Thursday, January 14, 2010

Product Review: Scalloped Petal Top

Scalloped Petal Top
Click here for product page
Item 21495
Regular: $69.50

J.Crew describes this top as the following:
Crafted in crisp cotton broadcloth with pretty scalloped petals at the neckline and a removable self-belt to cinch the waist. Sleeveless. Boatneck.
A big "thanks!" to DinDin (in this post), who not only shared her review of this top, but also provided real-life images as well. Just click on any of her images (or here & here), to view them larger.
Has anyone tried item 21495, the Scalloped petal top? I just received it. And I am disappointed!

It's true to size. I ordered the same size I wear in all perfect shirts and button down shirts and dresses.

However, the neckline didn't look at all like it does on the website! Hopefully this makes sense, on the website it looks like all the scalloped "bits" are nice and laying flat and point down. The one that I got in the mail, some of them were sticking up towards my neck and this isn't just a poor packing creasing problem.

When I tried to flatten down the scallops, I realized that they are joined together, stitched together, that way! Looking at myself in the mirror, I kept thinking to myself that I should fix the poorly creased and smushed scallops, but alas, they are sewn on that way.


Also- there is a tie waist, which i appreciate, however, the "waist" on this shirt was not the "waist" that I like to accentuate. I like to go a little higher, but since the ties are attached by those little strings, the shirt wants to be tied lower. I'm short, 5'2" so that's probably why.

I guess I could remove the strings and just make sure to never lose that darn little belt but it's not worth it considering that the scallops are so strange.
"Thanks!" again to DinDin for her great review of this top. The catalog image makes the top look lovely with its perfectly scalloped neckline. However, the neckline looks completely different in the real-life photos. Too bad!

What are your thoughts on the Scalloped Petal Top? Have you tried on or own this top? If so, what is your review of the top & neckline? Would you recommend it to another fellow JCA?

21 comments:

  1. Aaaaah! Somebody lied to somebody! And it's so obvious that the catalog photo was 'shopped beyond belief to eliminate the inevitable fabric bunching at the waist. No thanks, I will pass on this top.

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  2. I am staying away from buying anything on-line with an embellishment from JC, you never know what you are going to get when the package arrives.

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  3. thanks for the review! i was eyeing it myself. too bad it's a disappointment though.

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  4. I had that on my wish list for when it went on sale as I never buy full price...off it goes. Thanks for saving me the trouble. If I ever make it in to a store I might try it on but ordering, won't take the change and hassle of returns.

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  5. Appreciate the review DinDin and Alexis for sharing it. Being in Canada I rely a lot on reviews, opinions and IRL photos so this is great.

    It doesn't look as bad as I thought it would given your review the other day. Can you steam the "petals" so they would lay down nicely, as a group? The photos online are different between the model shot and the white/navy, which are both pretty rumpled and sticking up. Steaming can really do wonders and I'd give it a try if the petals are the big showstopper for you.

    Reminds me of when J.Crew used to ship some items all rolled up in a knot so they looked "perfectly rumpled" as it would say on the tag. First thing after ensuring those items fit - into the laundry to get rid of the ridiculous wrinkle fest.

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  6. I'm actually wearing this top today and LOVE it. No issues with the scallops and the belt hits right at my natural waist, very flattering! Looks great with a long cardigan over it.

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  7. This is a cute top and I will probably end up ordering it at some point.

    However, I am built much like the J Crew models and I have a feeling that this shirt, like many others I have seen modeled IRL or on blogs, will flatter smaller busted, longer waisted figures.

    I think the neckline looks great on both the J Crew top and the JCA's top, even if the petals look a bit different than the prototype garment. I would send it back solely because of the boxiness and where the ties tie, but I still think it is a pretty shirt.

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  8. Another example of JC manipulating the fit of their clothing. They surely pinned the top to nip in at the model's waist and then *loosely* tied the belt around the narrowed waist--Voila, no bunching! How fabulous I'd look if only I could walk around my office with a bunch of straight pins in the back of my outfits.

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  9. Anna,
    What is different about your scallops? or don't you mind the way these look??? THanks

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  10. I thought I liked this until I took a closer look thanks to this review. When you do zoom in online on the white and navy the petals don't look nice at all. Thanks for the review. This is a pass. Not pretty with the strange; sewn down petals...I am tall and small busted but still the petals make this a no go.

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  11. xoxo - you can't steam because the petals are attached to each other, as well as the neckline of the shirt. if you pull anything downward you'll be able to see the strings that connect the different parts of the petals

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  12. Anna - maybe I got a bad one? I really like the concept of the shirt, maybe if I see this in store, I'll try it again. But I will need to be able to see the shirt before purchase.
    Does yours look like mine or like on the website?

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  13. Oh Darn! I have one of these on the way in navy. I will be reviewing it on my blog sometime this weekend. I'm hoping they're not all like that. I was hoping it would be really wearable like the Frances.

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  14. I ordered this top in my usual size 0. I'm 5'6 and it fit quite nicely. I would have liked it better if it had a side zip as you have to be careful with makeup/hair. I have a short torso so I just moved the belt for a better fit.

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  15. Oh, I prefer no side zip. I think most of us do prefer NO Zipper JCrew if you are listening. Pokey and hard to make things lay nice when tucking in....so if it weren't for the weird petals I really wanted to try this...but they just don't look nice at all.

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  16. Thanks for the review and the pics, DinDin! I have that issue with self ties/belts, too, that they aren't ever in the right place. I hate having to snip those threads ever since I put a hole in a top accidentally, so I try to avoid pieces that have them.

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  17. I've been waiting for a review of this, in this color. That is too bad about the collar because it looks so cute on the model. Plus it was the only shirt in the latest roll-out that I liked. That's too bad you had that experience, DinDin. But I appreciate the heads up!

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  18. Thanks for the informative review. I do have one style tip, though. Those little stringy things that hold the belt are *always* supposed to be snipped off before wearing. They're only there to hold the belt on the garment in the store.

    I look forward to reading more of your reviews in the future!

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  19. Love your site! I found you on Google when I was trying to find this top after it sold out and was removed from my online cart.
    I just picked it up in navy and white from two different stores. I got each one for $19.99! In the fitting room, one of the tops looked exactly like the one on the model (the petals lie flat and look layered.) The strings were all cut away from each other. (I think that top may have been a display piece.)
    The other one I tried on was stitched together like the previous gals had discussed, MUCH different than the picture!
    So, I say....... cut the strings!

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