I found this while searching for something else:

No See 'ems Blouse Front covers

They seem to slide around buttons and essentially elongate the effect of the buttons. This isn't a typical problem for me, but if it helps anybody here then we can start recommending them to folks who ask about it.

Snaps between the buttons will do the same thing at about a 90% savings. So I think I'll pass.

Thanks for sharing this! I think it is a very common problem for women.
Cathlib, what are these snaps that you speak of? Is it something that you sew in?

Shoediva, yes, snaps are sewn in. You can go to your local sewing shop and get them for about $1.50 for a pack of about 20 sets (both the b@ll side and the matching socket). It takes me about 20 minutes to sew snaps between the button/holes in a shirt--I can do it during the late news.

Of course, I suppose that these No-See'ems could be moved from one shirt to another, but it would take a lot of doing that before it actually paid off. The snaps are small and discreet, and a very inexpensive solution.

Sewing in snaps is another great idea. I like it because you could sew in one, and then if that still looks funny you could put in two more -- one on each side of the first snap, and that would probably do it. And they'd never fall out.

I suppose these cover things would be good for shopping though, to see if the shirt looks good in the store (that gap might distract me from seeing how the rest of the shirt worked). And for folks who don't like (or don't know how) to sew and are still afraid of tailors.

Does sewing snaps work if the shirt is pulling across the bust? In the picture, the model is moving a little, but what if you're just standing still and it pulls? Do the snaps work then, or do you need a bigger size?

A bigger size!

quote:

Originally posted by siepres:
Does sewing snaps work if the shirt is pulling across the bust? In the picture, the model is moving a little, but what if you're just standing still and it pulls? Do the snaps work then, or do you need a bigger size?

Yes, that's exactly why I sew the snaps in. The shirt fits almost perfectly, the snaps perfect it.

Yay! Cathlib, thanks for responding, and I'm going to give that a try. I have a button-down that's pretty old, so I'll try it out on that one before buying a shirt and messing it up. But, thanks! I haven't worn a button-down in years, and you may have just made it possible for me to do so again. *jumps for fashion joy*

Hope it works, siepres! For about $1 in raw materials and a half hour of work you can do in front of the telly, what do you have to lose? And you may gain use of a shirt you thought was destined to be a dustcloth.

I use Hollywood Fashion Tape. If that fails, I need a bigger shirt.

http://www.hollywoodfashiontape.com/

Siepres, I just bought a thing of 25 snaps for 50 cents. My sewing abilities are lacking, but no one will know since they are hidden. Some of my shirts gap a bit just when I'm standing with my shoulders back, but the snaps totally fixed the problem. If I go up a size in the shirt, it never fits right. I end up with an excess material bulge in the back and with a really shapeless shirt that is too big in the waist. The snaps really are a blessing (thanks, cathlib!), but you do need to make sure that the male end is lined up w/the female end (my bro's a plumber) the first time or you will have to redo it.

You're very welcome, shoediva!

The snaps make more sense to me than any other solution--they are inexpensive, and once they're on, they're ON. By the way, if you get 'quilter's thread', which is clear nylon that blends with the fabric, they will never come off unless you cut them off, as it is very strong.

For your 50 cent packet of snaps, and about 2 hours' time (watching WNTW? ), you can put enough snaps on to make six shirts work better. That is way cheaper than anything a tailor can do, and you have them when you need them. You're never moving the button-cover things from top to top, and you don't have to worry about running out of fashion tape.

Shoediva, I'm going to give the snaps a try. I'm not sure if they'll end up working for me because with button-down shirts the correct size for my bust, and the correct size for my waist are pretty far apart. But, there's no harm in trying. I'm going to talk to my mom about it this weekend, and see what we can can come up with. I love button-downs so this might be just the ticket to wearing them again!

Siepres, I only did one snap in between the buttons. You might need to do two to make it work for you. Cathlib, thanks for the quilter's thread tip. I'll keep that in mind for the ones I haven't done yet.

shoediva, the only caution about the quilter's thread is that it is a little harder to work with than regular thread. Unlike the standard poly/cotton thread, it doesn't straighten out very much when you unwind it from the spool. So you're working with curled thread, and it can tangle. Working with a shorter length than you normally would may help a bit.

But it's very strong, and very smooth. So it won't come off, or wear out--and because it is very slick (another thing that makes it harder to work with), there's very little abrasion against the threads in the fabric onto which you sew it. That means the fabric lasts longer.

I've got two 'shades' of the clear thread--one is truly crystal clear, which is great for light fabrics, and the other is 'smoke' clear, which blends better on darker colours.

Moonlady, good idea, using the tape in a fitting room to help make a decision on whether a top will work or not. I could've used it last night when I was shopping!

Well, snaps don't exactly work for me. There's just too much of a disparity between my waist and bust. For a button-down to close completely with no pulling, I need a size 18. For the shirt to fit in the waist, I need a size 12. With snaps, I can wear a size 16 shirt, but that's still too big in the waist. Snaps on anything smaller just looks weird because you can tell the shirt is too small and should be pulling. Suddenly, a flat-front button-down becomes a rouched button-down!

I think I really just need to give up, but darn it, I like button-downs!

Siepres, I understand! I was shopping last night and tried on so many shirts in so many sizes and nothing worked. I think some people just aren't made for button downs.

A certain size would fit everywhere except across the bust. One size up was way too big everywhere so that tailoring would be impossible. The sleeves would have to be removed and reset and the seams taken in and then it would still be too wide right above the bust. Very frustrating. I found a nice skirt and a pair of shorts but no tops and I need some badly. I wasn't going to come home without an outfit, not just individual pieces, but it just wasn't going to happen.

If you can't find button-front shirts to fit, what about finding a tailor who can make a few for you? A lot of tailors make custom shirts for men, so why not for women? (I don't recommend making tailored shirts for yourself unless you are really good at tailoring. The details can make you wish you'd bought a tee-shirt.)

Jodanne, even though it's rather mean-spirited, I have to admit I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't wear button-downs. Misery loves company and all that. I am sorry that you didn't find an outfit when you went shopping. I must have tried on 200 tops in the last couple months, and I think I found maybe 12 or so that really worked. A few of which I foolishly didn't buy, and now, I'm kicking myself. Maybe we'll both have better luck next time.

I went to a few different stores today to see if my luck would improve, but it really didn't. I found one shirt at BR, I really liked, but I'd have to basically tear the thing apart to get it to fit!

Anners, I think I may do something like that when either a) I'm rich and famous (or just rich, anyway) or b) work in an office of some sort that really necessitates a good button-down. Right now, it's just more of a "yeah, I really want one of those, but I don't necessarily need one." But thanks for the suggestion!

i feel your pain because i went through the same thing. mine was a combination of wrong bra and weightgain. when i couldn't button them because of the same problem i wore a tissue-thin white cami and i would unbutton the top 2 buttons so it solved the bust problem while still fitting on the waist line; i would also wear it untucked so other times i would simply button two of them (the ones below the bust and leave the rest open.
one of my trademark pieces of clothing is the buttondown, i tell you, i wear them with everything from skirts to shorts. it's probably the items i have most of in my wardrobe. nothing with a crew neck. i have some lacoste polos that i love but i know wntw-wise are not my best look~ there is barely any V-thing going on. i only wear them when i'm on the thinner side or to hang around the home or at the beach house. not to go out, i feel self conscious! they show off the curves too much.

I know we've been advised about people sending nasty emails to those who post pictures of themselves, but I've decided to do it anyway. I've received some pretty awful emails in my life (loooooooooong story there), and there's nothing anybody can say to me that I haven't heard before.

So, here's me with a button-down that fits in the waist/shoulder, but not the bust. The top buttons are unbutton to reveal a shirt underneath. Ignore the other WTNWs, the hair, etc. The photo was taken 2 years ago, so I look different. But, you can at least get an idea and maybe give me some feedback.

wooot, wooot! aren't you the hottie?!
niiiice...

okay, first off what i notice that you're wearing 3 layers of blouses, which right there is adding bulk so you can have extra trouble closing the shirt. i would try to limit it to *one* layer under buttondown, try it with diverse brassieres because some are better than others, and make the cami as low as you're comfortable with so that you show some decolletage area. make it a straight horizontal line, rather than 3 distinct necklines, which the more i learn about dressing for bustiness the more i realize the need to keep things simple and with the least amount of visual cuts in one outfit for that taller look i totally fake. ;p
another question: is that the kind of buttondown that is not buttons but hooks, and they are very snug on the waist but have piping on the shirt to make it sorta like...swiss miss sexy thang? i ask because i had one like that i bought at the limited and they actually *emphasized* the chest area, not disguised it. (i bought several, smart me) pfffhtz! i only buy ones that are fitted but no extra stuff. clean clean lines. here's a type of cami i'm talking about. this is also older (2005? 2006?) and excuse the mess in my room, heh, laundry day. disclosure during this i was in the fatflush plan so i had lost some of my ahem bustage because you eat very healthy fats and only enough of them every day. i had just reached my goal and lost 55 lbs. that cami was with me throughout the change. just giving you the idea of the neckline. the simpler the better. at this time i was a C or maybe small D.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/ileana65/IM000171.jpg
so what i would do:
tissue-thin cami with horizontal neckline low enough to show more chest.
get a blouse that doesn't have much detail. wear just like that, with some buttons on top undone and maybe some at the bottom, sort of like getting a nips at waist look from the blouse itself, especially if its fitted on the torso (although as long as it's not like 90's huge and wide rectangular shape blouse it doesn't have to be fitted)
(i'm sure i'm just reiterating stuff you already know!) ;p don't give up! sometimes all it takes is tweaking. several tweaks can be magic.

Thanks for the compliments! You really look stunning in that white-on-white outfit. I bought a white skirt specifically so I could give that look a try!

Oh, and believe me, Ilibaby, there's quite a few WTNWs in that picture! I couldn't believe how awful my hair looked before I cut it, and it just makes me enjoy my short hair all the more. Then there's