Women's Tops

Where the hem falls, and how close the cloth is cut to the body, settles a women's top before anything else. Cropped tops finish above the waist and leave the waistband to do the rest; bodysuits fasten under and hold a clean line however much you move; camisoles and corsets take the closeness further, one softly and one with real structure through the body. T-shirts and tank tops sit at the hip and stay easy.

Woven and knitted styles carry shape differently. Blouses drape and gather where a shirt would hold a straight placket, and dress shirts keep a fused collar and buttoned cuff; sweaters and cardigans build warmth into the stitch itself, from fine ribs to heavy cables, while hoodies and sweatshirts do it with looped-back cotton and brushed fleece. Look for jersey and crepe, poplin and voile, merino and lambswool.