I first started using the term "going-out tops" in college, when I had a collection of crappy, mostly polyester tops that I'd wear out to the bars or frat parties. I say crappy because they were not the highest quality—most of them probably came from Contempo Casuals, where I worked—but that was intentional, because they'd inevitably end up smelling like smoke and beer at the end of the night (remember when you could smoke indoors in the '90s?!), so I didn't mind if they got somewhat ruined. I paired my going-out tops with jeans or, if I was really getting dressed up, with black pants, all of which were low rise and bootcut. Once I started working and could afford something slightly nicer, I started collecting more grown-up going-out tops from Intermix (R.I.P.), Scoop, (same), or various sample sales in NYC. But then I settled down and while I still went out—more to restaurants than to clubs—I gravitated toward more subdued, serious clothes. After all, I didn't need to catch anyone's eye anymore! Fast-forward 15 years, and I'm in a different (and happy!) relationship now, but I am much more social, especially post-pandemic. Whether I'm meeting my girlfriends for drinks or going out to dinner with another couple, I've found myself struggling in recent years with what to wear. San Francisco is definitely a low-key town when it comes to fashion, but especially since I'm dressed pretty casually for most of the day, I really want to make an effort in the evening. And that's when it hit me: I didn't have any going-out tops!
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