The Hunt: Great Camisoles for Work Outfits

Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

Which are your favorite camisoles, readers? We haven’t been on a hunt for these in a while, and I have to say I’m a bit surprised at the huge variety out there, many flavors of which we’ve rounded up below. There are:

• nude for you camisoles!
• colorful camisoles!
• eco-friendly camisoles!
• cooling camisoles!
• warming camisoles, to keep the heat in!
• camisoles with bras
• shaping camisoles
• TONS of demi camisoles, widely called “crop camis” now (we did a whole roundup on this a while back — they’re great when you’ve already got other layers on, like a high-waisted Spanx-type thing — or when you don’t want a ton of fabric on, such as on a really hot day.)

Which camisoles do you have in your rotation, readers? What brands and types are your favorites?

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Some of Our All-Time Favorite Camisoles

Pictured above, our favorite camisoles for work: one / two / three / four (25+ different color combos in a 4 pack!)– don’t forget about demi-camisoles too, such as this, this or this — or chemisettes!)

• Hall of Famers: Commando, Hanro, J.Crew Factory, Icebreaker, Old Navy,
• Plus-Size Camisoles: J.Crew Factory, Halogen, 1.State, Eloquii,
• Lots of Colors Options: Boden, Quince, Uwila Warrior, Cinq a Sept,
• Blousy Camisoles (BUT! Know your office before you show wear them without another layer and/or show bra straps — we really recommend checking out our picks for sleeveless tops instead): 1.State, Halogen, Cinq a Sept, Treasure & Bond, Cuyana, Uniqlo, Vince, MM.LaFleur,
• Nude-For-You Camisoles: Banana Republic,
• Demi-Camisoles: Second Base, Halftees, Madewell, Uwila, Boao, or Old Navy (also check out chemisettes!)
• Camisoles With Bras: Uniqlo, Old Navy, Hanro,
• Shaping/Compression Camisoles: Spanx, Honeylove, Commando, Wolford, Yummie,
• Bodysuit Camisoles: Commando, Wolford, SKIMS,
• Eco-Friendly: H&M, Quince, MM.LaFleur, PACT, Boody, Amour Vert, Girlfriend Collective (ish – more of a workout top)
• Winter Camisoles: Icebreaker, Lands’ End (Thermaskin heat thermal), Uniqlo
• Summer/Cooling Camisoles: Uniqlo, Wacoal,

It’s slowly getting easier to find eco-friendly underlayers, and H&M’s Conscious line is one of the most affordable ones I know of. This fine knit tank top comes in 4 colors for $9.99, sizes XS-XXL, and contains 55% recycled polyester.

Some other options for eco-friendly camisoles include Boody, Amour Vert, and Girlfriend Collective (although Girlfriend Collective’s tops are more intended as workout tops). These washable silk camisoles from Quince are a bit more expensive but are OEKO-TEX certified and look great.

Is it just me, or are reversible camisoles trickier to find right now than they have been in the past? I like that this one has thicker straps, and like that it comes in three shades of beige/brown (as well as white and black). It’s even available up to size 2X — and it’s $16.50. Nice.

I’ve always preferred white camisoles beneath white blouses, instead of going for a nude-for-me beige — but if you ARE on the hunt for a nude-for-you camisole, Banana Republic’s True Colors line is a great place to start the hunt.

There are a TON of compression/shaping camisoles, of course — this Honeylove one is new to me and looks like it has some interesting, targeted smoothing. (It also promises to offer “underwire-free support”!)

It’s $84, available in sizes S-3X at Nordstrom. Some other options in the compression camisole game include Spanx, Commando, Wolford, and Yummie.

Here’s my $.02, but I’d love to hear what readers say: I think slinky, blousy camisoles like this are better for weekends than for work, even though every single TV show and movie would make you think this is the PERFECT top to wear under a suit or blazer. But if you do that and then remove the top layer, either a) your bra straps are showing, b) you’ve had to wear a strapless bra, or c) you’re not wearing a bra, all of which seem less than ideal for work.

(If you feel like wearing it underneath a blouse or something for opacity, though, by all means go for it!)

If you wildly disagree with me, this 1.State camisole is a more affordable version of the pictured one ($245, Cinq a Sept) — this Halogen camisole is similar but even better because it hides the bra straps.

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