How to Pull Off the Tie-Front Top Fashion Trend

Ways You Can Rock the Tie-Front Top Trend This Summer

You may or may not have noticed it, but tie-front tops have been around for longer than you’d think, and are a pretty timeless style. The top style comes in many different iterations, so there’s no doubt that there’s at least one out there that matches your personal taste.

From button-downs to t-shirts, the tie-front can easily be DIY-ed and bring new life to your everyday pieces and outfits. There are so many ways one can style the trend, so let’s hop into how you can make the look your own and what to look out for the next time you go shopping.

What Does Tie-Front Mean?

Tie-front tops are pretty self-explanatory — the top features strings that can be tied in a knot at the front of the shirt. These have been around for quite a while, having been first spotted in 1940s magazines as beachwear. Even then, the cropped tie-front shirt was a summer staple and has since evolved and branched out into different categories of fashion. 

Additionally, not all tie-front tops are the same, with different designs and silhouettes that range from romantic to edgy, and with some shirts featuring thin strings at the centre and others featuring thick pieces to tie at the bottom. Tie-fronts are a super simple way to add texture and interesting detail to a look, no matter where you’re going.

Are Tie-Front Tops/ Shirts in Style?

Tie-front shirts have been in style for quite a while and have had their own fashion moments in every decade since the 40s, appearing on the runway, on movies and TV, on red carpets, and of course on city streets during hot summer months, so we don’t see it disappearing anytime soon. 

However, this year has found a few different takes on the trend, most of which feature a more crop length and a centred knot. But no matter what the silhouette, this trend is definitely here to stay. This is something you can put on when you’re going to the office or the beach this summer to make your plain white button-down a lot chicer and your oversized t-shirt way more stylish.

Whether you’re shopping for it in-store or reviving some old clothes by tying some knots, this is definitely a fun and super easy way to update your looks and make them fresher and more statement.

How Do You Style a Tie-Front Shirt?

There are countless styles of tie-front tops out there, and thanks to their versatility and how many different options there are, there really is no wrong way of wearing it. Plus, these tops can be hand-selected by you. 

Tie-front tops pair well with anything, so it really just comes down to what you like to wear daily. Whether it’s a loose silhouette or cinching at the waist, a revealing off-shoulder look or a modest button-down, a casual outfit or smart, tie-front tops can do it all. Here are a few ways of styling them.

Wear It With Jeans

One of the easiest things to match with the top is a pair of good quality denim jeans. Whether they’re straight cut, flared, or skinny, jeans are an easy go-to option that is sure to look good with the trend. 

We absolutely love how cropped tie-front tops with wider sleeves look when paired with slimmer jeans, as it creates a subtle contrast. Additionally, tops with an open front can be adjusted to be worn lower and without a bra for a more sexy and dramatic look, and partnering it with jeans can keep it casual and good for every day.

Pair It With a Skirt

If you don’t feel like sliding into a pair of jeans, a skirt is a great alternative that’s arguably even more comfortable and flowy. We love the look of a baggy or oversized tie-front shirt partnered with a pencil or slip skirt. 

For a more casual look, you could put on a t-shirt with a knot tied at the waist over a maxi skirt or you can opt for an off-shoulder tie-front shirt that shows off your arms along with a mini skirt for something more flirty for date night.

Put It Over a Dress

We love matching tops with dresses because of how you can create a totally new look with pieces you probably have never partnered together. Tying an open-top over a slip dress is a super cute and easy example of how you can use it as a complementary layer, and putting a knotted shirt over any dress you own can create the illusion of a new top and skirt set. 

The latter is a great hack for when you’re travelling and have limited clothing with you, but want to spice up your vacation look.

Transform Your Workwear

Bored of how your office attire looks? The tie-front trend is a great solution to that problem. Instead of tucking in that button-down, you can tie it at the waist over some high-waisted, structured trousers for a fashionable and still work-appropriate look. 

This look can also be taken out of the office and into the weekend, as you can turn that office top into a fun off-shoulder night-out shirt.

Final Note

The tie-front trend has come back in a big way at the moment, but the trend has never really gone away since its introduction decades ago. 

This is one of our favourite timeless trends because of how accessible it is, how easy it is to DIY with your old clothes, and how there’s no wrong way to wear it. So no matter what you like to wear, how old you are, or what your lifestyle is like, the tie-front trend is for everybody.