Name: Best Tops For Under Women's Suits
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Best Tops For Under Women's Suits

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We’ve had numerous discussions on this blog about what to wear beneath a suit jacket or blazer. The general consensus is that 1) a well-made, opaque t-shirt in&nbsp;a high-quality material can be a great layering piece, 2) that a no-button blouse (popover blouse) can be a flattering, forgiving option (particularly for women who tend&nbsp;to have problems with gaping blouses with buttons), 3) that button front dress shirts&nbsp;can be a no-brainer option if you really want to stay close to convention, and 4) sleeveless tops like blouses and shells can also work, with certain caveats. (Note that although it’s really common on television to see camisoles layered beneath suits, this isn’t the best because if you take your suit jacket off, a camisole isn’t usually work-appropriate attire. Furthermore, your dry cleaning costs will be through the roof, and you may be tempted to dryclean the pieces separately, which is bad for the long-term care and feeding of your suit — you want all of the pieces to wear and weather evenly. This isn’t to say camisoles don’t have their uses — here’s our last roundup of the best camisoles for layering.)Let’s go into each suggested top to wear under suits a bit more below…T-shirts&nbsp;are great in summer, of course, but they’re also&nbsp;great for layering under cardigans and blazers as seasons change.&nbsp;Some of the best tees for layering, in our opinion, include some of the ones pictured below — you may also want to check out our latest discussion on opaque white t-shirts for work.Looking for the best women’s t-shirts for layering at the office? As of 2023, these are some of our favorites — also check our posts on opaque white tees and the best plus-size tees for work!In general, if you can wear a particular&nbsp;t-shirt with workout pants, it should not be worn to the office. As noted above, t-shirts with sleeves are preferable under suits (versus tank tops or shells) because they a) allow you to take off your suit jacket, even in the most conservative of offices, and b) help you increase&nbsp;the number of times your suit can go without being dry cleaned. They’re also easier to throw in your regular laundry versus a blouse that needs special care.For my $.02, they can be an appropriate choice for interviews and big meetings (court appearances, etc) but note that not everyone feels this way.If you’re wearing a simple t-shirt, be careful with your underpinnings — your bra should not show through the shirt at all, either in terms of the pattern on the bra or the texture of the bra (such as lace). I’m a big fan of “t-shirt bras” for most office wear!Hunting for opaque white t-shirts for work? As of 2023, we’d suggest checking the double layer lines from Boden, Express, and Hobbs, as well as great sources for basic Pima cotton such as LL Bean, Uniqlo, Everlane, and Talbots. (This $268 tee also gets great reviews for opacity, and Elizabeth swears by this tee under $30!)As of 2023, the best spots to check for nude-for-you undergarments are Gap, Old Navy, or Nubian Skin for tons of options – Victoria’s Secret also has a bunch!In an ideal world, the t-shirt would be a bit fancy — perhaps it’s made of a stretchy silk jersey (or even a silk knit), perhaps it has a button at the base of your neck, perhaps it has an interesting, blouse-like pattern.In general, you may want to avoid shirts with rhinestones or beading — not only are they unacceptable for most conservative offices, but the weight of the beads or stones invariably makes the shirts heavy, affects the way they hang (watch out for scoopnecks with beading!), and makes&nbsp;laundering difficult. In addition to the brands noted above, keep an eye out when shopping in person at various workwear stores; for some reason these fancier tees don’t always hit the websites.(You can get any color of “fancy t-shirt,” but note that if you get them in white or pastel they can be a great way to freshen up your work wardrobe for spring, whereas a jewel tone can be great for fall.(I’m a fan of black, navy and gray for all seasons, but that’s me.)These often fix a variety of issues you may have with regular tees or blouses: they don’t gape, they’re opaque, they’re often easy to care for (or at least don’t require ironing), and if they’re sleeved you don’t need to worry about the “is sleeveless ok” question.Some blouses are cut like t-shirts in that they have no buttons, pull over the head, have no gaping problems and are generally more comfortable.They often demand higher care than your basic jersey t-shirts, but that doesn’t mean you have to get a $300 silk blouse — you can get popover blouses in a ton of price ranges, particularly in stores like Ann Taylor, Loft, J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory (heck, even Old Navy) you might find a shirt that has a good feel to it but can be washed on the delicates cycle or merely laid flat to dry.Note that these can also be a seasonal item, and a great way to freshen up your wardrobe each season. Check out this post for a more recent roundup of white popover blouses and blouses cut like t-shirts; you may also want to check out some of our recent recommendations for popover blouses.Button front blouses are a classic for a reason — they’re a conservative but stylish and chic look.Of course, not everyone actually likes them — they can be hard to care for, and fit issues can abound. (If you’re stuck out and about and notice your blouse is gaping, check out this old post on DIY options for gaping blouses.)&nbsp;If you find that button downs don’t work with your bust, but still want to wear them, do check out our roundup of boutique shops specializing in&nbsp;busty blouses&nbsp;— you can also check out our advice on&nbsp;how to wear a button-front to work.A crisp&nbsp;dress shirt&nbsp;is&nbsp;a great layering piece for beneath a blazer, a sweater, or more. If you prefer a&nbsp;silk button-front, scroll down…Another stylish option:&nbsp;the silk button-front.&nbsp;These can be easier for layering beneath a suit, cardigan, or more — but be warned they can be higher maintenance.If you’ve got a problem with either type of blouse gaping, you may want to check out blouses made just for larger chests. There are also a variety of products made to prevent gaping…Some of the top products to help you fix a gaping blouse include:Above, some solutions for gaping blouses: 1) Topstick toupee tape 2) double-stick medical tape 3) Flash Tape 4) Fearless Tape 5) black &amp; white and colorful safety pins — see more clever solutions for workwear problems in our Amazon shop!Sleeveless tops, shells and blouses can be great alternatives to sleeved blouses and tees, particularly if you want a layered look with clean lines.However (and this is a big however): note that bare arms are not acceptable for every office — so know your office before you take your blazer off!Another big caveat: your dry cleaning costs will be higher for your suits and blazers, unless you magically never sweat. These are some of our favorites — you can see our whole roundup of&nbsp;sleeveless tops.Some of our favorite sleeveless tops as of 2022: one / two / three / four/ five&nbsp;(not pictured but also)&nbsp;While we don’t recommend wearing a camisole by itself beneath a suit, it makes a great layer beneath other blouses if you’re worried about opacity, cleavage, gaping and more — these are some of our latest favorites!Pictured above, our favorite camisoles for work: one / two / three / four (25+ different color combos in a 4 pack!)– don’t forget about demi-camisoles too, such as this, this or this — or chemisettes!)Readers:&nbsp; What are your favorite perennial purchases for t-shirts and button-front shirts? What makes a t-shirt appropriate for the office, or makes you absolutely love a button-front shirt? Which are YOUR favorite tops for under women’s suits?I’ve recently been on a silk shell kick. Nordstrom’s and the Rack often have them on sale. Something like this: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/halogen-pleat-detail-silk-top-petite/3133525A word of caution about t-shirts. Some of the cheaper shirts, especially those made to look worn, look too casual with suits. White House Black Market has great layering tees but they only come in black and white. http://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=16&amp;pageId=1&amp;productId=300113751&amp;viewAll=&amp;prd=Seamless+Tee&amp;subCatId=cat4440019&amp;color=&amp;fromSearch=&amp;inSeam=&amp;posId=9&amp;catId=cat210001&amp;cat=Tops+Basic+Layering&amp;onSale=&amp;colorFamily=&amp;maxPg=1&amp;size=ReplyI like Loft’s basic scooped tee. Inexpensive, great color selection, the cut of the neck and the fabric are work appropriate, without screaming t-shirt to me. http://www.anntaylorloft.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=30544&amp;N=1200005&amp;pCategoryId=3359&amp;categoryId=204&amp;Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_204&amp;loc=TN&amp;defaultColor=Shimmer%20Pink&amp;defaultSizeType=RegularReplyI work in a place where bare arms are fine, and I don’t like to add bulk to my suits, so I stick with sleeveless or short sleeved options. Cowl necks hide my tattoo and are loose enough around the bust area to draw attention upwards. These are all plus-sized options. -The Jones New York Cowl neck shells at Dress Barn. http://tinyurl.com/3zoxvh9 They have lots of different colors and patterns and new ones every season.I also love the Sejour brand at Nordstrom. They have a lot of tanks and sleeveless cowl neck shells that work for me. I find them at both Nordstrom and Nordstom Rack. http://tinyurl.com/4xo3twaKenneth Cole New York often has some nice sleeveless tops also –http://tinyurl.com/3s5fvtnFor thin t-shirt sweaters, I buy from Lands End — they usually have these http://tinyurl.com/3z99ggv and also a cashmere version.ReplyFoxcroft makes some nice button front blouses, in a large variety of colors – plain and pattern. They have non-iron, too, which are very nice.ReplyI stockpile H&amp;M’s long sleeved tees in every color. They are cut long, thick enough to cover my bra and yet not so bulky as to be uncomfortable under a suit jacket. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by their quality and longevity as well.ReplyOops! Posted it on the wrong page…I cannot stand button downs under suits… they bunch up everywhere, don’t stay tucked in and make me overly busty. My new go-to tops for suits are v-neck silk tshirts from Ann Taylor – most have some minimal frills like a chiffon piping on the neckline or a ruffle somewhere to make them be interesting on their own but are unfussy enough to lie perfectly under suits. I also almost never wear crew necks under suits… v-necks extend the vertical line from face to neck to décolletage while crew necks make me look like I am being choked by my suit!ReplyAbout Thomas Pink:Gorgeous shirts. However, there’s no vanity sizing. So, if you’re very slim, this is the place for you. I frequently wear a 0/2 at places like J Crew and Banana Republic. At Thomas Pink, I wear a 6/8. I tried on a 4 and couldn’t get it over my hips.Also, the salesperson instructed me to wash and dry my shirt. I think this is not good counsel. It’s cotton; it shrank; now I no longer fit into a beautiful shirt.ReplyI live in the Merona Target ones Kat linked to. They are thick so they are not like a work out t-shirt. The cut is super flattering. They do eventually start to pill a little in between the two layers. But I get a ton of wear out of mine before that happens. They come in tons of colors and fun patterns.ReplyAm I really the only one who doesn’t like t-shirts under suits? I can’t stand the look of plain cotton t-shirts under suits–even “nice” ones. I think only blouses, button-down, silk shell, or otherwise, are acceptable. (Perhaps a nice silk sweater when it’s cold). Wearing a t-shirt with a suit, to me, looks like wearing yoga pants with heels (ok, maybe not that absurd, but still). At best, it makes you look very young and like you don’t know how to dress properly; at the worst, it makes you look cheap.Reply“perhaps it’s made of a stretchy silk jersey (or even a silk knit),”Jersey is a kind of knit fabric.ReplyI’m a big fan of the American Apparel Oxford shirts. The collar is nice and stiff and it never gapes – even as a small-chested gal I find that many oxfords still gape. Sizing can be tricky since the shirts are unisex but in general they run pretty narrow.ReplyI really like my Theory t shirts, though they are so ridiculously priced (to me – about $75, I think) that I only buy them on sale. Also, I get the earlier poster’s point about t shirts looking perhaps too casual under suits, but I think it depends on the context. As someone who is in court every day, I dress differently for a status (t shirt appropriate) than I would for a jury trial or COA argument. Not every suit situation is equally formal.I also have a few J Crew three-quarter sleeve button fronts that I wear that are fitted enough to tuck in but cut generously enough through the chest for the well-endowed. That said, I never feel completely confident in them – button-front shirts look like little girls playing grown up professional to me, especially when the wearer actually looks young.ReplyI really like the J crew perfect fit tees for under suits. Nice thickness and hold shape well (I don’t dry them, maybe just a little to avoid wrinkles).ReplyI love shells from Ann Taylor. I recently got one similar to this style http://www.anntaylor.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=31616&amp;N=1200041&amp;categoryId=341&amp;pCategoryId=3944&amp;Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_341&amp;Nr=AND%28CAT_SALE_FLAG%3aY%29&amp;Nty=1&amp;No=14&amp;loc=TN&amp;defaultColor=Black&amp;defaultSizeType=Regular in a really pretty green. (I don’t do animal prints.) They often have a sheen to them that makes them appear a bit more dressy and good to transition into after work. Of course, I would prefer if similar came with sleeves. And the fabric catch very easily so you have to be careful with jewelry and not to hang them near anything that might snag.I also have some great poly blend short sleeve shirts from JC Penney of all places that I LOVE. I have one in an orange color that always looks amazing with gray or navy suits and it’s washable to boot. Hoping they have something similar this summer since I always have the same few on rotation. Kicking myself for not stocking up once I saw how great they fit and how well they hold up.ReplyI found some Tahari t-shirts at Marshalls for $12-$16 recently. They are nice but the crewnecks do look casual for a suit imo.ReplyMajestic tops. They are pricy, but I’ve owned a three-quarter length v-neck for three years, worn it multiple times a month, washed it, dried it, lost weight, and the top is as pulled together as the day I bought it. The fabric does not fade. They are the single most flattering tops I have owned. Slim cut without being suctioned to you. And if you lose weight, even significant amounts, they still fit.I don’t know that I would buy a white one, because of the risk of stains, but I own four styles of black. Nordstrom usually puts one style on its anniversary sale.http://www.clothesbymajestic.com/ReplyJNY. Their short sleeve and sleeveless shells are dressier than tees. They are boxy as claimed but this cab be a good thing if you are not trying to come across as sexy or if your weight goes up and down.ReplyEddie Bauer’s scoop-neck regular or 3/4 sleeve tees. Thick enough, soft material, great color selection, and no tag in the neck!ReplyMy all-time favorite is the Splendid 1×1 short sleeve scoop neck tee–a classic cut and the fabric (50 cotton/50 modal) is awesome! It lies flat under suits and cardis, and washes so well (does not get misshapen or fade). The fabric is very soft, yet substantial/not sheer. It’s pricey for a basic top at $46, but there are always sales on colors that are being discontinued.ReplyLafayette 148 for great quality tees. Pricey but worth it.ReplyPendleton has silk tees in beautiful colors, with or without sleeves, and they wash perfectly in the machine delicate cycle. I buy them whenever they’re on saleReplyI’m new to this site and building my wardrobe for a conservative office and have a few shirt-related questions:1. I have a number of sleeveless shells that I wear under a blazer or cardigan – is it appropriate to take the blazer/cardigan off in the office when at your desk working? 2. How do people deal with the gape in button-down tops. Safety pins? Having a snap installed?Thanks! :)ReplyWhat do you feel about lace shell t-shirts? Are they work appropriate?ReplyI’m looking for a faux-wrap surplice blouse or crew-necked, satin-piped top in a cotton/polyester fabric for easy care. Macy’s has the faux wrap tops in polyester. They never gape open and are modest, and they go on sale frequently for ~$24 each -comes.Christopher and Banks has the very nicely made, fine knit cotton satin-piped crew necks, in a dozen colors. They also go on sale (two for $18-24, regularly 2 for $29). They’re easy care and have a slightly satiny finish to them that makes them dressy enough for work as a layered top with a dressy skirt or under a suit.I can’t bring myself to wear a shell unless it’s really quite warm out and I’m in a suit.I used to have a white v-necked blouse with 3 pin-tucked pleats parallel to the neck-line (sat higher on the neck). Still looking for this style, because it sat high enough to provide a pleasant contrast for darker suits, but had a softer look than an oxford collared shirt.ReplyThis is a great topic, although this thread has been dormant a while Would anyone have any updates on where to find the perfect shirt for layering under suit jackets? I’m looking for long-sleeved cotton scoop necks in a nice enough quality that they’re office-appropriate.ReplyThis is a great topic, although this thread has been dormant a while. Would anyone have any updates on where to find the perfect shirt for layering under suit jackets? I’m looking for long-sleeved cotton scoop necks in a nice enough quality that they’re office-appropriate.ReplyI haven’t road tested them yet, but I’m buying up a bunch of shirt and blouse-style bodysuits lately, and so far, I’m really liking them. J Crew has some pretty collarless ones (I think they’ll look strange under a jacket though) in cotton and silk, ASOS has a fantastic plain white one (in regular and a “larger-busted” variety) for $40, and I cleaned Nordstrom Rack out of some gorgeous Lamarque silk blouse styled ones that you can possibly to still get direct from the designer (styles are Cinta (S/S) and Ohara (L/S)), as well as a beautiful french cuff by Tibi. Veronica Beard also made a great one (style: Brigitte) that is on clearance if your size is still available, etc.ReplyHighly recommended Chicos’ Katrina long sleeve rayon knit top. Looks like silk, feels like pajamas, under $50 full priceReplyAll your articles are great, however shipping from the US to Europe is expensive… What brands that have European stores and online ordering would you recommend?Reply« Shopping GuidesAbout the Author »This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Back to Top Check out more Corporette threadjacks of interest here!

We’ve had numerous discussions on this blog about what to wear beneath a suit jacket or blazer. The general consensus is that 1) a well-made, opaque t-shirt in&nbsp;a high-quality material can be a great layering piece, 2) that a no-button blouse (popover blouse) can be a flattering, forgiving option (particularly for women who tend&nbsp;to have problems with gaping blouses with buttons), 3) that button front dress shirts&nbsp;can be a no-brainer option if you really want to stay close to convention, and 4) sleeveless tops like blouses and shells can also work, with certain caveats. (Note...

Best Tops For Under Women's Suits

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