Sveta's Blog

Ask Angie: what do you think of this tops? ETA: update on the bottom

May 28, 2013

I am curbing my shopping now but I have discovered that I have a huge hole in my summer wardrobe: tops! Especially white tops! I so enjoy wear white now but I have a serious lack of white tops now. Almost everything is polyester in the stores now and I want natural fibers for summer - or at least rayon or viscose.
I was browsing Le Chateau site and I found some possible options.
What  do you think of  this banded top? I have been avoided banded tops before but really like how you styled one with a flared skirt. It says boatneck neckline which should work for me but it looks more like wide scoop (although coral one does look like boatneck).
There is another one I consider - silky tee. I think it should be oversize fit so I was thinking to order the biggest size. What do you think? It is a scoop neck and I am not sure about this neck on me.
There was another silk top I liked very much (both in black/white and cobalt / black) but I am afraid the V-neck is too deep for me and I will not feel it up. Too bad, I like the style, colors and the fact it is silk...
So any of those 3 tops are worth trying out? The problem is that Le Chateau shipping / return policy is not very user friendly: you pay shipping and pay return so it is pretty costly to experiment. If I risk to order I would like to know I am not off  my mark to consider them.
I will also go to the store to see if they have them and if I can try them on in the store but I don't keep my hopes too high for this.
Thanks a lot!

ETA: I went to my local store tonight. Of course as my luck would run #1 was not available in the store. ##2 and 3 were as missvee reported: #2 is nice but see through and the neckline was too wide for my liking; #3 was too flimsy altogether and neckline too deep - I did not even want to try it on.

Based on missvee report I decided to order #1 in white and dark blue: fingers crossed it fits and I like it! Thanks again for all your help and missvee, you are the best!!!

Posted in the Shopping category
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20 Comments

  • replied 10 years ago

    I have been eyeing the second one!

    The first one looks promising too -- I hope they work out for you!

  • Sveta replied 10 years ago

    Ceit, have you seen them IRL or tried them on?

  • Joy replied 10 years ago

    White tops are so hard because they can be sheer. I have come to appreciate banded tops like the first one, but is 25 inches from the highest point long enough for you? It looks short on the model (pulled snug) but long enough for skirts.
    I love the second top! YES!
    The low V neck would be a deal breaker for me on the third one

  • Sveta replied 10 years ago

    Joy, the main goal for banded top is to wear with skirts and slouchy pants so short may be OK in this case.

  • Joy replied 10 years ago

    I realized that after posting. And I just measured the banded top I'm wearing and it's only 23inches, so 25 should be plenty for a skirt.

  • bj1111 replied 10 years ago

    Sveta, love the second. It looks at least semi sheer. Would you want something that you can wear alone during the height of summer?

  • CocoLion replied 10 years ago

    I like all three of them.  They may all need camis though.

  • Kristin SF replied 10 years ago

    I bought this for the summer and love it - do you already have a white linen blouse in your closet? It's not too sheer, I wear a nude bra underneath and feel perfectly fine/covered. The drape is lovely and has a certain slouchiness. Highly recommend!
    http://www.jcrew.com/womens_ca...../42841.jsp

  • Lyn D. replied 10 years ago

    I like the first two, and they seem well priced for silk.

  • replied 10 years ago

    Just have seen them online. Our Le Chateau store is tiny and doesn't have half the stuff that is on the website unfortunately. I wish they had better online shopping, I hate paying for shipping and the return window is small.

  • missvee replied 10 years ago

    I think the silky tee in the print might be the best bet. The neckline does not look too wide to me. Like the others I wonder whether the plain white sweatshirt style will be too sheer without a cami.
    And I agree with you that the v neck of the third one will probably be too deep.
    We have a fairly large LeChateau near us. I will stop by later this morning to see if they have any of these, and I will check out the fabric quality for you.

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    Sveta, I was in Le Chateau recently. (Looking for tops, of course). I didn't see these particular ones. But I have to say, I was so disappointed in the quality, overall. Le Chateau quality has never been great, but most of what I saw the other day looked downright garish and cheap. 

    Do you have a store near you? It might be worth checking out first to see if they have the items in stock (even if in the wrong size). 

  • cjh replied 10 years ago

    If you order something that you decide not to keep, can you return it to the store instead of shipping back?  Some stores let you do that.  I like the print tee best.

  • Janet replied 10 years ago

    I love #2 for you! #3 is my second favorite. I'm really picky about banded bottoms so not as crazy about #1. I think they're all worth trying though.

  • missvee replied 10 years ago

    Ok, due diligence is complete. Here's my assessment:
    The banded top is surprisingly good quality silk for the money. It's lightweight but not flimsy, and it draped well. I usually buy a M or L in tops, but the store had only an XL for me to try. It had a nice slouchy fit, but I'm sure the L would have fit fine also. The neckline is as shown on the model.
    The print top with black back is tunic length on me (I'm 5ft 7 inches tall). The front was just past the crotch and the back, which is longer, fell a couple of inches below my bottom. The neck is wider and more open than the first top, but still office friendly. My only complaint was that the silk is very sheer, and I would have needed a cami to cover the cleavage.
    The third top with the colour blocking is also tunic length. It does have a very deep vee neck ( not office friendly). I tried on the black and white version and was not impressed with the tissue thin white silk used on the shoulders. There were already several snags just from being tried on in the store. The black silk used in the body was slightly better quality but still not great IMHO.
    So there you have it. I was out this morning buying blinds for the bedroom and was happy to make a stop at the mall on the way home for a coffee and a browse.

  • Angie replied 10 years ago

    I had a huge Summer wardrobe hole too - tops! And I've just bought 4 and am now on my NAS induced diet until preselections in the first week of July.

    ALL three tops are worth trying, Sveta.  #1 is a dash short and best for faux tucking and skirts. #2 is fab! And I think you might wear those sleeves quite well. The V-neck could work. Do not rule it out :)

    I vote try CM, BR, J.Crew for tops. They have been my go-to places for tops this season - and we seem to like similar styling.

  • jurocha replied 10 years ago

    Have you checked Mango? They hv a basic white silk tee on every collection and within this price range (30-50€). They hv free shipping on purchases over 100, I guess, plus they let you return the items on any brick and mortar Mango.

    (Shipping back to the online store is expensive, though, since they centralize the returns on their Spanish warehouses and the international fees can be astronomical!)

  • Sveta replied 10 years ago

    Thank you all for your opinions, it helps a lot!
    missvee, you are a treasure! Thank you so much for checking them out IRL for me. Sounds like #1 is a definite possibility and #2 is a maybe if i consider the cami for it.
    Suz, I know that quality can be inconsistent but not always so they are still worth a try. I have 2 silk tunic tops from them which I really like.
    Kristin, I have not shopped in JCrew at all yet. I need to try them fo sizing first in B&M stores as shipping and returning is quite expensive in Canada. I will definitely give it a try when I next time in Toronto or in US.
    cjh, looks like they do not accept online returns in the store :-(
    Angie, thanks for chiming in. I really want the banded top for faux tuck and skirts as all my tops are too long for this now. I am exploring CM now but don't keep my hopes high as their stuff running small and their larger size may not fit. JCrew is uncharted territoty for me now, I need to try them in person before committing to expensive online ordering. As for BR it was my main go-to store lately but I sould not find white tops I like there at the moment :-(
    jurocha, thanks. I don't have B&M Mango store close by but when I was in one I was not implresses with quality enough to justify the prices and extravagant shipping fees. I will keep my eyes open for it though, maybe like Zara they will come up with a good online shopping for Canadians?

  • Sveta replied 10 years ago

    Update:

     I went to my local store tonight. Of course as my luck would run #1 was not available in the store. ##2 and 3 were as missvee reported: #2 is nice but see through and the neckline was too wide for my liking; #3 was too flimsy altogether and neckline too deep - I did not even want to try it on.

    Based on missvee report I decided to order #1 in white and dark blue: fingers crossed it fits and I like it! Thanks again for all your help and missvee, you are the best!!!

  • replied 10 years ago

    Fingers crossed for you Sveta, and how nice of Missvee! She's a real sweetheart. For the record, I find J. Crew runs a bit small through the shoulders on tailored shirts, but if I had an extra $180 lying around, that perfect linen shirt would be mine in white and navy! *drool*

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