I always think of this time of year as the schmatte season: summer clothes are made of lightweight, often flimsy materials and end up trashed by Labor Day, so I don’t like to spend a lot on them. Fortunately, cute options abound, and for starters, I’m liking this fancied-up tee, which would be aces with an A-line skirt.
A striped popover in a nice light material that would look equally good tucked in or out.
This airy blouse is part of a new collection from Everlane, but it reminds me a little of an Isabel Marant top I own.
The ruffly bits here are nice and subdued, which is just how I like them.
This cowl neck tee is awfully simple and chic.
A pleat-neck top that you could dress way up or, alternately, wear with your most broken-in jeans.
I love the hit of red on this leopard print top—so graphic.
A peasant-y top with a bit of very appealing embroidery on the sleeves.
This attractive twist-hem top is from Universal Standard, which means it’s available in just about every size imaginable, and it’s a really good blue.
This drapey top looks very Maria Cornejo to me.
An organic cotton top that looks like it’d be great half-tucked into white jeans.
This poppy yellow floral with frayed details has a nice, relaxed vibe.
This rich blue top is a perfect, polished, throw-it-on-and-go kind of piece.
I really kind of want this slouchy polo shirt: it’s chic in an uptown preppy kind of a way.
A romantic little shirred tee that’d be cute under a blazer.
As someone who lives in the tropics, the concept of “summer tops” that will be “trashed” by the end of the season boggles my mind. Those of us who live by the equator and in essentially a never-ending summer by your standards live year-long in light, breathable fabrics. Yet I’ve never had to throw anything out after 2-3 months of regular use. And no, I don’t have the same budget most of you seem to have. I can’t imagine these tops being any thinner than what we wear on the regular here. So what gives? Buying things that won’t last you a season seems wasteful from where I’m standing, even if it’s less than $100.
I love that bright blue and I totally get what you’re saying about the schmatte factor!
I am living for that Cos polo shirt.
Just want to say I have the Madewell striped shirt and it looks great with a pair of jeans and the ol’ french tuck (see: Queer Eye).
I would also love a post on graphic tees.
Ohhh….yes…please! A post on graphic tees would be really useful!
New vocabulary word alert – schmatte!!! Great post, lots of good options. I am dwelling on the black polka dot top…
First of all, I really loved reading about everyones “crazy splurges”––what an indomitable group of women! These are great blouse/tee suggestions. A good reminder that I don’t always have to automatically reach for a plain old tee-shirt every morning as is my habit.
Just wanted to say thanks so much for telling us about the PP/Maria Cornejo event last night. It was so cool to be amongst that group of amazing women; it gave me hope for the future.
Judi, did you see me there? I wish you’d said hi!
Great post. I ordered two of these shirts, including the Anthropolgie shirt in snakeskin. I’d love a post on graphic t-shirts and summer sweaters/jackets/cover ups. It can get cold in California at night. Plus air conditioning can be a killer. I know, hard to imagine when it is 90 degrees at 9 pm on the East Coast.
The black polka dot peasantry top is on its way to me as a reward for working so diligently on Marie Kondo-ing my closets. (Clean ‘em out…fill ‘em up!) And I couldn’t resist because it’s named “Valerie”!
This is wonderful! I hate spending lots of money on summer tops too. They inevitably get covered in sun screen, not to mention sweat.