Black Stripe Crop Top Sleeveless Lace Up

Massively oversized, exchanged, returned

"I originally bought this vest in a size 20, because it was my first order and I wasn't sure of the sizing yet. Typically in other brands I'm anywhere from a 14 to a 20 in tops, but I normally buy looser-fitting, more stretchy shirts, so I figured in this style, I would need to err on the larger side. I was wrong. The 20 was way, way, WAY too big (like, several inches all the way around too big). However, I figured that since the size chart jumps massively between sizes 16 and 18 (from 38" in the bust to 46", whereas from 14 to 16 it's only 1 difference and from 18 to 20 it's only 2 inches difference, maybe going down to a 16 (two inches but 10 inches smaller), maybe then this vest would fit me... especially since every other shirt or dress I bought in a 18 fits me quite well. Nope! Still massively too big, just maybe a couple inches too big all the way around instead of several! For reference, I'm wearing a size 18 crop top sold on this website, using the same size chart, underneath this vest which is supposedly a size smaller than it. I'm also wearing a size 20 skirt from this brand. In bras, I am usually a 20D (which is supposed to be a 42 inch underbust and a 46 inch overbust measurement, which is supposed to fit the size 18 (though every 18 shirt/dress has had a little bit of ease in the bust). The laces on the vest are at their default setting, which is as tight as they can go without making the fabric bunch (I tried tightening them on the larger size, didn't bother with this one, apparently I've learned to recognise a lost cause when I see one in the meantime). The shoulder straps are too long on me (this is not an uncommon problem for me, but in this case it's almost impossible to keep them on my shoulders), and either the front is flat to my chest and the back and underarms gape open, or the center front gapes open. I can't go any smaller (and I would need to go a LOT smaller, like, several sizes down into straight sizing), and in order to tailor this in I would probably need to shorten the straps, add darts at the underarms, and then take a couple of inches of fabric out of the back in a curve since the bottom is meant to be wider than the top. To be honest, even if I had the skill for that, it simply isn't worth it, so even after having already exchanged this vest once, I'm now returning it because it is simply WAY TOO BIG. Maybe if you can get this vest to fit you, it would be great, but I honestly don't think it would, which is sad. This also isn't the last lace-up vest I bought on here, and the second one is in the process of being exchanged for a smaller size 16 as well, though that one was less extremely big, and I much prefer the material of that one. This one is thin material, not very structural and a bit stretchy (I could pull it over my head full laced up, and I think I could probably attempt that even if it wasn't several sizes too big), and the laces are stretchy as well, which means even when you tie them as tight as they go, it doesn't really do all that much. This is, unfortunately, a miss- but it's the only complete 'miss' I've had from You and All, and I bought 26 different products in my first two orders. I exchanged six of those items for a smaller size (would have returned a seventh but they didn't have the smaller size in stock, and it was close enough that it was just a 'well, I would LIKE a smaller size, since I'm already paying the $10.99 handling fee for this order', so I'm just keeping that piece as it is. Of the four items I've exchanged that have arrived so far, three fit me much better now... and then there's this vest. So, yeah. Please don't judge You and All as a whole based on this review being negative, but uh... maybe don't buy this particular piece unless you are vastly different proportioned than me and want a stretchy garment? It's definitely not for me, that's for sure."

— Kelly (3/5)