A Week for Shirts, Blouses and Tops
Aug 2, 2021
This weekend, I received a DM from a new reader who had opened her post-quarantine closet to discover that she didn’t own a single “work shirt” that wasn’t worn, stained, or activewear. And when I looked at my own closet, I realized that my selection of tops was looking a little sad also. So I thought we would dedicate the first post of the day to replenishing our basics and picking out some new favorites.
Express is always a good stop for cool shirts and tops. They tilt a little toward the younger populous, but that doesn’t mean that don’t know what a working woman needs. This ruffle-collar blouse is a great example of a piece that functions as a basic, but offers a little something extra. Here are a few more items from their selection that caught my eye:
This Belted Wrap Sweater is a great piece to wear over a dress, with skirts, or with slacks. I like the texture in the knit; very cool.
Seriously, how great is this Ruched Sleeve Blouse from Endless Rose?
As for sizing, Express runs an XXS to XXL size line. They define that range as 00 to 18. While not inclusive, it is a bit wider than some fast fashion brands who seem to think women only come in sizes 0-10.
If you’re looking for a plus-size line that has a similar look and price point, I always find good things on Eloquii’s site. They have a lot of great tops. This notch collar tunic is a good place to start.
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As someone who also looked at her closet recently and also found a lack of “work tops,” allow me to plug the drapey classic shirt from Banana Republic Factory. I’ve had shirts in this style before (button-up polyester) but they’ve been cheap and thin from the likes of Target or H&M. The BR shirt feels slightly more luxe, has a flattering, forgiving fit, and comes in patterns that dress it down slightly for a workwear world that’s going casual. It’s also on sale and currently costs only a little more than a Target/H&M shirt.
I swear I don’t work for them, I just discovered this shirt recently and it was so good I bought it in 3 colors, so I wanted to share!
I’ve never found Express’s quality to match its prices – a lot of the materials feel cheap, like H&M quality.
My standbys are still LOFT and Ann Taylor, and occasionally Banana Republic. I also had great luck with a silk shirt from Quince, a new-ish DTC brand that works directly with factories for almost suspiciously low prices.
That all being said, with the Delta variant going the way it is, I’m not sure I’m going back into work after all…