When Camille from Deer & Doe reached out and asked if I wanted to review the newly released
Pensée Tank, there was no way I could turn down the opportunity! A flowy tank with a gorgeous wrap-back detail? Done and done.
Then I proceeded to lament over my fabric choice for far too long. Being the classic over-thinker that I am, I just couldn't decide! My initial thought was to go with stripes (because when do I not go for stripes?!), but the pattern features darts on the front above the chest and I didn't want to worry about stripe matching...or not matching as the case would probably be.
Ultimately, I decided on our Rust Floral Rayon Crepe. This fabric is lightweight, flowy, and drapes beautifully. It is definitely shifty and takes patience, especially when cutting, but it presses well and is beautiful when its sewn up!
A few notes on fitting. My measurements put me right in between a size 42 and size 44 - my chest is a size smaller than my hips. Even though this is a wrap top, I decided to make the size 44 so that it wasn't too tight around my hips. Big mistake.
When I finished the top, it was way too big through the chest! There was quite a bit of extra room through my chest under the armpits. Because the wrap back isn't tight, the extra space just made the whole thing move around way too much - like, a little too indecent to wear in public, even with a bralette underneath!
I ended up taking out just over an inch from both sides at the chest and grading out to the waist. This definitely helped, but the tank is still quite a bit lower in the front v-neck than I was expecting based on other photos. I think if I had made the right size (or even sized down!), it would feel much more comfortable.
So learn from my mistakes - if you are in between two sizes, size down! And make sure you look at the finished garment measurements as well when determining your size, keeping in mind that the open back allows for a bit of extra ease.
In terms of construction, this tank is built really beautifully, but can sometimes feel like a puzzle with all the facings and ties! The first time making it, I would highly recommend a fabric that has a clear front and back to it. Otherwise, it could get a little confusing. Maybe that's just me.
The pattern has a decent amount of prep work, such as stay-stitching, darts, and turning the straps/ties, which makes it perfect for sewing in little chunks of time if necessary. I'm usually the kind of person who likes to sit down and sew from start to finish, but this project had me thinking I might be more productive if I broke it down, like the pattern naturally does!
I would consider the fit of this tank to be comparable to the Ogden Cami from True Bias. Both patterns have front and back facings and use the same construction for attaching the straps. Obviously the biggest difference is going to be the low wrap-back.
While the deep back means that I probably won't get as much wear out of this tank as I get out of some of my Ogden's, I really like it, especially as a dressier option for this summer when the weather is too hot for anything form fitting! Plus, as someone pointed out on my sneak peek picture on Instagram, it's the perfect pattern for showing off all those handmade bras and bralettes!
Full disclosure - I was given a free copy of the Pensée Tank and Dress pattern from Deer & Doe in order to sew this shirt and write a review. However, all thoughts are my own and we now carry the pattern in the shop!
