I'm Starting to Dress Up Again, and These Going-Out Tops Are All I Want to Wear
For the better part of a year, anything sparkly, silky, or cropped was shoved to the deepest depths of my closet. After all, do you really need fancy, sparkly fabrics when your main daily destination is your couch? This month (whether it was from sheer excitement from getting my vaccine or seeing all of the Instagram girls slowly emerge in cool non-sweatpants outfits), I've rediscovered my love for going-out tops.
After endlessly scrolling through all of my favorite shops and social media accounts, I found an exquisite batch of fancy tops you'll definitely want to put on your radar. All of the season's big trends are accounted for here: From saucy cutouts to floss tops and the revealing halter micro-trend, you'll find a taste of everything the fashion set can't stop wearing.
I don't have any imminent party plans, but just know that when the time is right, I'll be ready. If you too can't stop thinking about your post-lockdown fits, read ahead to check out all of the going-out tops for a stylish reemergence. Bonus: Everything is under $100.
If you're looking for something a tad more muted, shoulder cutouts are fun without being too loud.
I was really surprised to find out this top is only $50. It looks so expensive.
A tried-and-true favorite.
The black sheer paneling would look exceptionally amazing with leather pants.
Pro-tip: The neck-tie is adjustable so it can be used as a headband, a necklace, or any other way you please.
I've seen similar printed corsets for at least triple the price.
A top that easily transitions between daytime hangouts and nighttime festivities.
It's the summer of Pucci-inspired prints, so here's your chance to jump aboard its renaissance.
Style this one with a pair of cargo pants for a twist on the Gen-Z look.
Ruching continues to be a big trend this season, and we love how this top is covered up yet seductive all at the same time.
Going-out tops don't always have to be cropped. Here's a beautiful satin one that's perfect for modest dressers.
I've been going gaga over this top since it first came out.
We talked about spotting the ruched ring micro-trend, and now, as predicted, it's one on the rise.
Other than its colorful sweaters, the fashion-girl favorite also makes a darn good special occasion top.
Coming Up: Future You Is Gonna Look Really Good in These 8 Summer Top Trends.
Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor for Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.
-
Cape Tops! Round Toe Heels! H&M Studio's Holiday Drop Has 2025's Most-Anticipated Trends
See Amelia Gray's hand-picked edit.
By Anna LaPlaca
-
I Love the Sweaters at Zara, COS, J.Crew, Vince, and Nordstrom—31 That Are Gorgeous
New staples ahead.
By Bobby Schuessler
-
Black Friday Is Almost Here—This Is Everything I'm Loving From Madewell, Revolve, and H&M
Save these styles to shop during Black Friday.
By Chichi Offor
-
There's No Room in My Closet for More Shoes, But These Under-$100 Zara Pairs Are Too Good to Pass Up
Act fast.
By Grace O'Connell Joshua
-
My Friend Wants a Chic Wardrobe—I Sent Her These Early Black Friday Fashion Deals
Discounted gems from Nordstrom, Zara, J.Crew, and more.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
I Have a Feeling These 30 Zara, Madewell, and J.Crew Items Will Sell Out by November 30
Haul incoming.
By Grace O'Connell Joshua
-
I Just Found Every Top Outerwear Trend at & Other Stories, From Capes to Sporty Jackets
Bundle up in these styles.
By Lauren Adhav
-
I Just Found the Perfect $20 Alt for Kaia Gerber's Chic French-Girl Flats
Hurry—they're selling quickly.
By Nikki Chwatt