18 Types Of Tops That Are Staples For Your Wardrobe

Made hugely popular in the Victorian era, corset tops have come a long way from being stifling symbols of status to form-fitting easy-to-wear structured tops. The dressy top can be paired with loose pants or a skirt, and are perfect for a night out of dancing, fun, or even an elegant sit-down dinner. 

Length: Short Corset (8.25), Regular Corset (11.5), and Long Corset (13)

Fit: The fit of the corset is form-fitting, great for dressier options.

How To Style: Style your corset with a relaxed fit style of pants or a skirt, to create a balance of proportions, and take it to any night outs, or parties. 

When To Wear: You can take your corsets to fancy dinners, parties, or clubs. 

Pro Tip: Decoding the evolution of corsets. 

Tank tops are comfy, and versatile and come in a bunch of different variants. Our most favourite is the racer-back kind that feels airy on the back—perfect for the summers. They're great if you're into the athleisure look and pair well with loose pants or denims for a day out. 

Length: Should just fall below the waist of your trousers.

Fit: Depending on your preferences, you can opt for a relaxed fit or a loose fit. But we definitely recommend something fitting, for an effortlessly chic look.

How To Style: For a casual everyday look, you can style your tank top, with wide-leg jeans, and even layer it up with an oversized shirt.

When To Wear: Tank tops are great for every day, and you can style them for work, day outings, brunches.

From the belly dancers who made them popular to pop icon Madonna donning them in her video Lucky Star, crop tops have remained one of the most popular types of tops for women. They end at the mid-riff and can be paired with a light jacket and a bucket hat. Wear them with a high-waisted pant if you'd like to cover your midriff while wearing them. 

Length: Should end just at the midriff.

Fit: Crop tops have a form-fitting fit mostly, but you can also opt for a more relaxed one.

How To Style: Style your crop top with high-waisted bottoms, preferably on the wide-leg jeans end, and you can complete the look with an oversized flannel or jacket for the fall season. 

When To Wear: Great for every day, you can take it to your shopping sprees and brunches. 

The loose silhouette and flared arms give cape tops a cape-like structure and hence the name. They're great if you'd like to keep the attention on your bottoms with a roomier fit on top. Pair them with a pencil skirt or skinny jeans to complete the look. 

Fit: The fit is loose, and and slightly voluminous.

How To Style: Style your cape tops with a slightly fitted pair of pants, and carry a sleek sling to complete your look.

When To Wear: You can take your cape top to formal occasions, or day events. 

Off shoulder tops are an excellent choice if you'd like to keep the attention of your fit onto your collar bones or a statement necklace. You can easily rock an off shoulder no matter what your body type is. Pair them with a strapless bra or a tape, and if you're uncomfortable, you can always pick a comfy one with an elastic that you can pull up over your shoulders instantly.

Length: Should be slightly longer than your waistline

Fit: Choose a crop top with a baggy fit, and highlight your collar bones.

How To Style: You can pair your crop tops with a fitted pair of jeans, or a skirt, and focus of creating a balance on proportions.

When To Wear: Your off-shoulder tops are perfect to take to brunches with your gal pals. 

The dramatic and stylish neckline on halter neck tops make them a great choice for summers and other warm days when you can't be bothered with wearing tops with sleeves. Pair them with a strapless bra or something with interchangeable straps. 

Fit: They mostly have a regular fit, and we recommend going with the one below your waistline for a more flattering look.

How To Style: Pair your halter tops with regular fit pants, that are not too fitting, but not very relaxed, and accessories with a sleek sling and some wedges. 

When To Wear: You can wear your halter tops to brunches, dinners, and formal events. 

Peplum tops are awesome if you like the frills and ruffles that come with a dress, but aren't in the mood to don one. With a similar structure, Peplum tops look great on various body types, with just the right fitted to roomy ratio. Pair with a slicked back ponytail, and you have yourself a chic, put together look.

Length: For the most flattering look, make sure it falls near the midriff.

Fit: The fit of peplum tops is loose and baggy, creating a more of voluminous silhouette.

How To Style: Pair your peplum top with a fitted bottom, and complete the look with a slick back hairstyle and a cute sling.

When To Wear: Great for work, formal events, and coffee catch-ups.

Looking for a comfy fit for a long flight or a drive? Pick a maxi top that can easily be layered and pair super well with denims or leggings. Pick a stretchy fabric for a long haul flight. The printed ones are great for casual dinners, pair them with palazzos and chunky earrings to complete the look. 

Length: Maxi tops are much longer in length, and go beyond the knees. 

Fit: Because of its length, we recommend going with a regular fit which is not too fitted.

How To Style: Style your maxi top with palazzo pants or culottes, and keep your hairstyle at the sleeker end, to get a more polished look.

When To Wear: Take this look to your college or to your shopping sprees and move all ay with utmost comfort. 

A play on the classic wrap around dress created in the 1930s by Charles James, wrap around silhouettes were made so they can be easily thrown on, as easy as wearing them in the back of a cab. Their flexible structure makes them size inclusive, and you can layer them with a cami top to keep warm during slightly chilly weather. Wear them loose or fitted, they look good either way. 

Length: Should be touching your midriff.

Fit: Since it wraps around you, the fit should be loose and baggy.

How To Style: Pair your wrap-around top with regular fit culottes and complete the look with a chic pair of ballet flats.

When To Wear: We recommend taking this look to work, brunches, and even formal dinners. 

Worn by the royalty of the erstwhile Ottoman Empire, Kaftans are some of the most forgiving silhouettes out there. Wear them when you feel bloated, or when you simply want a roomy fit for the day. Fitted at the waist, and looser on the arms, they're perfect to pair with a set of leggings or denims. Pick something with a dressy collar, and you could even wear them to fancy soirées. 

Length: Falls below the waistline

Fit: The fit is baggy, and over-sized.

How To Style: A pair of regular-sized cotton culottes go very well with Kaftans and balance the proportions of the look perfectly.

When To Wear: They are great for an easy day out, just lounging around your friend's place or a casual hangout. 

Tube tops (also called strapless bandeaus) got their name since they look like a swimming tube. Popularly worn with swimming ensembles back in the forties and fifties, tube tops do not come with shoulder straps, only covering your chest and back. Like Cami tops, you can layer them up or wear them as is. Their stretchy fabric makes them super comfortable; you can wear a strapless bra or pasties underneath based on the support you need.  

Length: Slightly below the bust area.

Fit: The fit is form-fitting.

How To Style: For an effortlessly chic ensemble, pair your tube tops with a baggy pair of pants, and a great pair of sneakers.

When To Wear: Crop tops are perfect for your college, casual hang-out plans with friends, or lunch/brunch plans with your gal-pals.

Pro Tip: Our review of the Instagram famous Butt Chique boob tape! 

Cami tops were a common sight in ancient Rome when women had to layer up to protect themselves from the cold. The relaxed fit of this top coupled with easy spaghetti straps or sleeveless fits makes them the perfect choice with almost any ensemble. Just like the Romans did, you could also add a jacket or a light shirt on top to layer up; the soft fabric is fab for flights. 

Length: They usually go a little below the waist line.

Fit: Their fit is regular-sized, and accentuates your collar bones.

How To Style: Cami tops are very versatile. You can rock them with shorts, skirts, fitted jeans, slightly relaxed pants, and more. We recommend going with regular-fit cotton trousers that balance the proportions and look great. 

When To Wear: A shopping day is perfect to wear your cami tops.

One of the most feminine tops out there, blouse tops are a classic thanks to their wide boat necks and sleeves. Made popular in the 1890s as informal wear, blouses are versatile and go with a number of buttons, including skirts, slacks and even Indo-western fits perfect for Sangeet functions. Pick a dressy fabric like silk or satin for evening dates. 

Length: They usually come with lengths up to the midriff.

Fit: The fit is on the more relaxed side, with a flow to it.

How To Style: Blouse tops are total statement pieces, and we recommend pairing them with a classic pair of trousers or denim, and accessories the look with minimal dainty jewellery. 

When To Wear: We recommend taking this look to dates, brunches, formal work events.

Did you know that ruffles were first spotted on Spanish soldiers from the 16th century? Ruffle tops look feminine and stylish at the same time. Based on the fabric and the size of the ruffles, you can wear them with a well-tailored pair of pants and heels to work. You could also easily switch up your work tote with a clutch to make it a party fit. Either way, it looks smart and works for various settings. 

Length: Should reach your waistband for a classic look. 

Fit: With more ruffles and volume to the silhouette, the ruffle top fit is more relaxed and a statement.

How To Style: Pair your ruffles tops with a well-tailored pair of pants, and finish off the look with a cool sturdy tote. 

When To Wear: Take this look to your day outings and events. 

Tunic tops, like tunic dresses, are great if you like a loose fit. They're fitted at the chest and have a flare so it feels super roomy. Pick a top in cotton, pair it with your favourite skinny jeans and you have yourself the perfect summer casual day fit. Based on the length of the top and the slit, you could easily wear your tunic top as a dress too. 

Length: The length may vary according to your preference

Fit: The fit is more relaxed, loose, and complimenting a different array of body types.

How To Style: Style your tunics with flowy cotton pants, and get the Indo-western fit of your dreams.

When To Wear: Its great for college, everyday work, and casual day outings.

Tracing its roots from ancient Greece and Rome, one shoulder top has become all the rage with the GenZ as well as millennials. They look elegant, and edgy, and carry a statement that instantly makes you more polished, and put together, and are very easy to style. 

Length: The length should fall right onto your waistline

Fit: They look the most flattering when they are body-hugging, and help create a clean look with the one-shoulder statement.

How To Style: You can style your one-shoulder top with a well-tailored pair of trousers or denim, and complete the look with a statement sleek bag.

When To Wear: You can take this look to parties, formal events, and dates.

Waistcoats have been the biggest trend of 2024, and are definitely our new favourite types of tops. Perfect for summer, this semi-formal type of top looks elevated, sophisticated, and chic, perfect to take work, or casual hangouts.

Length: The length of the waistcoats is meant to reach below your midriff.

Fit: Available in regular size fits, we don't recommend going for an oversized waistcoat look. 

How To Style: Pair your waistcoat with baggy Korean pants, or white leg pants, to create the most effortlessly chic look. 

When To Wear: You can take this look to parties, formal events, and office.

Bardot tops first became all the rage in the Regency Era, and got its unique name from Brigitte Bardot at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953. This kind of neckline this top has a blend of tube top and off-shoulder and looks very whimsical when styled nicely. They also go really well with the trending fairy skirts that give off a very Boho-chic vibe. 

Length: The length of a Bardot top should fall at your waistline.

Fit: Available in regular size fits, we recommend not going on too form-fitting side, or too relaxed.

How To Style: You can style your Bardot tops with long skirts, well-tailored pants, or wide-leg jeans, all creating proportional symmetry to the overall fit.

When To Wear: Take this look to clubs, parties, or cosy brunches.