I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve historically done a pretty baller job stocking my summer wardrobe with statement-making finds. I’m more apt to shop during the summer than I am any other season—probably because it’s actually warm enough for me to exit my house and, you know, do anything. But in recent years, I’ve tried to rein my summer shopping in a little; I already have enough summer tops, summer pants, summer skirts and summer dresses to last me more than a season—what’s the use in adding another to my arsenal? But one Free People blouse is tempting me—and tempting me hard.
The blouse in question is a long-sleeve, burnt orange, button-down beauty. I’d normally stray from long sleeves during the summer—sticking exclusively to tanks, tees and other short-sleeve options, instead. But this cotton-blend blouse looks lightweight enough to get me through New York’s humidity (even on the city’s sweatiest days). The cut seems to lend itself well to summer’s weather, too; the blouse feels cropped without being midriff-bearing—making it the perfect piece to pair with any summer short, pant, skirt or even legging. (And the perfect piece to throw on and wear anywhere, too.)
If You Had My Love Blouse, $78 at Free People
I’m an absolute button-down fiend, and I can say with certainty that it’s hard to find a button-down that skews this delicate. Most of my button-adorned go-to’s are classically smart pieces fit for work, dinner and maybe the occasional casual gathering. They’re all collared, they’re mostly long-sleeved, and they’re fit for little more than tucking into a pair of tailored pants or tying over a pair of high-waisted jeans. But this? This could be thrown over bike shorts. Or dark-wash skinny jeans. Or light-wash flare jeans. It would play as well with a slinky slip skirt as it would with wide-leg tailored pants. And it wouldn’t look out of place in any summer context; it could take you from work to cocktail hour—and then to brunch the next day. Its versatility make it as fit for sartorial play as it is for convenience. And at only $78, it almost feels like a steal.
The next time you’re wondering what to pair with those new black bike shorts you bought, or you’re searching for a low-key going-out ensemble, or you’re trying to figure out what you could possibly wear on a breezy summer day, think of this $78 Free People shirt. (Or rest assured knowing I’m thinking about it.) When life hands you an opportunity to so easily fill a hole in your wardrobe you didn’t even know existed, you take it—right?
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