Australian Stitches – August 2019

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EASY TOPS


The shape of tops is generally shifting


toward an easier, looser fi t, which is


great news as that brings lots more


opportunities for fl attery to a whole


range of body types ... but they can


also look sloppy, baggy or bulky if


not handled properly.


As with dresses, it’s all about balance


and proportion. Even though these


shapes are relatively loose, they are


not boxy. The best, most fl attering


shapes look more like a slightly fl ared


tunic than a boxy T-shirt, and are


especially fl attering to ‘apple’ types


or bottom-heavy frames. The Burda


style in the bottom-right inset is a


perfect example of that idea (note the


long, slightly belled sleeves with the


gathered cuffs that camoufl age thick


arms, and the bare, split neckline that


shows off your collarbone – both are


great details to look out for).


Other fl atter-any-fi gure touches


are those irregular hems, whether


they’re high-low or artfully


asymmetrical. Flowing diagonal


lines in particular deliver a ‘one-two’


punch in terms of fi gure-fl attery.


They gracefully cascade down the


body, effectively streamlining your


shape while visually lengthening


it at the same time. We see that


spectacular effect on the stunning


Butterick tunic in the main image


at right (its rolled and tabbed sleeve


detailing is another treatment to


watch) and even on dresses, as in the


Burda design on the facing page.


A deep (but not too low!) V-neckline,


which we show in different forms on


this page is yet another detail that


fl atters most shapes, especially top-


heavy physiques.


Main image: Butterick B6069 tunic and pants,
Women’s sizes: 18W – 32W.
Insets (top to bottom): McCall’s M6899 top,
Misses’ sizes: 4 – 26.
Simplicity 1376 top and leggings, Misses’/Plus
sizes: 10 – 28W.
Burda Plus 6972 tunic, Euro sizes: 44 – 56.
Free download pdf