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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 128 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Pussybow Short Sleeve Blouse

The Personal Shopper (TPS) | · ·

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Pussybows are back again, and I think this blouse from ASOS has a modern enough look to it to pull it off at the office without looking too '80s. I like the wispy cream, the tiny pleats on the sleeve, and the details like the button-up back. To keep it modern, I'd wear the bow extra loose and low (as pictured), not tighter and higher (such as in this pic, which only works if you've got a hipster's whimsy). It's $46 at Asos (also available in plus sizes). ASOS Pussybow Short Sleeve Blouse Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 9.30.24

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Comments

  1. Duckie

    Is this dress, worn with a cardigan, appropriate for work in a business casual law office?

    http://tinyurl.com/3dq2o7r (link takes you to Ann Taylor site)

    It shows no cleavage, hits at the knee, and isn’t too tight.

    • Honey Bear

      I would wear it and I am in a business casual law office. And I love that color!

      • SF Bay Associate

        This would be ok in my biglaw office too, with conservative everything else, and I’d throw a black cardigan over it to tone it down some. I’d probably get a few comments about being “dressed up” though.

    • Pebbles

      I think it’s very pretty and appropriate for business casual if it fits how you describe.

      Also, I love your name!

    • Anon

      Yes, as long as it fits you a bit less snugly than it does the model I think you are good. It is a little too revealing of the model’s rear end!

    • Lydia

      I think it is a very pretty dress, but probably more like something to wear for a night on the town given how it fits and drapes…

      • Legally Brunette

        I agree with this. It’s very pretty and a gorgeous color, but something about the drape makes me think evening wear.

      • eb

        Agreed – it’s lovely, but it’s a bit more elegant/evening-y than you would expect to see at work.

      • Amelia Bedelia

        I like it, but cannot really see it in a professional setting. Regardless of the cardigan, it has the going out vibe.

        • Amelia Bedelia

          I just always remember one blogger telling interns “throwing a cardigan on does not magically transform your going out clothes into business casual clothes.” I wholeheartedly agree. And I think it is a mistake pervasive among the 20-somethings that are relatively new to the workforce.

        • Anon

          Really? I think it’s perfectly appropriate for the office (and I’d even wear it without a cardigan too).

      • Seattle Lawyer Mom

        No, I think it looks good for going out / evening but I would NOT wear it to work. Cardigan or not, it’s too sexy.

    • Bunkster

      I think that dress is beautiful and priced well. I think you could definitely wear it in a business-casual office, especially in the teal color with a cardigan.

  3. Anon

    I have this blouse; I purchased it last year from ASOS. Its very pretty, but it does have a row of (very pretty) buttons up the back, which makes sitting for long periods of time uncomfortable.

    • BKDC

      What do you think of the quality of ASOS products? I’ve heard mixed reviews, but have never purchased anything from them.

      • 2L Summer

        I am OBSESSED with ASOS — but it is hit or miss — but because they have free shipping at any price both ways, I don’t mind that. I have a similar pussy-bow blouse from there and I like it a lot.

      • thea

        it’s uk sizing – I usually wear a 0/2 in chain stores here and I ordered an 8. It’s very, very small in the chest (I’m a 32c and I could use at least another inch, maybe two, of ease) – I’ve already worn it out without noticing at first, so I can’t send it back. The quality does seem good though – all of the insides are nicely finished – which is important since it’s slightly sheer.

      • Cat

        I just ordered the 4, which they identified as what the model is wearing. It looks like the v in the front is low enough that unbuttoning the back won’t be an issue. I figure for $45, nothing that terrible will happen.

        Fortunately, with my questionable posture, leaning on buttons won’t be an issue.

  4. Kristen

    Really? Pussybows? That’s what they’re called? Ha. How did I miss that the last time this style came around? I have to say, I don’t even want to imagine the google image hits. I always thought they were tops with floppy bows, or tie-neck blouses. Sorry, twelve year old boy interlude.

    Whatever it’s called, that’s a very cute shirt. Looks like it might be a little sheer, though, and a cami can be tough to wear with a moving-target V-neck like the one the bow creates.

  6. Sydney Bristow

    I like the front of this (but only in this picture with the bow tied in this manner), but I don’t like the buttons up that back. My other issue is that it looks like something that should always be tucked in, but I don’t like to tuck anything in. I will be keeping my eyes open for something similar though. If anyone knows of something similar in plus size, I’d greatly appreciate a link!

      • Bette

        You should check out H&M. I got something almost identical to this there a couple weeks ago for $19.99. HM is usually pretty good about having things in a multitude of sizes too.

  7. curious

    I think the dress in question is never appropriate for any office. It features something called “drape”, which has never looked business-like, and never will. But it is very sexy, that’s for sure.

    • Noner

      I think the use of “never” is a little harsh here. And unless you are wearing a cardboard box, all fabric “drapes”.

    • Honey Bear

      I agree, I have a long sleeve dress that “drapes” from the Limited and it was one of my favorite dresses I wore during the winter.

  8. Wondering

    This is pretty. How is ASOS quality?

    Threadjack — does anyone go to a primary care physician in addition to a gynecologist for a yearly physical? Every since I turned 21, I’ve been going to a gyno for the normal pap smear, but that’s it. My husband told me that I should be seeing a PCP as well. Is this true? And if so, what would a PCP do in addition to a gyno? I’m thinking that they might draw blood and run some tests, but I’m not sure.

    • Kristen

      At my checkups, my PCP does blood draws, blood pressure, he can look at any moles that weren’t urgent enough to make their own appointment for. My PCP can also do pap smears (though I go to a gyno/NP for mine because it is a good opportunity to develop a relationship with the person I hope to see when I finally get pregnant).

      It might not be necessary for you to have a chekcup with your PCP every year though. I have one every three years or so, on my PCP’s advice. I am in really good health and all my bloodwork is good, so he always says to come back in three years unless “something changes” — I guess, meaning, if I start to feel like crap?

    • Lyssa

      I never have gone to a PCP unless it was for a reason, and my gyn’s never suggested that I should do otherwise. Of course, I’ve always put her down as my primary care, since I do see her far more often then my PCP.

      That said, I went to the PCP for the first time in several years a few years ago for something specific, and he did make a big thing of, well, not doing a complete physical (I kept my clothes on!), but running a lot of checks unrelated to the issue that I came in for. He gave me a tetnus booster, too, since I hadn’t had one for a while, which was something that my gyn had never suggested.

      So, I don’t think it’s worth it if you’re generally healthy and comfortable with not covering all possibilities, but if you’re particularly careful about your health, it’s probably not a bad idea.

      • Pebbles

        This. I have a PCP, and I think it’s a good idea to have one for general wellness. I also got a tetanus booster last year on my PCP’s recommendation, and it’s something I hadn’t thought about in a decade. Also, it’s could to develop a relationship with one in case you get sick, because they usually hold last-minute emergency appointments for existing patients. For example, when I was the lucky recipient of the flu (and yes, I had gotten a flu shot), bronchitis, and pneumonia at the same time, my PCP saw me right away.

    • Duckie

      You should be getting a physical every year, but you don’t necessarily have to go to a PCP. A lot of gynos do physicals if you ask. If yours doesn’t, you should find a PCP. They’ll check your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and other standard blood and urine tests, which can identify medical conditions that you otherwise might not know about until they lead to complications. You can also discuss any ongoing medical problems like allergies, sleep trouble, etc, during your physical and get a referral to a specialist if needed.

      The advantage to going to a PCP for a physical is that once you’re established as a patient of the PCP, you will be able to get in to see him or her immediately if you’re sick – they always hold a few appointments per day for existing patients who are unexpectedly sick.

    • Anon

      ASOS is good quality. Its sizing is not as “generous” as US sizing since its a UK company. The shirt definitely needs to be tucked in, but I think that the secretary bow style in general needs to be tucked in.

    • Mir

      I used to only see a PCP; I would do it yearly and he/she would also do my pap smear. Now I have to see a specialist and get pap spears every 6 months, but I still see a PCP every year or two. I’m in my late 20’s and very healthy (other than my gyno issues) so I don’t really see the need to go every.single.year without fail.

      The PCP generally just asks some lifestyle questions — do you smoke, drink, exercise, and if so how much? — then takes height, weight and blood pressure, looks in my ears, eyes and mouth, listens to my lungs and heart, feels my stomach, and does a breast exam. Also does blood work every 2 years (cholesterol, blood sugar and whatnot) and last time she also recommended a fecal sample and gave me a mail-in thing to send for testing, which I never did…maybe I’ll get scolded for that next time I go back.

      Generally I would say (and my family members who are doctors agree) if you don’t have any health issues or family history of lurking diseases, it’s not necessary to go every year. I wouldn’t skip pap smears, but I feel like I’ll have some clue if there’s something wrong with the rest of me, and then I’ll go to address a specific worry.

      • Mir

        Also, ladies, a PSA – NEVER skip your pap smears! And, ask your doctor whether he or she uses “thinprep” paps. I think most docs use these now because they are better (I’ve read) than the old q-tip method, but it would be worth double-checking. Just anecdotally, the first thinprep pap I had was the one that came back abnormal (though that doesn’t necessarily mean the other tests missed the problem), and it caught the issue extremely early, luckily for me!

    • anon

      I started going to a PCP for yearly paps and everything else. Best decision I’ve made as now I have one dr who looks at me as a whole and not a bunch of parts. She’s an excellent dr, which helps, and she takes a lot of time to talk to me. I’ve had some odd health issues come up and she’s been able to treat them without resorting to big-pharma drugs and I’m healthier as a result.

    • Wondering

      Thanks ladies! This has been very enlightening. I had no idea that a PCP would do all of these others things you’ve mentioned, although it makes complete sense. I just went to a gyno for my annual pap so I’m not sure if my insurance would cover a PCP visit as well. I’ll have to look into that.

      • Duckie

        My insurance covers both a physical (with full blood and urine testing) and a gyno exam every year, which is standard for comprehensive, employer-provided policies (and is increasingly standard in less comprehensive policies too, as it increasingly dawns on insurers that prevention is cheaper than cure).

        • OP

          Very helpful Duckie, thanks! I have Blue Cross Blue Shield, hopefully they cover both visits.

          • Another Sarah

            My BCBS covers both, and I have my own personal plan (not employer-provided).

          • Duckie

            I have BCBS too. It should be covered by any BCBS plan that includes a Wellness plan, although I’d check to make sure.

          • just Karen

            I have BCBS and just switched plans – my previous plan, which provided overall higher level of coverage, was “grandfathered” under the health care reform, so you’ll need to check on that – I went to a higher deductible, lowered my premium, and thanks for health care reform (hurrah!) they now have to cover an annual pap from my OB/GYN and an annual physical from my PCP.

      • Anonymous Poser

        We have lousy insurance, generally speaking, but it does pay for all care that is classified as preventative, and it pays for my yearly PCP visit *and* my yearly gyno visit. I used to just let my PCP do my pap, but as I started getting older, I started having more questions about what was going on with my body, and decided to start “farming out” parts of me, so to speak, so that I would have the time to ask about everything I wanted to ask about. If you follow. So I see a dermatologist yearly for a “body scan”, as well.

    • somewherecold

      I have a NP that I go to for checkups, problems, and gyn exams. The health clinic where my PCP is schedules annual physicals, or at least basic bloodwork.

      As Kristen mentioned, I will probably try to find an ob/gyn I can see when I’m closer to thinking about babies, and I don’t know if it’s the best idea to have an ob/gyn as your PCP since they have a less predictable schedule with deliveries, so it might be harder to get in last minute (that was my mom’s advice).

    • EC MD

      There’s no data to support a yearly physical in an otherwise healthy young person. The US Preventive Services Task Force, which is the body that reviews literature an makes recommendations about screening tests (tests fishing for problems rather than being in response to certain symptoms) does not support yearly blood work for assymptomatic women. So from that point of view, your gyn may be sufficient.

      That being said, having a PCP that you have established care with can be extremely helpful when something comes up. Though gyn’s get some primary care training in their residency it’s not as extensive as internists or family practice doctors, so while there are some common problems outside of the gyn system that they feel comfortable treating, there is a lot that they should not or will not. Establishing care with an internist in advance will help you when issues come up. Also, internists are better trained at looking at you as a whole and thinking about risk reduction or preventative medicine from that perspective.

      In summary, if you are a young healthy woman with no issues, you don’t need to see a PCP and a gyn every year, but having a PCP that you have established care for can be very beneficial. The other route, especially if you aren’t planning pregnancy in the next few years is to have your internist do your routine gyn care.

      • Wondering

        Thank you for the info! I’m 32 years old, never been pregnant, and am very healthy. However, I have never gone to a PCP since the age of 21 — so even if I’m otherwise healthy, I’m wondering if perhaps I should just schedule a PCP visit. But hearing you say that it’s not needed for most healthy women brings me some comfort, since I haven’t gone to one in 11 years!

        • TCFKAG

          Hey Wondering,

          I think at least HAVING a PCP is a good idea — even if you don’t see them frequently. If you’ve never been to a PCP, it can take a long time to get an appointment. And there are certain medical conditions even “healthy” people get that a gyno doesn’t handle — like bronchitis, flu, pink eye, bacterial infections, etc. I know you could probably go to a walk-in clinic (or worse) an ER for these, but I’ve always liked having a PCP who is familiar with me to treat these.

          I’m lucky though, my PCP specializes in women’s health and does Paps and other generalized gyn care. I only have to see a specific ob-gyn for specialized things (i.e. the insertion of a IUD).

      • Duckie

        Even if there’s no data to encourage it, is there any reason why not to get one, if it’s fully covered?

        • anon

          Maybe because unnecessary doctor visits run up health care costs, making health care more expensive for everyone? Just a thought.

          • Duckie

            Considering I, and no one else, pay my insurance premiums, your argument is nonsensical.

          • anon 2.0

            That’s not really true. Having a PCP for generalized care is cheaper. If she has strep or something, going to a PCP is cheaper than urgent care as well.

          • anon

            Speaking from experience, my PCP is very in touch with my health. As a result, I’m no longer on sleeping medicine, have gone off anti-depressants, and am only on a thyroid medication and a natural progresterone cream (both much cheaper than anything else that could be prescribed). My doctor has noticed changes in my blood work which indicates deficiencies that can be corrected through supplements or diet before they are problems. Of course, you have to have a good PCP to get this treatment. But our main problem in this country is thinking everything should be fixed with big pharma drugs and not treating a person’s health as a whole.

      • Hel-lo

        I have a PCP that is also an internist, which is very helpful with questions about thyroid, etc. I think it’s good to have a PCP that knows your entire family history of things, so will tell you when in your life you should start having regular colonoscopies, mammograms, etc.

        Also, EC MD, your answers are always so great. I really appreciate reading your comments every time. Thanks for your contributions. :)

    • Mika

      The quality is crap. The clothing tends to snag easily on jewelery, discolor with perfume and pill. Buy nothing unless it is on sale.

    • Bonnie

      I have a PCP and she told me that if you’re regularly getting PAPs then you only need a full physcial every 3 years.

  9. Lyssa

    Stupid question threadjack: How do you get things tailored?

    Yesterday someone asked if she was the only one who never got things tailored- No, I’m right there with you. I’ve had things repaired, and fancy dresses altered, but never had normal clothing done in any way.

    I know this sounds stupid, but how does the tailor know how to do it? Should you pin things where you want them ahead of time? Or do they make you try it one and pin it there (which seems like a hassel for a normal clothing item, IMO)? Or do they just know, somehow?

    I’m wearing a shirt today that I was thinking would be much better if it were nipped at the waist a bit, but it’s just a cotton thing that I’ve had for a while, so I don’t really want to make a big thing out of it.

    • found a peanut

      usually you try it on at the tailor and they pin it. I *guess* you could do it at home by yourself but I trust my tailor’s eye more than I trust my eye. Also sometimes they have other, better ways of fixing things. I just brought a dress to my tailor that was too big on top, and I thought he’d just add darts to the back. Nope, he actually cut off a chunk of fabric from the bottom of the top part (right near the waist) and re-sewed it. And now it looks great.

      • Argie

        You’ll want the tailor to do the pinning – you’ll need to be wearing the clothes in order to get the accurate adjustments, and if you’re wearing the clothes while trying to mark the adjustments yourself, they’ll be off because the movement you’ll need to do to make the adjustment.

        Kind of Heisenberg Uncertainty principle of clothes – you can not both wear and tailor the clothes at the same time.

        • Cat

          ha – as a former engineering major, I am cracking up at the Heisenberg reference!

          Yes, just bring the things to the tailor un-pinned. They have little changing rooms in the store for you to get dressed. A bit of a hassle, but so worth it b/c the tailor’s eye (as others have mentioned) is much better than mine at judging how best to correct a fit issue. On one jacket I thought I just wanted the sleeves shortened — turns out it needed to be taken in between the shoulder blades instead, which was a much better fix.

          • Argie

            My mom grew up making clothes for 4-H, and refers to garment making as soft engineering, only inside and out and backwards – due to the way you have to construct clothes so the seams are on the inside. She kind of thinks of it as her version of engineering, as opposed to her brother (and my dad and brothers) who are more conventional types of engineers.

          • attorney

            Except it should be the anti-Heisenberg uncertainty principle. But very clever :)

    • Honey Bear

      Lyssa, in my experience you try the garment on, and they make the appropriate adjustments with pins, so they know how to alter it. I’ve had garments nipped in before (as you mentioned) and they just gathered the extra material and pinned it where they were going to sew it. I’ve had to get a few pairs of pants altered when they became too loose on me – same deal with the trying on and pinning. That’s why it’s honestly kind of a hassle to get things altered, so I try my best so only buy things that fit me perfectly, unless I just love the item so much!

    • anon

      How does the tailor know how to do it? As found a peanut mentioned, some tailors (imo the better ones) just “know.” They have a sense of bodies and fits that will flatter different bodies. I had a great tailor, an older gentleman, that I almost didn’t even talk to about the garment – I just put it on, he’d chalk me up, I’d take the garment off and give it to him, and he’d croak “I will call you in one week.” Unfortunately he had health issues and retired. I have someone now who does small fixes and is cheaper but doesn’t have the “eye” my old guy (ha!) did, so I tell her “take in the waist here,” and so on.

    • Lucy

      I asked for a recommendation from a colleague to find my tailor. The first visit, I explained I’d lost weight and wanted my pants to fit again. She did a fabulous job, and regularly scolds her clients about losing too much weight, wearing badly fitted bras (not me – someone else!), etc. It’s part of the package. :)

      I recently paid $12 to have a sheath dress that’s part of a suit altered – perfect through the hips, wierd in the bust, and now it’s perfect all over. IMO it’s worth the money if you have a good-quality garment that needs only minimal alterations. I wouldn’t have her rebuild a jacket, probably, as that’s quite expensive.

      • Guest

        Associated question: Can anyone recommend a good tailor and cobbler on the Upper West Side or in Midtown? I’ve gone to a few tailors now and they have done an absolutely awful job on suit separates that were quite costly to begin with. I don’t want to make the same mistake again. Thanks in advance!

        • Lydia

          There is a very good cobbler (and reasonably priced) on the west side of 8th avenue between 54th and 55th. I can’t remember the name. It’s a hole in the wall, but they do good work. For tailors, can’t strongly recommend anyone. Usually all I need is a hem, so I just go wherever is convenient.

          • Guest

            Thanks! I will definitely check out the cobbler.

            Unfortunately, a lot of my clothes require pretty extensive tailoring (even casual clothes – I’m v. hourglass), so I may have to just wait it out until I find a good, reasonably priced tailor.

        • soulfusion

          I am anxiously awaiting an answer to this as well because as I said yesterday, I have a bag of “to be tailored” items in my closet but I have no idea where to take them since everyone recommends going to someone good. UWS or Midtown Manhattan would be great :)

        • KD

          Regarding cobblers, has anyone had their heels zip-soled before? How does this compare to just getting a rubber sole put on, or getting a worn out shoe re-soled? Just wondering which is the best performance for the money; as I imagine zip-soling, it sounds like a bit of over engineering heh.

        • ADS

          For midtown cobblers, I like Jim’s Shoe Repair on E 59th Street. Downtown, I like Cobbler Express at 60 Wall Street. I would also love to hear about good tailors anywhere in Manhattan or Brooklyn.

    • Marie

      You go in with an idea of what you need, and the tailor gives some options on how to approach. For example, if suit jacket sleeves are too long, the tailor can go the cheap route and chop off fabric from the end, but that would look bad if there are buttons there. So it is often better to detach the sleeve completely and take fabric off from the top, thus preserving the buttons. The tailor will give a few options like that, then, while you are wearing the jacket and looking in a mirror, fold the too-long sleeve until it hits your wrist just so, then pin, and that is where the sleeve will hit after tailoring. If the jacket is also a bit too big in the shoulders or waist, tell them that also. They can do some pinning to take it in a bit…once pinned, you can move around to see if it will be comfortable taken up to that degree. So you come in with something in mind, a good tailor assesses how it can be done and what the different options would cost, you make some choices based on that, they do the pinning, and you make sure you like the pinned version before you walk out (i.e., not too tight, not too short, etc.). Good tailors know how to do the pinning…where to take things in based on how the seams lie. It is a collaborative process: your opinion on what you like, their expertise on what can be done and what those different options would cost.

    • Selia

      Between my husband and I, we had a lot of items that needed tailoring, so he asked the tailor is she would make a “house call.” She ended up coming over on a Saturday, pinning all of our stuff, carting it all back a couple weeks later – it was perfect. And because we had enough items, it made it worth her while – and she did say that this is not an unusual request, as long as there is a lot of work out of it, she is happy to do it. I was so happy with the fit of everything, and it truly made a difference as to how the clothes look!

    • Tailor

      In no particular order:

      1. For work clothes, make sure it is a tailor and not a seamstress. Not being sexist — please don’t make angry posts. My point is: a tailor (could be a man or a woman) knows when a suit jacket fits properly and knows the proper professional length for a skirt. A seamstress (could be a man or a woman) knows from casual clothes and how to make that dress look sexy.

      2. The tailors at N-M, BB and Saks know what they’re doing. Use them. (If you need a recommendation for a tailor for something that didn’t come from one of those stores, call and ask for a recommendation.)

      3. Wear the undergarments and shoes (and anything else — stockings!) that you will wear with the item when the tailor pins for you.

      4. Sometimes I buy suits and take them to the tailor to see if they fit properly but just need some tailoring, or if they will never fit properly. Then I return accordingly.

      • anon

        I recently had some pants taken in in the “seat.” It was a disaster — they didn’t lay properly afterwards and the seam up the butt looked like a crease. Did I go to a terrible tailor, or is this just a very difficult alteration that should not be attempted?

        • Hel-lo

          I’ve had pants taken in at the hip before and it was no problem.

          Make sure that you just go in with big pants, and tell the tailor what the problem is for you… I think it’s not as helpful if you already have the solution in mind. Maybe the result you wanted could have been achieved by a different process that the tailor knew about?

        • AT

          I think it might be the tailor… I have had a bunch of pants taken in this way, and they look fine.

  12. Associette

    I love the style, but 100% polyester does this top in for me. If it were silk (or a silk blend), you would have a taker!

    • Anonymous

      Most people call them secretary blouses. Pussy is just used to garner the responses of the above/shock value. I actually think anyone who calls them that these days is quite immature or looking for a marketing ploy.

        • Bunkster

          I thought wife beaters had higher necks – basically a tee shirt with no sleeves, while a tank top has skinnier straps and more of a scoopneck.

          • Anonymous

            Actually its the opposite. A wifebeater is nothing more than a white mens undersshirt tank top. These usually have a lower neckline than a t-shirt and show more upper body skin (arms, shoulders, chest, etc.)

        • KD

          the packaging they come in calls ‘wife beaters’ A-shirts. Funny though since it really just sounds like you’re asking for ‘a shirt’ haha. oh well..

      • Duckie

        The name far predates the use of that term to refer to lady bits. Maybe the people who can’t use the term without snickering are the ones who are immature?

        • Anonymous

          Guaranteed Cat knew it would get the response calling it that and also knew it’s called a secretary blouse but did so for a purpose.

          To me I just want to roll my eyes and go “really?”

          • Oneanon

            Haha my comment got stuck in moderation because I used the actual name of the shirt…

            Kat didn’t call it anything – ASOS called it a P***ybow Blouse, and Kat, as she always does, is simply using the exact product name that the retailer uses.

            I don’t think Kat is deliberately trying to provoke a response by featuring a shirt with this name. I would hope she has better things to do :)

          • Cat

            ASOS itself named the blouse that, not Kat. She usually copies the description from the retailer.

            provocative name or not, I just ordered it in cream. My first ever direct-from-Kat purchase!

  14. UnSub

    Would this bow (I refuse to say the “p” word) work on someone in a D cup? Not big all over but definitely busty. I’m always cautious with anything that ties or has ruffle across the chest.

    • Anonymous

      Hi I’m a 34D, and I generally like this style of blouse for three reasons:

      1: the v-neck works will for busty broad shouldered types like me

      2. The way this bow is set, it is below bust level, so it will not hang off your bust in an unseemly manner

      3. there is shaping seaming on the body of the shirt, so it contrasts you waist with your bust

    • mamabear

      It would work with the lower neckline like this. The older style p-bow blouses that tied at the neck would be harder to pull off.

      I like this style worn with a v-neck cardigan buttoned up and just the collar and bow showing. I sometimes tie the ties in more of a sailor knot than a bow to give me a vertical element.

    • 2L Summer

      Seriously? Do you never say Pussycat or read the story Puss in Boots either?

      • Unsub

        No problem with the cat reference, but what about this blouse screams “feline” to the designer? I doubt that was the point s/he was making.

  15. Amelia Bedelia

    I don’t suppose anyone knows where I can find a silk version of this blouse???

    • Mir

      LOVE your name– those were some of my favorite books when I was a kid!

      I’m with you looking for a silk (or at least a blend) version. I can’t wear 100% polyester in the DC summer.

      • Amelia Bedelia

        aww – thank you! I need a better moniker than my initials (!) and I also adored these books as a child!

    • Duckie

      I’ve seen similar silk blouses at many vintage stores. You might also try WHBM or Ann Taylor – I saw similar blouses there in the last year or so.

      • Amelia Bedelia

        ann taylor is a good suggestion. I have just never seen one exactly like this. As one commenter noted, I simply cannot wear polyester in DC in the summer!

        • Anne-on

          Try charles tyrwhitt – they had a bunch of these tie-necked style blouses last time I checked, both long and short sleeved.

  16. NYC

    I freaking love this (totally my style) and want it in every color. I have a similar blouse from WH/BM and it is on of my favorites.

    • Amelia Bedelia

      is the one you have from WHBM silk?
      I know, I know — I am becoming a broken records . . .

  17. Grump

    ASOS is a UK website and blouses like the one above are nearly always called pussy bow tops in the UK. Quite honestly, the other associations of the word ‘pussy’ have never come to my mind when thinking of a blouse of this kind…just as they never do when someone calls a cat a ‘pussy cat.’

  18. Kady

    Hmm… too bad the model’s ponytail is blocking the neckline. It almost looks like you could wear this shirt backwards (with the bow and a bit of a sexy V down the back).

  20. LawyrChk

    I’ve got a close friend whose daughter has first communion tomorrow. I’ve been invited to the ceremony and after-party and wanted to bring a small gift on the $10-20 range. I’m not Catholic.

    Any suggestions of what to bring? I was thinking a cute set of jewelry or headbands or something(maybe a gift card to claire’s?) but need some good ideas.

    • a lawyer

      Any of the above sounds good. I’ve done the first communion gifting before, and Claire gift cards are well -received.

  21. KD

    Good news for fans of natural fiber fabrics: ASOS also has cotton versions of this blouse :)

    Granted, they won’t have the same movement as the poly one, or as a nicer silk version, but it’s still a good alternative if fabric type is a concern (I know it is for me because of sensitive skin and a tendency to perspire)

    3/4 sleeve:
    http://us.asos.com/ASOS-ASOS-Cotton-Pussybow-Blouse/vtdha/?iid=1488478&SearchQuery=pussybow&sh=0&pge=2&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Cream&mporgp=L0Fzb3MvQXNvcy1Db3R0b24tUHVzc3lib3ctQmxvdXNlL1Byb2Qv

    short sleeve:
    http://us.asos.com/ASOS-ASOS-Short-Sleeve-Pussybow-Cotton-Blouse/vw0er/?iid=1483582&SearchQuery=pussybow&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Black&mporgp=L0Fzb3MvQXNvcy1TaG9ydC1TbGVldmUtUHVzc3lib3ctQ290dG9uLUJsb3VzZS9Qcm9kLw..

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