We Need To Talk About Dainty White Tops
And the 6 of them that make us weak.
Image: Warner Bros.
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by The Candidly Team
We recently had an epiphany when reflecting on the age-old question of “how the hell do I manage to look cute in the sweltering heat of summer?”
The answer was not a completely new wardrobe or a TikTok styling trick or a 14-day beach bod routine.
Nope. It was one, very small thing.
Ladies and gents, we bring you… the dainty white top or DWT. (Is that a thing? Can we make that a thing?)
Dainty white tops are fashionable. They’re feminine. And they keep us gloriously cool.
They can be bouffant or ruffly or loose-fitting and still make us look like a lithe, ethereal, fairy creature because of all the tiny details and whispery fabric.
There’s one artful and heartbreakingly expensive brand that does the DWT like no other. You know it, right? Rhymes with Lowen. But there are also many that are affordable and just as elevating. We rounded up our top 6. And yes, we did include one from that aforementioned brand. Couldn’t resist.
1. The One That Replaces Your Boring Tanks
WHAT: Madewell Embroidered Eyelet Tank*
Why we love it: Imagine your dumb denim shorts or dumb ankle jeans or dumb cropped pants that you usually wear with some dumb tank top, but instead, you slip this on, and oops, you’re Carrie Bradshaw season 5. Plus, and we don’t say this lightly, tum coverage.
Price: $88
2. The One That Replaces Your Boring T-Shirts
WHAT: Gap Square-Neck Lace-Trim Peplum Top*
Why we love it: Gap has been doing marvelous things ever since Zac Posen took over as creative director, which kicked off with a collab with Dôen, yes, the brand that makes the best dainty white tops, and ever since Gap itself has been producing flattering, romantic, cotton tops like this with so much detail they could be designer.
Price: $70
3. The One That Covers The Thickest Bit Of Our Arms
WHAT: Dôen Henri Top*
Why we love it: Ok, ok, at last we get to Dôen. This is just one in a sea of fluttery, ethereal tops with intricate details that make us weak (and incidentally are what make our clothes look more quality and expensive). We adore this one, because even though we stay cool, we get lots of arm coverage.
Price: $248
4. The One That Covers A Belly Pooch
WHAT: By Anthropologie Lace Flutter Top*
Why we love it: Anthro is another brand that knows how to do a DWT correctly. This one looks great with every pair of pants and shorts we wear, and we get tons of waist coverage without looking schlumpy or wider.
Price: $128
5. The One Button-Down That’s Made For Summer
WHAT: Dissh Elisa White Sheer Crinkle Shirt*
Why we love it: Ugh, just look at the elegant, oversized sleeve. We could live in this airy, cotton material all summer, and because it’s cropped, it makes our waist look nipped and our legs look longer. Plus, we never have to fuss over tying it ourselves then dealing with the crumpled material as soon as we untie.
Price: $159
6. The One That Looks Gorj With All Your High-Waisted Bottoms
WHAT: Madewell Embroidered Lace-Insert Top*
Why we love it: This clean-lined, cropped cut is a total hack for using something loose to make the waist look narrowed. Don’t fear the crop. Wear it with all the high-waisted stuff you love, and your silhouette will never be better.
Price: $88
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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