I Found Three Excellent Airy Silk Camisoles to Wear Out This Summer

I’ve struggled to find a truly opaque white or cream camisole. This Aritzia number passed the sheerness test, but the bias cut and lace just felt busy in an unnecessary way. Its tunic length might appeal to those with a longer torso, but I couldn’t find a way to make the amount of excess fabric work for me. There’s also a lacy split hem I couldn’t figure out how to style. While I need to size down by a few sizes in a lot of Aritzia tops (I own five of itsPegasus tee), my usual size worked just fine here.

I’ve had a lot of success with Quince’s basics; the brand’s cotton roll-neck isone of my favorites, and I’ve purchased several of its cashmere sweaters. That said, the fabric on this cami felt thin and lacked the lushness I expect from 100 percent silk. It’s also very matte, and while I don’t love a super-shiny silk, I still want the material to look special. Lastly, it didn’t do much for me in terms of fit — the neckline had an unflattering high cut, and adjusting the straps was annoying.

The French know how to do delicate, lacy things well, and Etam’s affordable silk pieces are proof. I love the colors this camisole comes in and settled on Pret a Teindre, which reads as a pastel mint green in person, even though it looks more gray online. Etam’s fit guide says to size down, but I wish I had taken my usual size — the bust and body were tighter than I prefer (meaning the outline ofmy sticky brawas visible if I bent a certain way). The sizing made this cami feel a bit more like lingerie, even though it hits at a great hip length. I did love that it’s machine-washable (the tag actually saysnotto dry-clean it) and found that the silk stayed sleek and weightless after a run through the delicates cycle. For under $75, this was a near-perfect find.

You don’t see a lot of square-neck, lace-trimmed camisoles, and that’s what drew me to this piece from Dôen, despite the higher price tag. The cropped length makes it firmly a date night or going-out piece, and the boxy cut was surprisingly flattering and comfortable to move in. I loved the lace detailing at the hem, especially with a contrasting color pant. That said, given the cropped length, I’d probably pair this cami with high-waisted, dark-rinse denim instead of my usual satin bottoms, which limits how often I’d actually reach for it in the summer. The silk feels incredibly cool and lightweight, though, and was easily the most luxurious I came across.

[Editor’s note: The black top Babür-Winter tried is out of stock everywhere, but several other colors are still available.]

My main gripe with this well-fitting camisole was the viscose lining inside, which wasn’t mentioned in the description online. On a particularly humid day, I found that it made this top cling to my skin, and if I tried to tuck the hem into the front of my pants, I had to make sure the lining wouldn’t show through. Reformation tops often run small for me, but I found this one true to size, and the adjustable shoulder straps are easy to use; the extra lining does eliminate the need for a sticky bra in most cases. The blonde color is midway between butter yellow and cream.

The Cami NYC site has a dizzying number of options, but I was most intrigued by the Everly’s sporty crossed straps. The lace was beautifully detailed and soft, but I had trouble feeling secure with the nonadjustable straps and the looser, more generous fit up top. It also had a deeper V-neck than I’d usually opt for. The racerback’s unique look kept me from totally writing this one off, but it would probably be a better option for someone with a larger bust.

Petite Plume makes the best children’s pajamas, so I was curious to try its washable-silk set for women. I’m so glad I did — this camisole is myoneblack silk piece that hasn’t gotten that annoying chalky, starchy feel and dull look after machine washing. The V-neck has a generous amount of lace, and even though it’s marketed as sleepwear, it offers enough coverage to wear out to dinner, especially with the heavier drape thanks to the 22-mm silk fabrication. The straps are also easy to adjust. I think the top alone justifies the price tag, but the brand is also going to be releasing this camisole as a standalone piece later this year.

This cami is low cut without being too revealing, and I think the V-seam neckline would be super flattering on a range of sizes and body types. The silk stayed luscious and shiny after several machine washes (though it did need a steam each time), and the bust has a second layer of lining that you can only see if you look at it from the inside. It is also an ideal length that doesn’t need to be tucked in and has a chic slight dip in the back.

As someone whose early 20s were during the era of wearing business casual to parties, I accept that I have a flawed understanding of pieces that transition from day to night. But I’m confident this cami from L’Agence fits the bill thanks to the unique U-shaped neckline, which offers enough coverage that you could wear it under a blazer and tucked into a pencil skirt or trousers in a (nonformal) office environment but also untuck it to grab drinks after work. The bias cut draped as if it were custom-tailored to my body.