Product Review - Old Navy Empire T Shirt

First, let me say that I have been a patron of Old Navy for over 10 years now. They often have cute things that I like to wear and even more often have the kinds of staples at the prices I need. I will always shop there as it is convenient, has my size, and will always be there.

However, I was quite disappointed with my recent purchase from their Women's section. They have quite a few new spring t shirts on their site, which is perfect for the climate in which I live. I am the layering queen so cute t shirts are great to go under jackets on the windy days and on their own on the sunny days. So, this cute striped shirt looks perfect for the upcoming warmer days. When I purchased it there weren't many reviews online and they were kind of mixed, so I took a chance. Now, checking back it seems most people are having the same problems with the shirt that I am.

Here is the rub. The colors are not as presented and the widest stripe on the shirt is white and placed right around your middle. When I first put it on (with no body shapers) I looked like I was wearing one those inflatable rings for the pool. Then, the "gathering" under the bust that appears to bring in the waist is not that at all. It's really a piece of elastic sewn into the shirt, about 3 inches long. The shirt does gather a bit right where the elastic is but does not bring in the waist at all. Basically it's a big striped boxy shirt and that's not usually a style that plus sized girls go for. I am keeping the shirt. I have found that with a dark camisole under it, it can pass for very casual weekend wear. But that's not really what I was intending to use the shirt for.

So, items fall flat sometimes. It's hard to shop online, right? Right. Except that what really irks me about this particular fashion flop is that it makes me wonder if the clothes are being misrepresented, as in are they being pinned on the dress form? I guess I'll never know, and as I said before this wont stop me from shopping at Old Navy. But I will have to keep in mind that things may not be exactly as they appear on their website. It makes me miss the days when they carried plus sizes in the store.