Forget Milkmaid Dresses, This Summer It’s All About The Milkmaid Top

Last year, milkmaid dresses - essentially, a wafty piece of material that would very much suit a wildflower meadow (think: the best Dôen dresses) - almost overtook the floral dress as summer's most popular throw-on-and-go item. This hot-weather season's update, however, is slightly less immersive, with a top version of the once-ubiquitous dress that utilises its boho credentials without looking as though you've lost your milking stool.

You can't escape the rise of milkmaid tops. As well as Dôen, whose entire 'tops' category right now is practically an ode to being an off-duty milkmaid (Kaia Gerber just wore its Traveler Top), high street brands have discovered the blouse in a big way ahead of summer (H&M, Nobody's Child, you name it).

It's not hard to see the appeal. Even if you're not an outdoorsy person, and would rather not get up close and personal with anything of a bovine persuasion, the milkmaid top is tempting. Usually white and made of cotton with details along the lines of lace inserts, bow-tied closures, sheer panels and a general sense of lightness that makes them suitable for sultry temperatures (if only!), it's a top that goes hand in glove with summer occasions like meeting a friend after work for a park date (wine included).

The trick is perhaps not going head-to-toe milkmaid, which is hard to avoid with the dress version. A milkmaid top, on the other hand, can be paired with a variety of lo-fi bottoms to balance out, or at least temper, its cottagecore leanings, something like knee-length denim shorts, a cargo skirt or even tracksuit bottoms.

Of course, if you're fond of the look (and dipped your toe into the milkmaid dress trend last time round), no one's stopping you from teaming your milkmaid top with a lace skirt, bloomers or, following in the very stylish footsteps of Nicole Stark, a similarly wafty skirt.

Shop: The Best Milkmaid Tops

Natalie Hammond is senior fashion news editor at Grazia. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).