Lets start with what to look for. A good wrap top gets away with everything because of the tie. Ignore the print or the colour, focus on the tie. The wrap should fall at an actual angle across your body, crossing far enough over to stay crossed without safety pins popping up your sleeves. It should fasten with an actual self tie or a neat button closure at the side seam, not a flimsy internal string that works for about an hour then starts slipping around. Fabric is important (trust me, it is more important than most blogs will tell you): a jersey with substance and a little stretch will stay crossed as you move, but a thin floaty crepe might look beautiful hanging off a rail but will fall down as soon as you sit down or try to pick something up. Look for wrap tops that are cut with a slight curve through the waist to give the tie something to hold onto, rather than a straight cut of fabric that merely crosses and is then knotted into place and hoped for the best.
Fit is where most wraps fail. The V neck should be deep enough that you can wear it to work (with careful positioning of course) but not so deep that you look careless. Sleeves are worth paying attention to, as a three quarter length or capped elbow sleeve tends to suit more body types than a snuggly cap sleeve.
Look for a hem with some shape to it, whether that’s longer in the back or perhaps gently curved, so you can wear it loose over trousers without bunching at the front.
The great thing about wraps is that once you have the fit nailed, they’re genuinely easy to style. Tucked into high waisted trousers or a pencil skirt it can take the place of a blouse, allowing lots of movement without annoying gaping buttons. Left untucked over your widest-leg jeans it’s more casual but still stays put.
Try it for evening too. Silk or satin version under a blazer with the sleeves pushed up is more interesting than a plain white shirt ever could be, and layers easily under coats without chunky collar.
They’re also fantastic for most occasions. They work in the office because they look effortless, they work for day time events as the wrap offers some shape without being fitted, and they work for night because the right fabric can sparkle in a way that no t shirt will. For me, its all about the wraps that look great at the end of the day too, not ones that just look good in the first hour.
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