McCalls 7162 Laura Ashley Peplum Top

Well, this is not the success of my last cotton top, and I think it's my fault.

The pattern is McCalls 7162, a Laura Ashley design.  This peplum-style top was very "in" a couple of years ago, which explains why I am just jumping on board now.  The fabric is a beautiful cotton shirting from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota, which I snapped up with no pattern in mind.  I think I should have just went with a button-down shirt!  (or another Vogue 1440.  That would have been beautiful!)

I was afraid this pattern would be really unflattering on my fairly rectangular body, but it's not as bad as I feared.  I think the reason I am not loving it is all the wrinkling due to the lightweight fabric, and maybe it is a little too long-waisted for me.  It looks like if the peplum started a half inch higher, that might take care of the wrinkling below the bust, but I think that would be an even less-flattering proportion.

 And the back is a sea of wrinkles.  I think I should have interfaced the back at the zipper with something very lightweight.  That would have taken care of most of it.  Again, though, I think this fabric is just too lightweight for this fairly structured top.  Ugh, again with the sunburned arms.

 And here is where we see that yes, this style is not my best.  It just doesn't feel very flattering to wear.  I tried it with slim-leg pants and wide-leg pants, and I think I like it with this skirt the best (I took photos of the other options, but I realized later that I didn't have a memory card in my camera - ugh! and I wasn't retaking all of them at that point).

So what say you?  Is it as bad as I fear?  Am I over-reacting to a couple wrinkles?  I think I'll wear this outfit to church tomorrow and see.  Wearing the cardigan covers all the back wrinkles, so that's something.  :-)