I’m a Gen Z Fashion Editor—The One Millennial Top Trend I Always Get Compliments on

As London’s grey skies melt away into blissfully hot days, I’ve begun thinking about how I can update my winter wardrobe into more summer-friendly styles. My first point of call? Investing in one of the best waisted tops dominating the high street and designer set.

If you don’t recall, waisted cardigans emerged a few weeks ago as one of the biggest defining trends for your transeasonal wardrobe. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already put this piece on hold for whenever the temperature begins to dip again. But there’s something about a waist-cinching top that just feels so elegant, meaning that I’m on the lookout for balmier options that suit days when I want to feel the sun’s kiss on my skin.

What Is a Waisted Top?

Waisted tops are, if you hadn’t guessed by the name, styles that feature an inbuilt contour that hugs the midsection of your torso. These are pieces that are fitted at the top and flare toward the bottom, giving you the appearance of a more hourglass figure without relying on constricting methods like corsetry.

If you’ve been on TikTok at all lately, you might’ve heard Gen Z dubbing the Millennial-adored basque waist trend to the obsession with mason jars that defined the 2010s. That is to say, we’ve already seen an appetite for new variants of waisted tops crop up on social media.

Thankfully for those of us who don’t want to dip into the past, the current styles of waisted tops that you can buy now don’t denote a specific decade, meaning that there are so many timeless options that can serve you year after year. (If you did by chance happen to hang onto a peplum top from this era, you’re in luck, as this sculpted silhouette is another form of waisted top that’s on the rise.)

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What Are the Best Waisted Tops Styles?

The beauty and appeal of the best waisted tops to shop is that they’re not exclusively to a specific format. There are strapless waisted tops made from luxurious linens that fall below the hip, like the ones that are always present in Australian resort wear label Faithful The Brand’s new collections.

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Or the bubble hem pintuck style currently available at Arket. My colleague, Who What Wear UK’s Shopping Editor Florrie Alexander, recently picked it up and I was honestly shocked when she told me it wasn’t from a more expensive brand like Dôen.

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(Image credit: @florriealexander)

In saying that, if you do have the means to splurge on a gorgeous summer blouse, Toteme and St. Agni are both offering sculpting iterations designed in their signature decisively minimalistic lens.

One of the most enduring shirt trends—shirred tops—also falls into the category of a waisted top as the elasticated gathering creates a tighter form around your mid-section before cascading into a flowing shape down by the edge.

I’ve recently gotten my hands on a very Chloé-coded sheer lace waisted top from M&S. The style features a cap sleeve and exaggerated ruffle front that sits around the V-neckline, plus that always admirable waist-hugging effect.

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How to Style a Waisted Top

Of course, once you’ve made the waisted top a part of your wardrobe, the next step to take is to style it back with your other fashion staples. Given waisted tops are tapered around your abdomen, the best point of call is to either lean into this sleekness with your favourite pair of polished straight-leg jeans or to reject it altogether in with a breezy skirt or wide-leg trousers. Both options are ideal at striking a balanced ensemble that still feels premium and favours the bowed structure in-built to waisted tops.

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But before you get there, you need to scope out what stores are currently offering the best waisted tops for 2025. That’s where I come in. I’ve already done the hard work for you, trying the most-rated and best-selling styles so far and scrolling through the racks to hand deliver a comprehensive edit of the leading designs. Uncover the best waisted tops, ahead.