Yay! Since you first brought this style to our attention I’ve been waiting for this post (and warmer weather) to look for some for summer. They may save me during hot weather because they look breezy but can cover the upper arms. Now I’m ready to go try some armed with your suggestions of fabric, length, etc. and hope to find the right balance of airyness and structure.

Thank you so much for giving an example with a more generously proportioned model! I’m pretty curvy, and I’ve always steered clear from these tops because the only people that I ever saw pull them off were made like walking sticks. I probably would have ignored this post completely if it wasn’t for that picture … she looked great in that top!

I am always draw to this style (for reasons you suggest) and have a couple that I LOVE-but they have to be long enought that they dont ride up on me-which happens and frustrated teh heck out of me!

Brilliant! Believe it or not, I belined for the blouse on the bottom left.
I can’t wait to try this look – I’ve been hesitant due to my pear-ness, but I’ve always liked the silhouette.

I really enjoy this look and am glad Angie is giving us the green light to try it. I scored two banded tops from Talbots 2 years ago, and they are among my favorite summer tops.

Angie, my banded tops are shorter and worn at hip length. Is that generally the best length for an hourglass or a pear?

I have strong shoulders, so volume in the sleeves seems too much to me. But I’m really looking forward to finding a sleeveless top … love the one in the top right photo if it were shorter in length. While disguising a tummy, I also think this look highlights the hips, which I like about myself.

Interestingly, my stylish grandmother often wears banded tops, and has for years and years.

Very pretty drape to this style. I would have considered these T shirts because the fabric is Ts shirt fabric.
Is a T shirt bad when it has a crew neck? What about a scoop or V neck? Does shirring or some form of decorative enhancement bring the knit jersey up to higher standards?
One more question. Would this top need layering other than a camisole, such as a jacket or sweater to finish it off? Does a nice statement necklace count as a layering piece?

I’ve just never been able to get this look right … it makes sense in theory, but in practice (on my bod) it falls flat.

Thanks Angie – I had already written off banded tops but you gave great description and explanation so I’ll reconsider.

I love the longer banded tops as they tend not to ride up like the shorter version. I do love that Michael Kors on the top left! Great cut and color!

I love your blog — so fun and tons of helpful info!

I wanted to say hi and also let you know that I have a fashion-themed contest on my blog every friday. You should check it out

We’ve already talked about this on the forum a little, and I’m definitely in. In fact, I’m currently on the look-out for a few of these tops in beautiful colours/with some edgy details.

San: a jacket would look great, but I don’t think it’s always necessary. Of course, some tops are dressier than others, but I think they would look lovely with a necklace too, or maybe a pin (see Angie’s recent post, the black top). Or a gorgeous scarf, e.g.
http://www.musthaves.dk/produc.....uctid=3113
(granted, this top doesn’t have a banded hem, but I love this entire outfit, and I will be trying this look with a banded top).

I love how Angie showcased this top, since I just found out that right now Express has a lot of beautiful banded tops for 50% off, with 20% additional at the checkout!

http://www.express.com/catalog.....goryId=268

http://www.express.com/catalog.....goryId=269

http://www.express.com/catalog.....goryId=269

Most of the ones I have tried on have been the shorter banded tops and I still have not found one that doesn’t ride up as I walk. The bottom right one is very pretty–maybe I should look into the longer tops as well.

Well Angie, you know how I feel about this look, but no trying without buying (or at least the possibility of buying). I have tried the tunic tops and they do not work on me. They ride up and aren’t flattering. Do the shorter versions ride up at all? That is my main concern with this look. You’ve convinced me that I’m not all that curvy on the bottom half, but I’m still certainly not straight, and I’m afraid the band on these tops is not going to sit around the right spot on my hips as I walk and move around.

I agree with Courtney! Thank you for posting a model with curves. I echo the sentiments of other posters: I have avoided these tops, feeling as though the band would accentuate the hip area. A picture is worth a thousand words and I will now try them on before I make a judgment. Great post, Angie!!

I don’t like this look on me at all. I have a tiny 25 inch waist and a strongly hourglass figure on a long-ish torso. I feel like it washes over the best aspects of my figure. But maybe on someone else it would work.

I’ve been stalking this topic on the YLF forum, and just yesterday I saw a music class mom show up in a very cute one. BUT, she is a lean athletic pear body type.

I want to try these tops on and am open to purchasing. But I fear it will camoflauge the good & the bad together.

I’m so happy to see this blog. I just purchased my first banded top. I was trying on several cowl neck tops at Express (per Angie’s recommendation on a past blog). The sales person brought me several styles and one was a banded top with a cowl neck. http://www.express.com/catalog.....ctId=19379 I said I don’t think this will work with my pear shape, but I was game to try it with all the other tops.

What a surprise. It looked great! Laura, I am pear shaped and don’t pull the top down anywhere near where the model has it. Pulling it down would only emphasized my hips and thighs, but I pulled it up to my hips. San, the silky material draped nicely and does look more smarter than T shirt material. It also worked great with a jacket. I paired it with dark wash skinnies and a fitted jacket and it looked fab. Maya, it didn’t ride up at all. I never would have tried it if the sales person hadn’t brought it in.

Oh Angie,I nearly always completely agree with your sartorial advice, but on this I strongly disagree. I’m a pronounced hourglass and these kinds of tops simply make me look huge. They widen/ emphasize the shoulder/ bosom area as well as the hips which certainly don’t need enlarging and they completely cover up my narrowest area: the waist. I agree they’re comfy and feel safe in that they cover up that rounded tum, but they are quite unflatttering for this kind of bodyshape.

I like to hear about tummy “camo” but (being an apple with a 34E bust) would having a large bust make me look like a big balloon wearing this style (I’m 5′2″)?

I’m sorry, but I cannot imagine this style working on me. I am an hourglass with large hips and a very large bust. The only narrow part of my body is my waist, and a silhouette that is voluminous over the waist and fitted at the hipline would make my torso look like an overinflated balloon, unfortunately. My bust would just tent the fabric out over my stomach as well, and I’m afraid I would be mistaken for pregnant.

I agree that this look would work for someone with smaller shoulders and a smaller bust, or possibly for a woman with narrow hips and legs, but I think it can only add weight to the hourglass figure.

In Angie’s defense: All you ladies that think you can’t wear this style are missing out! I am a busty (32DDD) hourglassy apple and I love this look. Like Angie already mentioned, you might have to try on a lot of these before you find one that hits the right note.

Angie thanks for showing some more of these tops. I have one banded top. I really like the print and need to pair with some skinnier jeans and take a picture. I’m not sure if it is flattering and the picture should help me decide.

Sassy, I’m shaped similarly to you 5′2″ and a 32GG. I just don’t know if this looks good or not. I think, if the fabric is really drapey, that would be best. I have a belly and want this to look great. I certainly wouldn’t be so self conscience of my belly in one of these. I’m definitely going to look for a solid color one to see if that works.

I have a couple of DKNY silk banded tops which I got at Century 21 in NYC for a song. I was really surprised that they worked so well when I tried them on. I’m very tall, busty (34E), but have no hips or butt to speak of (not sure what you’d call that – but I’m the opposite of a pear). I have a thick-ish waist so definitely not an hourglass. I can see how they wouldn’t work so well on someone with more of an hourglass shape since they de-emphasise the waist.

Anyway these tops are a great solution for work during the boiling hot summer months. Pair them with some nice trousers and a slight heel – and throw on a jacket when inside. Since I live in a very hot cliimate and commute via public transit I’m always looking for non-t-shirt, non-casual solutions for work for the summer months – and these tops are great. Glad to see you hilighting them, Angie.

Believe it or not, the Mossimo brand (at Target) has an almost identical top to the one shown in the lower-right corner (the teal one from Ann Taylor Loft). Target also has other cute banded tops by Merona and Xhilaration.

I have one of these from H&M that I adore – I keep going back in hopes that they have others! It’s so comfortable, and I love the way it moves. I would never have tried it on (I was quite certain the band would look terrible on my substantial hips) but the gorgeous bright salmon colour drew me in.

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Super cool blog, I would wise that I could find fashion clothing like that in Denmark!

I own the site http://www.miinto.dk where we sell fashion clothing from real stores in Denmark, we call it modetøj fra nichebutikker.

Thanks for the inspiration.!