Basic Tops for Women – The 5 Essentials

Short answer: Five basic tops cover almost any wardrobe: a black and a white T-shirt, a strappy top, a long sleeved blouse and a thin vest. Choose them in bamboo viscose and you get tops that hang well, breathe and keep their shape wash after wash.

The five tops a wardrobe is built on

A black T-shirt for everything, a white one for the fresh look, a strappy top for layering, a long sleeved blouse for autumn and winter and a thin vest for cold days. Find the first under bamboo T-shirts for women and bamboo tops for women.

The black T-shirt

The black T-shirt is the most worn garment in most wardrobes, because it goes with everything from jeans to a skirt. Choose a dense quality that does not turn sheer across the shoulders, and a neckline with good recovery, because the neckline is what gives a cheap T-shirt away first.

The white T-shirt

The white one is harder, because it shows everything. Choose a thicker quality than the black one so it does not turn sheer, and keep it apart in the wash for the first few times. A white T-shirt should be replaced more often than the rest, because it greys over time.

The strappy top

The strappy top is the most flexible of the five. On its own in summer, as a smooth inner layer under a shirt and knitwear in winter, and as a neat layer under a blazer in the evening. Because it is worn all year, it is the one that can cost a little more.

The long sleeved blouse

The long sleeved blouse covers the arms without adding bulk, and it can be worn on its own or as a layer. Have a look at the long sleeved bamboo T-shirts for women and choose a model whose sleeve finishes smoothly at the wrist so it does not ride up.

The thin vest

The fifth is the one most people skip, and the one that makes the biggest difference in January. A bamboo vest for women puts a thin warm layer across the stomach and back and removes the need for an extra jumper that would have made the coat too tight.

Why bamboo for basic tops

Basic tops are worn and washed more often than anything else in the wardrobe, so the material matters more here than anywhere else. Bamboo viscose is soft, hangs heavily and smoothly, moves moisture away from the skin and pills less than cotton. That is why the five keep looking neat.

How to make them last

Wash at 30 degrees, leave out fabric softener and hang the tops to dry rather than tumbling them. Turn them inside out so the surface does not rub against the drum. Fold them on a shelf instead of hanging them, so necklines and straps keep their shape. See also the guide to washing and caring for bamboo clothing.