July 26, 2021
Is it swelteringly hot where you are? Chicago has finally settled into an extended stretch of hot weather, so sleeveless tops are timely!
Originally, I had thought that this top HAD to be in a light neutral, but I’m now in a more flexible mindset – anything that’s cool, and that works well with your existing wardrobe, is what we need! Printed tops will be added soon…

Brown sleeveless tee – Goodnight Macaroon; earrings – Kendra Scott; white linen shirt – J.Crew; white linen pants – J.Crew; bag – Malibu Skye; sandals – Michael Michael Kors
For those of us who wear tank tops frequently, it’s worth considering looking for things with some sort of lace, or other decorative trim. This might be just the touch of detail that your outfit needs…
I couldn’t resist keeping the same “suit” and scarf from last week, and then picking a completely different accent color; this is the kind of versatility that neutral, classic pieces offer:
Orange sleeveless top – H&M; earrings – Timeless Pearly; Watery Stripes silk scarf – Echo; navy shirt – J.Crew; navy cotton pants – Banana Republic; sandals – Easy Street
Sometimes, all you want is black, white and gold…
White sleeveless shirt – H&M; earrings – Talbots; necklace – Talbots; black linen mandarin collar shirt – Eileen Fisher; linen pants – H&M; sandals – Who What Wear
If you love blue, you MUST look at the bracelet below – the up-close photograph is breathtaking!
Navy linen shirt – Marks & Spencer; scarf – Talbots; navy linen pants – Marks & Spencer; light ocean top – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Savvy Cie; cap top ballet flats – David Tate
Beige is, of course, a perfect summer neutral for literally any color. ANY…
Tank top – Halogen; mismatched earrings – Isabel Marant; stone jeans – Madewell; cardigan – Benetton; sandals – Crocs
For those of us who wear a LOT of black, and who also own a chambray or denim shirt, it’s worth remembering that khaki (or stone, or beige) is a great neutral to consider including in our wardrobes. It can stay below the waist if you feel it’s unflattering…
Black tank top – L.L.Bean; earrings – Nordstrom; khaki Bermuda shorts – L.L.Bean; chambray shirt – J.Crew; bracelet – Allsaints; sandals – L.L.Bean
The next 2 weeks, I will continue to show (well, to TRY to find, and share) sleeveless tops. In warm weather, it’s not foolish to have a stack of them!
Are you finally in the heat of summer – or conversely, is it winter where you are?
love,
Janice
p.s. Six years ago, we visited Van Gogh, and looked into wardrobe possibilities in navy and cognac, accented with butter yellow!
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BRU-ha-ha baby it’s cold outside ❄️
We have 2 seasons where I live now – hot & hotter. I love that dark brown and crisp white combination & those MK sandals look comfortable.
Cold and raining where I am. But I love it ?
Do you really wear a scarf when it’s more than 80 degrees outside? I have 2 lovely, gauzy scarves, but — wow — way too hot to wear right now.
I tie them to my bag frequently – one of my friends wears hers in her hair, and another friend uses them as a belt. It’s not easy!
hugs,
Janice
Janice,
I have even resorted to tying a small one to my small rolling tote bag for travel !
Love the outfits you have put together! Thank you for all your tips and style
Today is better (85), but summer is really hot in Catalonia, Spain, between 85 to 100+ and lots of humidity… Can’t wear scarfs or 2nd layers either, and AC (if present) is NEVER too high… Sigh, I like summer… At the beach!!!
Cheers yall!!
High of 100 expected where I am today. The heat of summer generally starts in May and goes through November here. No scarves or 2nd layers during that period though I enjoy seeing the combos you put together. Most of these would work in the winter here. The khaki & green set is very pretty, calming and elegant.
Currently 72, with a forecast high in the mid-80s here. Thank you for including the lovely lace-trimmed top, and the sleeveless blouse! All too often I get locked into thinking that a sleeveless top must be a simple knit tank style and forget to look for other, more interesting options.
Love that brown tank top with the padded shoulders. Very chic and unusual colour. Thank you always. Don’t know how you do it. You’re brilliant and such a treat three times a week.
The brown one with padded shoulders is terrific…I wonder how it would look with a top layer, though. The mint one also has a very interesting silhouette. Nice to see this variety. My personal favorite is a knit tank that is fitted on the top and has a loose swing cut below the bust.
I’m getting Jurassic Park vibes from the last outfit. It’s a mash up of the costumes of the two scientists. ? ?
We’ve just had a heatwave. I wear cap sleeves when it’s hot. I like the brown outfit the best. It looks cool and elegant for a summer evening. If I wear a scarf it’s a light wrap style just to cover my arms in the evening to ward off mosquitos and midges.
Love that black & white outfit with the gold jewelry. Copying that look ASAP. The brown & white almost had me contemplating brown again. Lovely choices all. Tank tops are essential. I prefer them year round to tops with sleeves because I can always throw a warm cardigan or shawl scarf on to adjust yet I can enjoy the cool sleeveless state if I’m suddenly hot.
I think I’ll check out the Kendra Scott earrings. Hot as you know what where I am and will be until October. August and September have always been my least favorite. Love me a good sleeveless top!!
My temperature limit is 75/23 with a cool ocean breeze. Here in the UK, I always find the heat oppressive and muggy, which drains every bit of strength and makes everything stick – if I could walk around naked I would (as long as know one could see me)!
I love these little clusters and definitely prefer the top and bottom being the same colour with a different coloured second layer as I think it makes me look slightly slimmer because it doesn’t cut me in half. My favourite is the navy & ocean blue for colour and the mint & stone for style.