By Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
I’ve been busy in the background updating some of our top picks for stylish blouses for work for our Wardrobe Essentials for Work page — I also thought I’d do a mini-hunt for seasonal prints and of-the-moment blouses. Below you’ll find our top picks for popovers, blousy t-shirts, sleeveless shells, silky button-front blouses, and crisp button-front blouses — they’re all pictured in white but they all generally come in at least black as well as other basic colors, often just solids. Minor note: there are SO MANY SILK BLOUSES out there at the moment — perhaps we’ll do a post on how to take care of them at home, since so many are washable.
(I love all of the ones above; if you do also then act fast since (unlike the other picks in white) these are likely to be unavailable for sale within a month or two.)
Meanwhile, some of our top picks for seasonal blouses are above — which are your favorite blouses at the moment, readers? What styles and fabrics do you like best? What stores and brands do you trust the most for stylish blouses for work?
A few quick notes on the blouses pictured above:
Ann Taylor – This mixed-media top is a reader favorite and comes in a ton of different prints as well as solids. It’s $59, but today there’s a sale for 40% off. It’s available in regular and petite sizes XXS-XXL. (We featured two other prints in our most-bought roundup for February.)
Chaus – I haven’t featured anything from this brand in SO LONG but they have some really cute tops out there right now. This particular top is $49, available in 7 colors or prints in sizes XS-XL. It’s polyester, so it’s machine wash/tumble dry.
Boden – This is a jersey top that I’m totally squeeing over. It’s $85, comes in 4 colors, petite and regular sizes 2-22.
L’Amour Vert – There are 10 lovely prints available in this sustainable, washable silk blouse. They’re $148 and come in sizes XXS-XL. (They have a ton of sustainable workwear, actually!)
L’Agence – At the moment this brand would be among my top picks for drool-worthy, stylish blouses for work — they have a ton of silk options, many in solid colors as well as fun prints. The pictured top is $380, available in sizes XS-M at Nordstrom; you can find it in more sizes (up to XXL) at L’Agence’s website.
THE BEST POPOVER BLOUSES FOR WORK
These can be great if you want something that’s easy to care for and doesn’t have gaping problems — these also often look great untucked. Note that all of these pictures come in a TON of colors and seasonal prints.
THE BEST BLOUSY T-SHIRTS FOR WORK
Blousy t-shirts can be great for work — they feel just a bit more polished than a t-shirt, but are as easy to throw on with almost any work outfit.
As of 2022, some of our favorite blousy tees for work include: 1) Halogen 2) Vince Camuto 3) Quince and 4) Milumia. Also check this one from Amazon, as well as these silk ones from Cuyana, Tucker,* Club Monaco, and Lilysilk.
THE BEST SLEEVELESS TOPS FOR WORK
Know your office before you wear these without a cardigan or other topper — bare arms are still against some office dress codes (yes, even in 2022). My $.02: no matter what, spaghetti straps are highly suspect if you want to take your cardi/blazer off at work unless your office is super casual.
THE BEST SILKY BLOUSES FOR WORK
Some of our favorite brands for silk button-front blouses as of 2022: 1) Quince ($59!) 2) Boden 3) Everlane* 4) MM.LaFleur* and 5) Club Monaco. For more affordable options check Grana and Lilysilk; for fancier options check L’Agence, Equipment, and Vince.
THE BEST CRISP BUTTON-FRONTS FOR WORK
So do tell, readers — which are your favorite blouses at the moment? What styles and fabrics do you like best? What stores and brands do you trust the most for stylish blouses for work?
