The best summer trends are those that serve multiple purposes: showing off your trendy side while doing double duty to keep your body cool. Fashion insiders know, tie-front tops are this year’s must-try. Though backless blouses were having a moment in recent years, the opening du jour seems to have migrated upfront.
"Tie-front tops have always exuded a feeling of easy, effortless dressing," LOTI Founder Lottie Bertello tells TZR. Her small-batch upcycling studio from Peru crafts its pieces — including a tie-front top — from discarded clothing and textiles. "There's a scene in the film Taxi Driver where Jodie Foster is wearing a red and pink tie front top and I remember thinking she looked beyond cool," Bertello recalls. "Yes yes, Jodie is already so cool but that top made her even cooler." Other icons of the '70s that cemented the tie-front top as a bonafide hot weather staple aren't all women. "All those photographs of Robert Plant wearing women's blouses that he just threw on (again, effortless, easy dressing) and tied at the front are pretty iconic," she says. "What a stylish dude."
Retro factor aside, tie-front tops also offer the opportunity to experiment with outfit combinations you might not have otherwise tried. "Tie-front tops give the chance to play with summer layering, like a cute bralette or a bikini top peeking through for a pop of color," Bertello says. It's also the kind of blouse that really kicks an ensemble into high gear with minimal effort. "My favorite part of this top is that it can make a really casual outfit look put together on its own," Bertello adds.
Ahead, five chic Instagram looks that illustrate why your closet needs a tie-front top, plus ample shopping opportunities to seal the deal.
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Baggy Bottoms Below
Contrast a tie-front floral blouse’s innate romantic qualities with a slouchy pair of slacks worn below for a subtle nod to the ‘90s. Accessorize with a leather belt to pull it all together. Try this look for a dinner with friends, when you want to look trend-forward, but not overly trendy.
Mixed Prints
The best piece of advice you can follow when testing out the mixed prints trend is to choose one piece with a smaller print and the second with a larger pattern, like the chic outfit shown above. Try a springy floral tie-front top and pair it with something more abstract below to balance things out.
Non-Boring Neutrals
While summer palettes are awash with rainbow brights, sometimes a neutral-colored outfit is just as impactful, as evidenced above. Recreate the look with a black-and-white tie-front blouse styled with brown trousers and finish with a few pieces of your favorite jewelry. It’s a more polished daytime take on the trend.
Blue Jean Companion
There’s a reason blue denim is a perennial favorite — it goes with everything and adds polish to any outfit. It also happens to look perfect when worn with a romantic tie-front top. Try a light-wash denim style with a kick flare or straight leg, then finish with flats or mules.
Tennis Nouveau
The tennis trend is everywhere right now but if you’ve been struggling with how to pull it off away from the courts, why not try a cute tie-front top as a balance to a sporty skirt? If you’re leaning into the trend, finish with sneakers, otherwise, try a kitten heel or loafers and high socks.
