13 Tops That Will Replace Your Boring Tees And Make You Instantly Look Styled
We will no longer tolerate looking blah for no reason.
by The Candidly Team
The bottoms of our outfits are usually all about fit. We find a style of jeans/ pants/ shorts/ skirts that is most flattering on our hips and butts and legs, and we stick to to it.
Tops are different.
They’re the focal point of our outfit - the determining factor of how “styled” we look. And while we’d never underestimate the power of a classic, whisper thin, curve-skimming t-shirt, we do get bored with the sameness of our black and white, cookie cutter tees and tanks.
Very often, we find ourselves wishing we had easy, interesting, everyday tops that we could toss on and look put together. Like we have some semblance of personal style. Some grip on dressing effortlessly chic.
Well, my friends, we went out and found 13.
Thirteen tops that we selected not just because they’re pretty and timeless and flattering but because every single one truly replaces our t-shirts in that we can wear them any day of the week with any bottom we own. However, we will look 27x more … dashing, we think the word might be.
1. This Graceful Lace-Trim Top
J. Crew Sheer Lace-Trim Button-Up Shirt
Imagine this top with any pair of jeans in your closet. It’s elegance without any fuss. And you can get lost in the detail. Look closely.
Sizes up to 24 and also comes in ivory.
Price: $69.50
2. This Classic, French Boatneck
J. Crew Cropped Boatneck T-Shirt In Mariner Cotton
If you’ve spent more than 3 minutes on our site, you know our feelings about this top. It’s the finest cut we’ve found of a famous French mariniére (a striped boatneck tee made all the more famous by Coco Chanel herself). The magic of this shirt is that it turns any jeans and tee outfit into a classic and complete look. The way this particular one isn’t cut too long also makes it very chic and flattering. Legs look longer, waist looks nipped.
And again, J. Crew coming through with the incredible size range.
Price: $35 - $59.50
3. This Gauzy Button-Down
J. Crew Factory Gauze Button Up Shirt
A tailored button-down is a genuine hack for looking casually sophisticated on a Carolyn-Bessette-Kennedy level. The versatility is what gets us. Tie it, tuck it, roll the sleeves up or down, leave it open over a tank. Everything is elevated by swapping in a button-down, and this one is soft and gauzy and hot-weather friendly, which makes it as comfy as a tee. White is a necessity, but we’re loving the softness of the blue.
Price: $47.50
4. This Wildly Flattering Tube Top
By Anthropologie Strapless Smocked Top
Strapless tops are not scary. They frame wider shoulders, thicker arms, and fuller chests in a way that’s actually better than many tank tops and t-shirts, which can look more widening and less graceful. And this one, with the added smocking and waist that isn’t tight, is just outright perfection. Also comes in white. But be swift, because sizes keep selling out.
Price: $68
5. This Prettiest Tank We’ve Seen
Anthropologie The Rafaela Bow-Tie Tank by Maeve
Classic yet romantic. This one elevates skirts, shorts, pants, all the things.
Price: $58
6. This Perfect Pullover You’ll Wear As A Top All Autumn
J. Crew Heritage Cotton Rollneck™
This everyday sweater belongs to the cooler sister of a Coastal Grandmother. The slouch. The sleeves. The neckline. The absolutely ideal, waist-nipping length. The navy and ivory is very chic, but the striped version is also in our carts. Help us choose!
7. This Crisp Short-Sleeve That's A Dream For Apple Shapes
As crisp and polished as any button-down but with short sleeves and the most flattering A-line shape, so we can wear it daily (not to mention in the heat!) and feel like we’re in a breezy tee.
Price: $98
8. This Silky, Short Sleeve Button-Up
Everlane The Washable Clean Silk Short-Sleeve Square Shirt
Washable silk is our new favorite thing. It means we get to look elegant and yet, stay true to the slobs we are inside. But aside from all that, the drop sleeve and boxy shape of this button-up means it fits like our most flattering tee. We’d wear it daily to be honest, and therefore, want it in every color.
Price: $140
9. This Romantic Top We Don’t Have To Wear A Bra With
Tuckernuck Hyacinth House Bustier Ophelia Top
We looooove a top that comfortably holds us in so we can skip the underwire and just live our lives looking like the most sophisticated version of ourselves. This one isn’t tight on our lower belly, so even though it looks tailored and clean-lined, we don’t have to feel an ounce self-conscious. Also comes in black, which makes for one of the best going-out tops.
Price: $115
10. This Very Versatile Henley
Frank & Eileen Patrick Popover Henley
You know those women who look inexplicably chic even though they’re just wearing a t-shirt and jeans? This is the t-shirt that makes you look like that. It’s MADE for those who aren’t in love with going sleeveless and just has a very, very special fit all-around. The quality is unmatched, which means we’ll wear it forever, which is how we justify the price. But if you want our full justification along with try-on photos, go HERE. Of course, it comes in all the neutral colors and in stripe. But the bold pink’s a bit of fun, no?
Price: $160
11. This vest That Makes You look Effortlessly Sophisticated
Good tailoring is the way to making our clothes look 5x more expensive. And this top looks like it was custom sewn for everyone who wears it. It’s simple and sophisticated and basically just a lazy way to look elevated when pairing it with any pair of pants in your closet. Tip: Get it in black and wear it with white trousers. It might be the chicest color hack we’ve discovered.
Price: $88
12. This $15 Muscle Tank That Matches Everything
Quince Cotton Modal Muscle Tank
We use this top to recreate THIS iconic look. But the truth is, it works with everything, tucked or untucked. The cotton is stretchy and wrinkle-resistant, and it’s $15 so we can own it in 4 colors without batting an eyelash.
Price: $15
13. And If You Must Just Wear A Classic Tee, This Is The Best One
So the real reason t-shirts are often disappointing is that so many have a sad, shapeless way of hanging on our bodies. The perfect t-shirt, on the other hand, is very exciting. And we think we’ve found it. Soft, skimming, not too long but still a breeze to tuck. Get this tee in a few colors and we’re telling you, you’ll feel … done.
Price: $39
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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