These Are The 9 Most Flattering Shirts You Will Wear When The Weather Gets Hot And You Dread Going Sleeveless
What to wear when we can no longer layer
If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission. Gifted items will be called out (gifted), and affiliate links will include an asterisk (*). We have to eat, after all.
by The Candidly Team
Maybe it’s because we grew up in the “butts are beautiful” era, but we talk a lot about pants here at The Candidly. However, tops are really the focal point of our outfits.
And this explains why we often just impulse buy ones we think are special and pretty, but then end up having no clue how to style or what to wear them with.
All of this gets even more unruly when temperatures rise. All of a sudden, we can no longer hide under our jackets or layer our clothes to look passably styled.
We just have to rely on the top.
And finding ones that are neither skimpy nor sack-like that actually look chic and don’t make us feel naked whilst rolling our grocery cart through the frozen foods aisle is a real task.
And so, we made it our goal to round up a selection of warm-weather tops we love that work with MANY bottoms and still blessedly give us some coverage over our arms and tums.
Here are 11 we go mad for.
1. The Striped Shirt
What: Buck Mason Catalina Breton Tee*
Why we love it: Instant, chic Frenchness while elegantly skimming over belly pooches in the most flattering way.
How to wear it: We love a half tuck into your fave jeans, or like THIS for something more elevated.
Price: $128
* Gifted product
2. The Puff Sleeve Tee
What: Nation Mary-Lou Top*
Why we love it: Such a hack for covering your arms but the neckline and cut makes it stun.
How to wear it: With jeans or long, wide-leg linen pants or a skimming maxi skirt for evenings.
Use CANDIDLY20 to take 20% off.
Price: $168
3. The Gauzy Button Down
What: J.Crew Factory Gauze Button Up Shirt*
Why we love it: All that classic, understated spiff of a button-down but the gauze is so soft and airy we can wear it in the heat. Comes in many colors and a huge size range.
How to wear it: Tucked, half-tucked, or tied with all skirts, shorts, pants and jeans. We also wear it open over fitted tanks for a slimming look with extra coverage. Really, there’s no wrong way.
Price: $30
* Gifted product
4. The Prettiest Summer Blouse
What: Sézane Kellia Shirt*
Why we love it: It’s so hard to find gorgeous daytime tops that make us look styled and lovely all by themselves. This one from our favorite French brand does exactly that.
How to wear it: With ankle jeans or THESE magic fabric, smoothing cropped pants. And we highly recommend adding a raffia bag for the ultimate summer uniform.
Price: $125
5. The Fitted 3/4 Sleeve Tee
What: Everlane The Luxe Rib Scoop-Neck Tee*
Why we love it: It’s time to talk about t-shirts. We wear them more than anything and 90% of them are bad. They broaden our shoulders. Hide our waists and hit at the thickest possible part of the arm. Such joy!
However…
This is the one we reach for (and write about) most often because the soft ribbing shrink-wraps the waist, the neckline beautifully frames our chest and shoulders, and the 3/4 sleeve (ugh the sleeve) is the most flattering sleeve on arms, especially curvy ones, which we happen to have.
How to wear it: With everything. No seriously, everything. That’s the whole point of this tee.
Price: $48
6. The Loose-Fit, 3/4 Sleeve Tee
What: Madewell Relaxed Boxy Tee*
Why we love it: Good morning. I’m bloated and it’s hot out and I still want to look tailored and “cool girl” and effortless. Enter this tee. Notice that same magic 3/4 sleeve.
How to wear it: We wear it with jeans and shorts and THESE sandals. But we also love it with a linen slip skirt and white sneaks.
Price: $42
7. The Dress-Up Top That’s Amazing on Apple-Shapes
What: Nation Rosalyn Tie Top*
Why we love it: We can’t be the only women over 35 who want to dip a toe into this pretty tie-front top trend but have no clue how to wear it without a bra or a cami which ruins the whole effect. Well, we found the most stunning one that covers everything important (namely our chests and a lot of our bellies) but still has allure. We can indeed wear a bra under it and not worry about the sliver of midsection skin it shows because the shape is boxy but short enough to be both slimming and elongating.
How to wear it: With high waist jeans and your best camel belt. Also gorj with a maxi slip skirt.
Use CANDIDLY20 to take 20% off.
Price: $248
8. The Whisper Soft Button Down
What: Z Supply Perfect Linen Striped Top*
Why we love it: We actually can layer in the summer as long as we own this absolutely flawless, soft whisper of a button down in one (or 3?) of the many stripe prints and solids it comes in. It’s Coastal Grandmother in the best way imaginable.
How to wear it: Open over an inexpensive ribbed tank with all your shorts and summery pants. Your silhouette will be a dream.
* Gifted product
9. The Linen Poncho Top
What: Eileen Fisher Bateau Neck Short Sleeve Organic Linen Crop Top*
Why we love it: We are aware you will need to wear a cami under it, but the sheerness is precisely what allows you to wear a drapy poncho top with worlds of coverage while still looking chic and sexy(ish) and staying completely cool. The dream!
How to wear it: We honestly recommend it in black and white* so you can wear it with all colors of pants and skirts over the summer. And of course HERE* is a great cami option.
Price: $90
10. The Least Intimidating Tank
What: Nation Vikki Tank*
Why we love it: Ok, yes, it is sleeveless BUT it completely covers bra straps and isn’t skin tight. The low neckline (also low in back) narrows shoulders and just looks all around “quiet luxury” even in the deadest of summer.
How to wear it: Tucked into jeans and shorts with a belt to elevate the whole look is our fave. Strappy sandals don’t hurt.
Use CANDIDLY20 to take 20% off.
Price: $90
11. The Peasant Top We’ve Wanted Since 2002
What: Free People Forevermore Long-Sleeve Top*
Why we love it: Rachel Green wore tops like this one season of Friends and we haven’t gotten over it since. So floaty and romantic, it just takes all the work out of trying to look put together. You just throw this on and poof, done!
How to wear it: Ugh, broken record but jeans and fitted skirts, my friends. We don’t mess with perfection.
Price: $98
Bonus: The Very Clever Warm-Weather Sweater
What: Pilcro Stitchy Bomber Cardigan Sweater*
Why we love it: Please, please go to the site just to see all the photos and colors of this bomber/ cardigan/ sweater. There’s nothing else like it and it is the most special, flattering, fun layering piece we’ve found for spring/ summer in ages. Possibly ever.
How to wear it: Over anything sleeveless. Hoorah! Problem solved.
Price: $98
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.
We have to eat.
