Versatile Tops at Three Price Points That Make Getting Dressed Easier

When you have the right tops, it can help expand your wardrobe and the outfits you wear. It can also make getting dressed fun AND easier. When I start working with clients, I want to know what they currently love and what isn’t working for them. It’s what I would recommend for you too. Assess what you have that you like, love, and reach for on repeat. It’s not about buying what’s new and trending, but finding the right pieces that work with what you have and the life you live. You can also check out this blog about assessing what’s in your closet and pairing items.

This week, I’m sharing three versatile tops, at three price points, that can support and expand the wardrobe you already own.

A versatile top is one you can wear alone or layered. Tuck it or leave it loose, wear it with jeans, a skirt, or slacks. Wear it to a client meeting and then into the weekend without changing your entire outfit. I help clients build capsule wardrobes with versatile pieces.

Research in the Academy of Management Journal shows that the aesthetics of what employees wear on a given day can raise state self-esteem and support goal progress at work. When you have clothes that feel like you, are authentic, and give you confidence, it’s a game changer.

How to choose a top that expands your wardrobe

Earlier this year, I shared about the Power of Style. You can read the blog here. Before you fall in love with a piece an influencer shared on Instagram or TikTok, and hit add to cart, ask yourself these questions:
• Can I create at least three new outfits using pieces I already own?
• Can I wear it for two seasons: Spring & Summer or Fall & Winter?
• Will the color help me stand out, or will it look like everything else I own?
• Does the care match my real life? Washable? Dry clean only?

Three versatile workwear tops I am wearing and recommending

These are pieces I am wearing and recommending for clients who need options.

1. The affordable option: The Willa Waist Gathered Shirt at Evereve

You wilI love this gathered shirt for a few reasons. It’s under $70, it’s 100% cotton, and it’s washable, which I love. Plus, it’s available in light blue and black. Of course, I would recommend the blue to you because a little color helps you stand out. This top is versatile because you can wear it alone or under a cardigan, a blazer, or any layer. You can also wear it with jeans, a skirt, slacks, or even shorts, making it an option for the office or the weekend. On any given morning, it solves the “I have nothing to wear” issue.

If your mornings are packed, you travel, or you don’t want a high-maintenance closet, start here.

2. The mid-range winner: the Eli Oversized Shirt at Reformation

This oversized shirt from Reformation will be a new favorite. It is a little over $100, and I was honestly surprised by how much I loved it. The Eli Shirt has a beautiful sheen; it is lightweight and available in a range of colors, some core and some seasonal. You want this elevated, polished button-down because it works for everyday AND the holidays, with a slightly luxe look. Size down, because it is oversized.

If you already have plenty of basic cotton shirts and they all look the same on camera and in the room, this is the upgrade. Same category. Different presence.
You can wear this blouse tucked into trousers, a skirt, or with jeans. You can also layer over a simple tank or knit. For the holidays, wear with a statement earring and slim pants for a holiday-level polished look without sequins.

3. The investment piece: the M.M.LaFleur Didion top

Are you looking for a gorgeous, washable silk top that’s elegant AND will last for years? The Didion top by M.M.LaFleur is an add-to-cart. It has cap sleeves and is made of washable silk charmeuse. I love the polka dot for fall, but you can wear it year-round. It is also available in dark floral, black, navy, or ivory. This top is a little oversized, so you may want to size down. You can wear this top under a suit, tucked into a pencil skirt, or loose over slim pants.

You can wear this blouse loose over pants, tucked in, or layered under a blazer. Pair it with a pencil or midi skirt, jeans, or under a suit when the room is formal, and you still want to be comfortable.

What this has to do with your brand, not just your closet

Your style is your advantage. The tops you repeat become part of how people remember you. If every top is a different story, you look inconsistent. If every top is the same black shell, you disappear. Authenticity is wearing pieces you’re comfortable in and that allow you to show up at the level you’re reaching for. Branding is showing up consistently so you’re top of mind and people recognize and think of you instantly. Confidence is how tall you stand and the energy you bring to your day.

Choose the piece that feels authentic, lets you show up on brand, and helps you show up confident-the one that fits your life, your budget, and how you want to be seen.

If your closet is already crowded, do not add a top until you know what it will pair with. That is the work we do in a Curated Closet Session: edit what no longer fits your body, your life, or your brand, then build 10, 20, sometimes 30 looks from what you already own. If you need a fuller reset of how you show up, that is a Signature Style Reset.

Start at the beginning with the framework: my book, The Style Advantage: I Say What HR Can’t. If you are ready to stop collecting one-off tops and start getting dressed with options, book a Style Inspo Discovery Call. We will talk through which package is right for you.

I’m Elisa Ellis, a Dallas-based wardrobe stylist and consultant, founder of Turnkey Style, and author of The Style Advantage: I Say What HR Can’t. For the last ten years, I have worked one-on-one with clients, as well as with leaders and companies, updating dress code policies and delivering training.
Showing up authentically, on brand, and with confidence impacts productivity, sales, leadership, and collaboration.

I have been featured or mentioned in CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and US News & World Report.