves are everywhere, but like with that one they're often more like 4/5ths. I don't mind occasionally sleeves that end just below the elbow but so many tops for women have them about 2-3 inches above the hand. It happens so often I reckon it's just to skimp on fabric ∴ money.
I'd definitely wear the middle one with one caviat - 3/4 length sleeves are everywhere, but like with that one they're often more like 4/5ths. I don't mind occasionally sleeves that end just below the elbow but so many tops for women have them about 2-3 inches above the hand. It happens so often I reckon it's just to skimp on fabric ∴ money.
Mation
real life adventure worth more than pieces of gold
The first two are blouses I'd say, but the bottom one I'd call a smock, because my mother would have (she made loads of clothes and did dressmaking coursesThat's very nice. But what's around at the moment is lots of loose, billowy things with big sleeves.
). I think because the fabric is a lot heavier.These are my idea of blouses:
So I think my criteria must be: high neckline; long sleeves; a bit of puff on the sleeves, at the shoulder or cuff or both; and light (weight) fabric.
This was an important bump!
Skim
Well-Known Member
I sometimes wore blouses more in the past, but now hardly ever wear them. I work from home and it feels a bit OTT putting on a blouse for a Teams meeting. Not even sure if I’d bother even if I was going to an in-person work event. Maybe I should chuck them in the ‘get round to selling on Vinted’ pile.
I did myself a nasty injury on a blouse once. Went into the tube station and the cuff got stuck in the barriers, so I ended up with a nasty bruise on my wrist. Never really trusted myself with blouses since.
I did myself a nasty injury on a blouse once. Went into the tube station and the cuff got stuck in the barriers, so I ended up with a nasty bruise on my wrist. Never really trusted myself with blouses since.
Ah, I do wear blouses (I think) but call them shirts or tunics or mostly just 'tops'. I don't like T shirts - or any stretchy jersey stuff at all, unless it is wool...even knickers. I don't like any synthetic materials either, I have revived my sewing skills since lockdown, and have made a lot of tops to wear under pinafores (my winter dress choices)...but not with those enormo-sleeves because they are rubbish for wearing layers. I think my criteria for blouse/non-blousieness tends to rest with the fabric - woven, especially if fastenings are involved = definitely in the 'blouse' adjacent category.
- knitted, therefore with a degree of stretch = T-shirt or jumper.
- knitted, therefore with a degree of stretch = T-shirt or jumper.
Siouxsie
Fashionable objector with a uniform fetish
I wear blouses everyday for work.....mostly plain white cotton, especially in this weather but if I have a really important meeting to attend I do like silk....they put me in a different mindset, take me seriously otherwise I will slap you down kind of place
As for laundering....I hot wash, starch (Best Press) and iron them, except the silk ones they get dry cleaned.
As for laundering....I hot wash, starch (Best Press) and iron them, except the silk ones they get dry cleaned.
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
I mostly wear mens shirts that are a couple of sizes too big cos I like roomy, ladies blouses are way too fitted for me to be comfortable in.
furluxor
snake with a claw
I voted no because it's been years since I last wore a blouse, but I am keeping an eye out and would wear one if it's right.
Fabric is often the issue: I like shiny satin blouses (as in some pictures posted above) because they don't bunch and they offer a texture contrast (I'm not a fan of prints) with other clothing. However, synthetics/unsustainable are unpleasant and silk cannot be washed (or has to be handwashed), which leaves viscose. Viscose sometimes cannot be washed either, is semi-unsustainable and narrows down the options.
Fabric is often the issue: I like shiny satin blouses (as in some pictures posted above) because they don't bunch and they offer a texture contrast (I'm not a fan of prints) with other clothing. However, synthetics/unsustainable are unpleasant and silk cannot be washed (or has to be handwashed), which leaves viscose. Viscose sometimes cannot be washed either, is semi-unsustainable and narrows down the options.
furluxor
snake with a claw
I can believe it to be true - sometimes it does work - yet it's an expensive experiment if it fails! I'm no expert of textiles so can't tell if my silk blouse would get fooked if handwashed, and can't afford to just give it a go. Some silk will permanently stain just from contact with water.
