The 9 Best Blouses Everyone Needs in Their Closet

For days when you want to look put-together but still feel comfortable, a button-up blouse with a flowing silhouette is just the thing. This building block can work in dressy environments or for casual affairs: Unbutton the top buttons for a deeper neckline and wear it over a skirt or wide-leg pants, or undo a few of the bottom buttons for an extra-loose silhouette. When fully buttoned, the shape becomes less breezy and can be worn tucked into trousers for work or high-rise jeans for a cute blouson look.

We recommend this type of blouse in a lightweight material, as the loose fit moves with you instead of looking stiff and boxy. And it’s thin enough to wear comfortably under another layer, such as a cardigan, blazer, or denim jacket. Just keep in mind that a top with a billowing shape isn’t well suited for going under a tighter layer such as a slim crewneck sweater.

The Gap Sheer Button-Front Shirt is a no-brainer option for those “nothing to wear” mornings. It’s a loose-fitting blouse with a thin band collar and long sleeves that fall just above the wrist. This top is made from a lightweight lyocell-nylon blend, and it’s decently priced — especially since it goes on sale often.

“It’s vaguely Shakespearean, in a good way.” That’s how one tester described this top, and I know what she means. Billowing sleeves that gather at the cuff and pleating along the shirt’s shoulder seams give the shirt an Elizabethan vibe that works. The rest of the top is fairly simple, which keeps the overall effect tame rather than over-the-top.

The fabric drapes well. The Sheer Button-Front Shirt is made from a blend of 77% lyocell (a type of rayon) and 23% nylon; the ultralight material helps the blouse’s wide cut read as more floaty than tenty, as would be the case with a stiffer fabric. As one tester (6-foot, size S) put it, “Even though this shirt is very flowy and blousy, there isn’t a crazy amount of volume.”

Note: This material doesn’t have the most luxurious feel — there’s something slightly slippery and artificial about it — but it is breathable and machine-washable (cold water, low-heat dry).

Consider sizing down. Since the body of this blouse is so wide and free-flowing, at 5-foot-3, I felt swallowed up by the petite S and found that the regular XXS fit my frame much better. Gap offers the shirt in a wide range of sizes and fits, including women’s regular XXS to XXL, tall S to XXL, and petite XS to L.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Since the fabric is fairly sheer, you either have to wear a camisole underneath or choose your undergarments carefully.
• The rayon-blend fabric looks like cotton but has a synthetic feel.

Key specs

Sizes: regular XXS to XXL, tall S to XXL, petite XS to L
Material: 77% lyocell 23% nylon
Colors: four

The Trovata Clara Blouse is made from a smooth, drapey 100% cotton material that immediately won over testers with its comfortable feel and light, breathable weight. A flattering fit, bracelet-length sleeves, and unusual prints make it a standout style worth adding to your wardrobe.

This shirt comes in unique patterns and colors. Trovata designs all of its prints in-house; the resulting selection is unusually interesting and bold. “This blouse puts me in a good mood every time I wear it,” said one tester, who chose the Santorini Border print, a rich flowered orange-on-pink design with contrasting green and blue cuffs. The seasonally changing options are distinct enough to be the centerpiece of an outfit, or you can layer them under a cardigan or jacket for a more subdued look that still has some pop.

The details are everything. Pleating all around the yoke of the blouse — and subtly puffed sleeves — create volume and movement in addition to visual interest. Another detail that I personally love is the bracelet-length arms, which fall about 2 inches above the wrist bone (just enough to show off your bracelets, I suppose). It’s a vintage detail, popularized in the 1950s and 1960s, that adds an elegant touch to the shirt.

Its cut works for different body types. Panelists of various shapes and sizes found a good fit with the Clara Blouse (it comes in women’s sizes XS to L). Since the cut is relaxed, you may want to size down for a closer fit.

I’m 5-foot-3 and wear a size 38C bra, and I was able to comfortably button this blouse across my chest. The hem of the shirt fell just above my hips, leaving enough fabric to tuck into high-waisted jeans (my preferred way to wear this style of top).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• It’s pricey. To get the most cost-per-wear out of this blouse, we recommend choosing a color or print that you can style with lots of items in your wardrobe and doesn’t look overly seasonal.
• It’s available only in limited sizes. While the cut is versatile, the size range is not; the company does not offer extended sizes.

Key specs

Sizes: XS to L
Material: 100% cotton
Colors: six

At first glance, the Dôen June Top appears deceptively simple. But look closer, and you’ll be charmed by the pleating along its scooped neckline, which cascades into a flowing silhouette. This short-sleeve style is made from a lightweight blend of 52% cotton and 48% viscose that floats over the body.

The generous fit is flattering. The June Top has a cut that is “oversized but in a flattering way, because the material is so airy,” noted one tester (6-foot, size M). The body of the shirt has a triangular shape — it’s wider at the bottom than at the bust — and it falls around hip length, so it can be worn tucked or untucked. We found that this top, which is available in women’s sizes XXS to XXL, ran true-to-size; if you want a closer fit, you may want to size down.

It has cute banded sleeves — but they may be too tight for some people. This top’s raglan sleeves are finished with a banded cuff that fastens with a button. The material doesn’t have any stretch, so the cuff felt snug around my bicep when I wore the shirt buttoned to the top. With the top few buttons undone, the blouse sat more wide-slung and open across my chest, causing the sleeves to hang lower on my arm, where they didn’t tug.

This is the kind of top you reach for again and again. During testing I learned that one of our panelists (5-foot-6, size XXL) has owned a version of this blouse since 2023 — and she wears it “all the time.” It’s easy to see why: The breezy cut is as comfy as an oversize T-shirt, but the elegant scoop neck and gathering give it a pulled-together look. Although the delicate fabric is a bit wrinkle-prone, the creases blend into the pleating.

It’s not just for summer. The June Top’s lightweight cotton-viscose fabric felt wonderful during our testing in the hottest months of the year. But the material is substantial enough for you to wear this blouse from spring to fall, especially in the black color. It is somewhat sheer, so you may want to throw on a camisole underneath.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The fabric is delicate and wrinkles easily, though any creases blend into the pleating.
• The buttoned, banded sleeve cuff might be too tight on some people.

Key specs

Sizes: XXS to XXL
Material: 52% cotton 48% viscose
Colors: two