Let’s Talk Tops

There are all sorts of interesting styles for tops these days, so if you’re not in clericals there’s no reason for clergy to stick to basic blouses or crew neck tops. Unfortunately, men’s options are still extremely limited but the laydeez have choices and PeaceBang is here to help you make some good ones.

Perhaps you have been trying to freshen up your look but have been turned off and overwhelmed by the over-designed tops out there. Here are some specimens, and how to determine if something is over-designed:

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Peplums and cut-aways and drop shoulders and super shiny details drawing all eyes to your gut! Who needs it? We don’t!

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Belts and waist ties can be a beautiful detail on a top, but not huge bows planted on the front of our bellies like a four year old’s party dress. The kimono-style top is a lot more elegant than the big girly bow on the front of the gal in the skirt, but most ordinary mortals would get lost in all those bell sleeves, white and sash.

Here’s a chambray shirt with a built-in sash that is cut more to proportion. When you’re looking at interesting tops, consider proportion (are the elements huge and overwhelming? Too small and cutesy?), elements (one interesting design element is great, two are sometimes okay, three or more are visual overload) and pattern (I recommend solids or color block):

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This is color blocking. It’s VERY in right now and quite chic. Solids make you look – solid!

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OH MY GAH she’s wearing black and blue! And red! Yes, Virginia, navy and black work just fine together.

Both of these blouses below would be far too much in a print. Staying in a solid fabric allows the eye to see the design elements, which appear interesting rather than busy. The lavender blouse could be a bit too prim but notice that there’s a wee bit of skin showing at the neck. These details make a big difference. Notice that the bell-sleeved sweater is cut hits at the hip with no shaping at the waist. That’s an important proportion detail: like, I love this top but I’m too lumpy around the waist and hips for it to hang well on me. It’s a great color, the sleeves are all the design it needs, and you’d ruin the line with a belt, so this is a better choice for a different body type than mine.

Now, lissenup! Do not pair these tops with your old chinos or jeans! These garments have intentional design; they are not merely utilitarian. Wearing them with just any old thing as pants or skirts completely undoes their appropriateness as professional wear.
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That’s it for now! I am working on a BOOK for y’all (I have to remind myself or I won’t keep at it!)

All these tops are from Eloquii.com, whence PeaceBang gets a lot of her favorite clothing and they’re having a great sale right now. And no, they don’t give me money or coupons or anything to promote them. They don’t know I exist, in fact.

5 Replies to “Let’s Talk Tops”

  1. Here in the summer swamps of St. Louis, I am always on the look-out for short-sleeved, cap-sleeved or even yes, sleeveless tops that look finished without a jacket. I love the first one, actually, and have a black peplum top that looks smashing with a black or brick red pencil skirt – it’s in my Sunday rotation. The cut-shouldered number looks like I’m arriving at a party – the party where none of my congregants will be. “Rev. Barbara’s trashy cousin Sheila is here, and she’s brought the Boone’s Farm!” [LOL! YES, the endless search for tops that look finished without a jacket is real. – PB]

  2. Perhaps my age is showing, but… Google tells me that eloqui.com is the home page for a pair of artists, and it’s showing things like stamps. Where are the clothes? (I want that blue denim-look sashed top!)

  3. Judy, I did a double look. The clothes are at eloqu (double) i. Eliquii.com. Hope that helps.

  4. Oops, I meant to type Eloquii.com. My age showing. Good luck, Judy. [You’re BOTH young and have sharp eyes!! It was MY mistake that I went back and edited and forgot to post that I did. Love ya! – PB]

  5. PB or anyone, would you be willing to share some pix showing how you’ve styled your Eloquii pieces? I always look at their collections each season and have bought a few things, but I have trouble getting past how they style the clothes on the models. It seems so extreme that I end up unable to visualize how they’d work in my wardrobe and ministry context (NT professor at Christian liberal arts university).

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