OOF. PeaceBang went boom last night on an icy front walk at 12:30 AM while walking her dog and she is feeling like the Original Winter Ogre, only with worse aches and pains. So let’s talk about something nice and shallow for a while before PeaceBang does something desperate like buzz cut her hair and dye it teal blue.
Instead of discussing the real evils of the world, let’s talk about the tragedy of trying to find a decent jacket for a girl with a bust. Honestly! Have you noticed that it’s just ever so hard to find a nice, flattering jacket to wear for a day of ministry where you have three major goals:
1. to look pretty good;
2. to not feel all buttoned up in a stiff blazer;
3. to not spend $150 on the thing?
IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK, FASHION PEOPLE? Apparently so, because the Fashion Powers and Principalities seem to think that we want to look top heavier super chunks! And I have evidence of this!
She’s so cute! And young and fresh! And this is a beautiful color! But the smooshed uni-boob situation coming up here is not cool. Also, cutting the sleeves at the same length as the hem just widens a girl. Don’t Fashion People know this?
The trim around the lapel doesn’t make this next jacket less of an unstructured mess. It’s still going to add more bulk around the chest and cling to the butt. You’re not fooling me with your white trim, Fashion People!
This next piece is so much neater and even pretty, but again, why do they cut the bell sleeves to the exact same length as the waist? Grrrr! If I stand with my arms at my sides, this cut makes me look twice as wide as I need to look! And if I hem the sleeves, they’re just gonna look dumb.
This next outfit isn’t too terrible, it’s just medium-terrible. Boring, frumpy, and the color is like what would happen if cotton candy mated with a peach. I can’t think of that many women who would shine in this color and I can’t think of anyone who really needs this in her closet.
Oh, I see what they did with this next unstructured jacket design. They moved all the excess fabric from the bust to the butt. Well… okay? This would look nice on a large, tall woman who doesn’t have a bust. Or a butt. But most of us have one or the other.
Yea, like this woman. This flappy jacket style looks good on MODELS and that’s about it.
Now that we’ve seen the bad news, let’s see some better and then good news in the jacket department. I got all of the following image from Macy’s website if you want to check them out yourself. Most of them are Tahari.
This floral jacket may be a bit mumsy for you, and you’d have to style it with some flair like the gal in the photo. But look! Oooh! A hint of a waist there, do you see the trim? Yay!
Here’s another better effort. I don’t love the color, but this shows that it’s possible to do an unstructured, work-friendly jacket without all that floppy excess fabric. Best of all, flattering pocket placement!
Teal tweed isn’t exactly my cup of tea, and I’m never a fan of the trimmed lapel for myself but I could totally see a clergy gal wearing this with a great pair of jeans and espadrilles this spring and then using it with a black pencil skirt for summer weddings or services. It’s versatile and curves-friendly!
Well, looky here! A fun, cute jacket that isn’t as soft as a cardigan but isn’t anything like a stiff blazer! Open at the neckline, really nice buttons and waist-defining with a peplum! Note how the vertical stripes on the peplum break up the widening effect of the horizontal stripes on the rest of the garment? Cute. Thoughtful.
I would wear this right now with black pants and teal boots and pashmina. In the spring I’d wear it with rolled up slimcut jeans and motorcycle boots or oxfords. For summer I’d pair it with white bootcut jeans and wedge sandals. Visit Leather Stand for more information.
Another take on the cute black and white casual jacket. Again: comfortable but doesn’t obliterate your shape with sloppy “comfort” design. What’s comfortable about sloppy design, anyway? Nothing! And those clingy knits are no one’s best friend from the rear view, am I right?
This next jacket is classic and even preppy but also can be styled many ways. Open, collarless jackets are almost never the best choice for a busty gal but at least this one has some structure and elegance to it. This would look great with a belted sheath dress for those more formal springtime events. I actually just love the way the model is werking this look.
And nothing beats a gorgeous shawl collar, single-button jacket to accommodate your curves and nip in the waist. The shawl collar is so much softer and more femme than a peaked lapel; I snap these babies up whenever I find them. It’s little design details that make all the difference for those of us with lots of shape.
Also, hooray for belted trench coats! This poppy colored one is outerwear but there’s no reason you can’t wear a lightweight trench indoors. I so love a good trench.
Now doesn’t that bright hue just get you all excited for Easter?
You are so right about the clingy knits not being flattering for many of us from the rear view. I had one of those unstructured jackets, caught a glimpse of myself while walking in it – and gave it promptly away! It looked nice while I stood still in front of my mirror at home. But as soon as I went out into the world, it looked like a no-no. I love the suggestions you posted above, and look forward to finding a nice spring jacket. Blessings to you!
We have a Kasper outlet and I went there looking for a funeral suit. It is not the most fashion forward place but I scored a couple of very “ladylike” suits (the jackets have a lot of black so I can mix and match.) They have petite and plus, and I like the way they fit. The outlets have pretty good prices also.
I really enjoy a swing coat/jacket, paired with a belted, sleeveless dress (NOT A JUMPER).
Unrelated, but I notice that many of these models are wearing super high heels. What is your opinion of these on ministers? They make my feet hurt to look at them, but I’ve occasionally seen my reverend sisters in them, and am always taken aback. It may be our denomination’s generally less-than-high-fashion culture for women, (“Real feminists don’t torture themselves to look good”) or for clergy in particular, but they stick out. I also find that if I dress too differently from the women in my congregation, I feel a little weird, but that’s my own mishigas.
I appreciate this post a lot. As a busty woman I’m always tempted to buy unstructured sweaters, jackets and tops because they’re really easy to find, easy to wear and I don’t have to be so concerned about fit. But my closet is full of pieces that I don’t like to wear for all the reasons you list.
I’ve learned that I look (and feel) better when I wear clothing that has more structure and more tailoring. What that means is that I’m trying to move toward more structured clothing and paring down my wardrobe to only those garments that really work for my body type and help me feel good and confident. Since I have a hard time finding these garments, when I find something that fits wells I buy multiple colors or even multiples in a classic color.
Thanks again for a helpful post.
And, all of the 3/4 length sleeves (like the sleeves-same-length-as-hem jacket) are not so good for long-armed folk. It makes us look like we outgrew them. Take a second look at the skinny models in 3/4 length sleeves above. I don’t even own any 3/4 length sleeve anything. I go for long or short sleeves.
I thank you for your comments, PeaceBang! I am a full-figured clergywomen, and have tried very hard to find classic, fitted clothing that do not make me look like my grandmother! Have you found any online sites that offer such wear? I am living in the ‘middle of nowhere’ and have to drive at least an hour to find a Macys.
[Yep, try Macys.com and LaneBryant.com and just google plus size blazers! – PB]