Spring Tops I Want To Wear

A tiny report. Plus, the 7 reasons why I hate most tops + maybe you do, too ❤️.

I never really know how to wear tops. As you’ve probably noticed, I mostly only own/wear long-sleeved t-shirts and menswear striped shirts, but one of you asked me to research the subject of spring tops a few months ago. And then a few other people recently asked me again. And, so….

TOPS. It’s not just me. They are confusing!

Which is ironic since they should be easy. Something goes on the bottom, and then you’ve got something on the top. No biggie, right?

If it were only that simple.

Here are a few reasons why I find tops confounding…

1. Fit—Should the hem fall at my natural waist or just above my hips? Are we tucking in or leaving out? Will it work better oversized or more fitted? Nobody knows.

2. Sleeves—We need them. Especially in cold weather. But few people seem to know how loose or how tapered a sleeve should be and WHERE (proportions!). I cannot tell you how many tops I’ve returned because the sleeves made me feel like I was being held prisoner. And then if I sized up, the whole shape was a WRONG. Just me?

3. Necklines—Are 99% bad. Too wide, too loose/floppy, CHEAP. Ugh, the number of necklines on my T-SHIRTS that I take to the tailor to taper so my neck looks better is just too much to confess. It’s wrong that few people who make tops seem to care about a neckline, which absolutely makes me hate tops the most.

4. Quality—Can I spot a bad poplin from 40 paces? I sure can. You probably can, too. And wash it once and there’s a good chance you will mistake it for a wad of used paper towels stuck to the bottom of your trash can. Which is why if I’m buying any tops, they usually end up being vintage (better quality) or a little pricier, so the fabric wears better.

5. Layering—Most of the time we need to put something on over a top. And 85% of the time, there’s a roadblock in the armpit region. Bunching, rolling, an affront to basic blood flow, all common woes when a blazer is factored in (which, for me, is always).

6. Pairing—I find experimenting with tops very daunting, which is likely why I often default to the same combos. (And, it was not until I began writing this that I realized THIS could be the reason I love statement coats so much—because it doesn’t matter what top I’m wearing underneath or if I’m wearing a top at all. And that’s the sartorial world I want to live in….where tops are optional).

7. Itch—Maybe this one should be #1. If I don’t like the way the fabric feels on my body the minute I put it on, I will never wear it again. Will you? And a lot of tops just don’t feel good, particularly around the neck region where most of us are more sensitive. Btw, isn’t it wild that interior tags have not evolved much? Do shirt-makers not give a fuck that when you put it on it feels like there’s perpetually a loose potato chip in the back of your collar? (I have been at dinner parties where I asked the person next to me, whom I did not know, to cut the tag out of my blouse with a steak knife…and I know I am not alone).

Enough kvetching. With this challenge, I actually found some wonderful tops we all might like to wear—with most of what we already own in our closets. Because that’s the point…building on what you love with MORE of what you love and actually need (not what you don’t). Your responsible (occasionally amusing) spring top report begins now…xxCb

A Go-To that’s easy to wear.

(Sorry, not a top but a bottom 🔥 for all tops by Donni.)

No nonsense from this shirred Madewell top. The colors will play nice with the other great things in your closet, and I love that you could do something weird with it, too, like layering it over a longer-sleeved shirt or pairing it with some apple green bottoms. To that point, I love this one from Apiece Apart, same chic moody palette to mix with jeans or these wonderful linen track pants by Donni…obsessed. (PS: If I am buying a new top this spring, this one might be it).