EDIT: The 'nice' tops we would add to cart right now

A cold weather round up of dressy tops to keep you warm-ish.

Jul 26, 2026

∙ Paid

We’re not sure at what point we stopped actively collecting ‘nice’ tops, but we think they fell off somewhere between Covid and ChatGPTing “how to use a nipple shield”.

It’s a shame, because every now and then, an occasion to wear a fancy-ish top comes along: a work event, a dinner reservation at Roma, a 40th birthday lunch for which you want to look unapologetically smoking hot. You know, standard scenes for the standard millennial.

God forbid such an occasions lands in your diary when it’s 10 degrees outside.

We don’t need to tell you the perils of dressing up when it’s cold outside, but we do need to tell you all about the ‘nice’ tops we have located for this exact scenario.

So, that’s what this edit is all about: great, dressy-ish tops that make sense for winter.

Below the paywall below, you’ll find:

Eight neutral / brown-ish warm-hued tops
Eight romantic / sexy / chic as hell black tops
Two winter white and three print/pastel tops
Discount codes for Pinky & Kamal, Elk the Label, Tooralie and BEST

Of course, the great appeal of a ‘nice’ top is that it promises a simple way of getting dressed. A basic bottom, a nice top, and away you go. And this formula can work! But, we do love to push things a little further — especially in winter, when you naturally have more layers to work with.

We recommend one of two core approaches:

Mix your textures — given we’re generally working with more fabric when it’s cold, keep things interesting by mixing textures. Think: leather, faux fur, denim, silk, lace, woven knits etc. Anything goes. The contrast of soft, hard, heavy, light, flat and textured creates depth and interest. And stops you feeling like one homogenous lump of fabric. See below for inspiration:

Dhruv Kapoor Fall 2025 RTW - sheer top, cashmere knit, padded leather outerwear — an elite combination for a dressier winter vibe.

Dressed Up in Winter

No.21 Fall 2026 RTW - note that even though it’s an all-black look, it feels interesting, and has depth via the slices of skin, textured skirt, messy hair above very clean lines of her top.

Des Phemmes Fall-Winter 2026-27 — layer some tees, add some feathers and a beaded pencil skirt.

Balance your casual with your formal! A classic homeroom technique!! Mixing typically formal and typically casual fabrics or garments creates a more exciting tension in your outfit. Think: denim and lace, cotton and silk, leather and jersey. Jeans with heels and a nice top (baggier jeans preferred), diamonds with your t-shirt, slub sweaters with sequin skirts, fancy jackets worn as tops!