What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top

September has been insanely busy, y'all!  I welcome it because it is mostly fun stuff, but it does keep me from being as productive on the blog as I would like to be.  Today I bring you another installment of What I Didn't Wear, where I show you an item that just didn't quite work for me.

DivineMrsDiva.com - What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top

This is the Peter Pan Collar Top in Animal Print by Prototype.  I tried it through Gwynnie Bee, as I had never heard of the brand Prototype before.  I am wearing it in a 3X and, while it had potential, it didn't fit the way I envisioned it would.

Out of the box, I loved the print.  It is a cheetah/leopard hybrid mix of print and color.  The Peter Pan collar was a cute touch as well.  But then the issues began.  The top is made from a thin, see-through material; plus, it is super short.  I made sure I was wearing a black tank underneath before I started photographing the top.  In the above photo, I pulled the smocked waist down as far as it would go towards my waist line.  It was still a good five inches too short.  The hem of the top was only a couple inches below my waist.

Below, I pulled the smocked waist up a bit to give it more of an empire silhouette.  I bloused the extra material out over the smocked part.  The top itself actually looked better this way, except for the fact that it was insanely short.  I would have been flashing skin had I not been in a separate tank.

DivineMrsDiva.com - What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top

The other issue is the armholes.  They are massive.  It doesn't necessarily show on camera well, but the armholes are generously sized.  From this side view, you have a better look at just how short the top is.

DivineMrsDiva.com - What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top
DivineMrsDiva.com - What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top

If you are petite or have a really short torso, this might be a good top for you to try.  I'm just not sure.  I do love the print and the idea of the style, but I just don't think it was executed well in this.

I leave you with another example of how short this top is.  When I lifted my arms to undo the button at the back of the collar, this is what it looks like:

DivineMrsDiva.com - What I Didn't Wear: Prototype Animal Print Top


Have you tried the Prototype brand?  Have you had success with a different style from them?  I would love to hear your thoughts!


6 comments

  1. I swear, the armhole issue is so. annoying. The only sleeveless dresses/tops I've found that aren't giant in the armoles are ASOS Curve...although sometimes their sleeves are a tad snug. The old tanks from Old Navy were okay, too.


    I really think 90% of plus size manufacturers have NO IDEA how to properly size up a pattern. Mostly Kiyonna is pretty good (although I did try that lace peplum dress, and I sent it back because the armholes were too big), but Igigi and SWAK are hit and miss.


    I don't think they had anything from Prototype when I was still GB-ing. I could theoretically go back, but I'm on the fence. I don't like the stuff they're buying lately. Actually, I've thought since about 3 months in that they should fire the buyers....


    The collar of this top IS cute though. It could maybe work with a high-waisted skirt?

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  2. This top encapsulates so many of my issues with tops right now. Everything seems to be made in that cheap, sheer polychiffon. You have to layer a cami under everything! And tops are getting shorter and shorter too, unless they're tunics. I like tops to skim or cover my hips; otherwise, they hit at my widest spot and just draw attention to my middle. Ugh. I would have tried this top too because I would have thought that the dropped empire waist would give me an hourglass shape while still masking areas I wanted to cover up. I have a couple of similar tops that achieve this look. So what is up with this one? And again - the arm holes. How are the arm holes so ginormous on tops, especially when the arms fit so snugly? Whose body is shaped like that?


    The print is so pretty, and the collar is so cute. What a disappointment. This definitely makes me more wary of this sort of top, which is good. It's awful to assume a certain silhouette is a sure bet when it's obviously not.


    Thanks for sharing!


    <3 Liz
    www.withwonderandwhimsy.com

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  3. I agree with companies having hard times sizing up a pattern. Things just start to go wonky in lots of brands. I don't understand why it is so hard. I agree with the ASOS Curve armholes too. I have noticed a lot of my ASOS stuff is a bit snug in the arms, depending on the style.


    Which Kiyonna dress was it? The Lady in Lace like I wore for Valentine's Day? Hmmmm. I know I didn't have armhole issues with that because I was fine wearing it without a shrug. lol A majority of the GB things I try, I need some kind of coverup. lol

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  4. It had so much potential. It was just executed horribly. It made me sad because I loved the print and the collar was a fun detail that made it different. I have noticed tops getting shorter and shorter too, especially during my last trip to try on stuff at LB. I was bummed about that. I ended up buying the striped tee though during the last sale. I figured I could wear it was a black skirt or something if nothing else. lol It was just too cute.

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  5. Yes, it was the Lady in Lace dress...I ordered the red one during the 4th of July sale (4x) and it fit perfectly except for the giant, gaping armholes. I ended up sending it back because I didn't want to have to wear a stupid cardigan.

    I've had that problem with ASOS too...but overall, their arms/armholes are far more realistic than anyone else's. Some of Kiyonna's stuff is okay, but on the really fitted stuff where I've gone from a 4x to a 5x, the difference in the sleeves/armholes is crazy.

    And don't even get me started with Igigi. Their pattern sizing is whack, and their sizes are all over the place, and their return policy is bullshit. (You pay return shipping, and it takes them like a MONTH to credit your card back. ASOS, on the other hand, is awesome....you stick the prepaid label on an envelope/bag, and about a week later, you get your money back.)

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  6. I've stopped myself from buying Igigi several times now. I find the stuff I have tried via GB to be inconsistent in sizing. The first dress/top I ever tried from them was a 26 and it was too tight. So I sized up to 30/32 and one thing fit well and one thing was super big. I tried another dress in a 26 and it was great. This spring GB accidentally sent me an Igigi dress in a 22 and it fit well. I just wouldn't even know what size to buy if I wanted to buy something. I love a lot of their stuff, so it bums me out about sizing.

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