Buying guide for best women’s summer tops
If you’re looking to expand your summer wardrobe, women’s summer tops are essential. Women’s summer tops can be versatile, whether you’re going out for a night out on the town, are meeting friends casually, or you’re looking for something you can wear over your swimsuit. Depending on the material, you can even wear them through chillier seasons, layered with other clothes.
As you can imagine, there are a number of different summer tops to choose from. Before you add any to your cart, keep a few factors top of mind. What occasions will you be wearing them for? You can’t wear a top without cute bottoms, so it’s important to think about the pants, shorts, or skirts already in your closet. Additionally, consider the material the top is made from, the neckline style, its pattern, and its price.
How to buy the best women’s summer tops
Occasion
Women’s summer tops are incredibly adaptable and vary widely. As you shop for one, consider the occasion you plan to wear it for. T-shirts, for example, are great for everyday wear. You can run errands, stop by the beach, or sleep in a casual T-shirt. If the T-shirt is high-quality, you can even dress it up with some nice bottoms and shoes.
If you’re getting dressed for a night out, you might want to make things a bit more sophisticated. Materials such as silk are suitable for a more upscale look. Tops with ruffles, collars, or embroidered designs are excellent choices for a more put-together outfit.
If you’d like something that falls somewhere in between, you might consider a loose-fitting linen shirt. These are breathable during particularly hot days and go well with a pair of jean shorts or tucked into a dressy skirt.
Fabrics
There are several fabrics that women’s summer tops can be made from.
Cotton: Cotton is a tried and true fabric for summer tops and beyond. These shirts are made from cotton sourced from fields in the U.S. or in India. Cotton is known for being durable, hypoallergenic, breathable, and low-maintenance — simply toss the shirt in your washer and it’s good to go. There are women’s summer tops made from 100% cotton and those that are blends. A cotton blend may be 80% cotton and 20% polyester, rayon, spandex, or a mix of all three.
Cotton blend shirts are less breathable but overall tougher than 100% cotton. They’re also less prone to getting wrinkled, so you don’t need to break out the steamer. Cotton blend shirts are somewhat easier to find, since they’re cheaper for manufacturers to make than 100% cotton shirts.
Linen: Like cotton, linen is a natural material, except it comes from flax plants rather than cotton ones. In addition to clothes, quite a few dish towels, hand towels, and bed sheets are made from linen. Like cotton, linen is hypoallergenic and breathable. Linen is actually more breathable than cotton due to the structure of flax fibers. Overall, linen is a rougher fabric that allows air to circulate easily, but it’s not the best choice for cooler months unless you layer it with warmer clothes.
Rayon: Rayon, also known as viscose, is a semi-synthetic fabric that’s derived from cellulose fiber, usually sourced from wood pulp. Bamboo, beech, and pine are common trees for sourcing rayon. While the source of rayon is natural, the manufacturing process uses a lot of chemicals in order to dissolve the wood pulp. Rayon is breathable, soft to the touch, and feels luxurious without breaking the bank.
Silk: For silk, expect to pay for the price of luxury. Silk comes from the fibers naturally produced by silkworms. China is the biggest global exporter of silk fabric. For many, silk is just for pajamas, lingerie, robes, or fine bedding. However, it’s also a fine choice for women’s summer tops — silk is breathable, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle-resistant. It even has some antifungal properties.
Satin: Satin is similar to silk in terms of its sheen and, to some degree, texture. “Satin'' actually refers to the way the material is made (the weave) and not the fabric itself. Satin’s makeup varies depending on the manufacturer, but it’s often a blend of rayon, nylon, polyester, or silk. The main difference between satin and silk is that satin is synthetic while silk is natural, making satin is a cost-effective alternative to silk.
Neckline and style
Along with sleeve length, neckline style is another big consideration when choosing a women’s summer top. Some of your neckline choices include:
V-neck: As the name suggests, a V-neck summer top has a V-shaped neckline. The “V” can be shallow, only exposing a bit of the chest, or plunging enough to show cleavage.
Boat neck: A boat neck is a higher neckline. It’s rounded and wide, covering the entire chest and collarbone. This is a timeless, modest neckline with a touch of femininity.
Scoop: A scoop neckline is common for women’s summer tops. A scoop neck is U-shaped, plunging to show the chest. It’s a flattering style for tops as well as dresses.
Halter: Few necklines say “summer” the way a halter does. Halter tops have straps that connect at the back, fully exposing your shoulders. Some halter tops may cover most of the chest, but many have a plunging neckline. Often, the straps must be tied by the wearer.
Sweetheart: A sweetheart neckline looks like the top half of a heart — this style curves around the bust, creating a rounded V shape. Sweetheart necklines often show the whole chest above the bust and may or may not include straps.
Strapless: Strapless tops may include a thin ring of elastic at the top to keep them in place or may include spandex in their fabric. Strapless tops are especially flattering for those with larger busts or those who want to expose their shoulders.
Spaghetti strap: Spaghetti strap tops are common with tank tops and camisoles. These tops have two thin straps, exposing the entire shoulder and some of the chest, depending on the specific neckline.
Off-the-shoulder: Off-the-shoulder tops are another way to show off a beautiful set of shoulders. The top rests just below the shoulder, showing your shoulders and collarbone. This is an effortlessly graceful and elegant style.
DID YOU KNOW?
If your tops develop sweat stains in the armpits, they don’t have to be permanent. You can soak the stained parts of the top with a mixture of two parts warm water and one part vinegar. If that doesn’t work, try blotting the stain with hydrogen peroxide and letting it sit for 30 minutes.
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What features do women’s summer tops have?
Color
Women’s summer tops come in every color you can imagine. Lighter colors tend to match the vibrancy of summer — think yellows, oranges, and pinks. Khaki and white are quintessential summer colors as well. Any color can be a summer color; what’s most important is how well it complements your skin tone.
Knowing whether you have cool or warm undertones can help you figure out which colors will flatter you. Those with warm undertones have a yellowish, reddish, or golden tint to their skin. Earth tones look good with warm undertones, as do warm colors in general. Cool undertones have a more of a pinkish, bluish, or purplish tint to the skin. Jewel tones flatter cool undertones well, as do pastel shades.
Sleeve length
Unsurprisingly, a number of women’s summer tops are a short-sleeve or sleeveless design. Sleeveless women’s summer tops are great for allowing air to flow to your armpits, lowering the chance of those dreaded yellow armpit stains. Short-sleeve summer tops have similar benefits. Those who care about sun protection (or who simply don’t want to expose their arms) should look into three-quarter or long sleeves with a loose fit.
For non-cropped women’s summer tops, look to brands that market to all ages or to women ages 25 and up. It’s more than likely these brands aren’t so trend-focused.
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How much do women’s summer tops cost?
Inexpensive
As is often the case with clothes, you get what you pay for. For $5 to $15, you’ll come across a lot of cotton blend and rayon tops. Many of them will be tank tops, tube tops, and T-shirts.
Mid-range
From $15 to $30, you’ll have a larger range of fabrics to choose from, such as linen. You can find some silk spaghetti strap tops as well. Many of these tops are long-sleeved or include extras such as ruffles or a rich floral design.
Expensive
If you want to invest in a quality women’s summer top, for $30 and above you’ll see 100% cotton and silk options, as well as more options made by brands trusted for their quality. If you have more than $30 to spend on a women’s summer top, try purchasing a top with organic fabric.
DID YOU KNOW?
Stay away from skintight women’s summer tops. These are the opposite of breathable and will likely leave armpit stains if they aren’t sleeveless.
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Tips
- Air dry for longevity. If you want your tops to last, avoid the dryer as much as possible. If you have no choice, make sure the dryer is set to low or delicate.
- Check the care label. The label on the inside of your summer top will tell you all you need to know. Some tops (like silk ones) may be dry clean only. Others can get by with gentle hand washing.
- When in doubt, stick with the classics. Perhaps you’re overwhelmed by the many colors and fabrics you can choose from. Neutrals are always a safe bet, and striped patterns never go out of style.
FAQ
Q. How many summer tops should I have?
A. The answer varies depending on the climate you live in and how big your wardrobe is. For summer, it’s recommended to start with five or six summer tops. See how they mesh with the rest of your wardrobe before deciding if you want to buy more.
Q. Why are women’s summer tops so short?
A. Many women’s summer tops are cropped. Crop tops are popular in the summer and they go well with high-waisted bottoms, but it’s definitely possible to find women’s summer tops that hit the waistline.
Q. Can I wear women’s summer tops year-round?
A. If you play your cards right, absolutely. Some summer tops work well for layering in the cooler months. For example, you can wear the top over a long-sleeve henley or under a sweater.
