There was a time in the late 2000s and early 2010s when “going out tops” reigned supreme. Whether you found yourself (like me) dressing for a house party on “The Hill” at CU Boulder or in preparation for a big Saturday night out at NYC’s (sadly now defunct) Southside, for Millennial girls in this era deciding what to wear out was really just deciding on a top. There were the silk blouses from Joie or Alice & Olivia, the high-low hem tanks from Forever 21, sheer button downs from J.Crew paired with statement necklaces, little off-the-shoulder moments from Club Monaco (the ones with the elastic around the top and little ties on the sleeves) and stretchy peplum tops in a rainbow of abrasive colors. It didn’t really matter what you wore on the bottom - in summer there were denim shorts or white jeans (with lots of spandex eeek!) and in the winter there were leather leggings, preferably Vince, tights and black ruffled skirts or basic dark wash skinny jeans.
In 2019 / the early 2020s we experienced a shift. A pivot away from skinny jeans and the accompanying idea of a dedicated going out top. Over the course of the following years the top sections of our wardrobes were whittled down to a variety of solid colored button-downs, t-shirts, tanks, crew neck sweaters and cardigans.
These days I’m largely content spending the bulk of my time in these workhorse basics, particularly the Khaite Mae t-shirt in custard or white (which I think is the best “nice white t-shirt” out there), the Flore Flore Esme tanks in all the neutrals and a load of button downs in silk, linen, cotton and denim (the limit does not exist). However, lately when getting dressed for dinner or an evening out with friends I find myself craving something “dressier” to pair with trousers or jeans. A “going out top” if you will!
Which leads me to wonder… is the “going out top” making a comeback and dare I say a comeback in a distincly peplum-esque form??
Tops That Feel Right
I’m gravitating towards solid colored tops with more structured architectural details, a poplin peplum hem or soft draping around the neck in flowy fabrics. I like them paired with a wide leg trouser, a baggier straight leg jean or a barrel draw string poplin pant (hello perfect Kallmeyer Clemence pants). Below are some recent “going out” looks i.e. a 7pm dinner reservation.
Róhe Frame also has some beautiful options
And so does Kallmeyer, a relatively new to me line that I’ve been loving the quality and price point of. I was surprised to learn that the founder, Daniella Kallmeyer, launched the line back in 2012 but has been experiencing a recent surge in popularity. She opened a beautiful store on Madison Avenue at the beginning of the summer in addition to her Lower East Side boutique.
Anyone else craving a “going out top” revival??
Thanks for reading!