CELIA | Sleeveless linen with a mandarin collar

Bare arms I have made my peace with. It is the neck I would rather not think about.

Summer asks you to take something off, and for a lot of us the arms are not the part we mind. It is the neck and the upper chest, which is where the sun and the years show first, and a wide scoop neckline puts all of it on display at exactly the time of year when covering up is the least appealing option available.

Celia solves it at the top rather than the bottom. A soft mandarin collar stands neatly at the base of the neck and covers what a scoop neck would open up, while the top itself is sleeveless, so the cooling happens where you actually want it. It is cut in linen, which is open enough for air to pass straight through, and finished with a slanted button placket that runs at an angle rather than straight down. The tiny floral print keeps it from reading as a uniform blouse.

Why women our age keep coming back to it

• Covered at the neck, open at the arms. The mandarin collar closes the neckline while the sleeveless cut keeps you cool, which is the opposite of how most summer tops are built.
• Linen, so it actually breathes. The open weave lets air move rather than sitting against the skin, which is what a sleeveless top in a synthetic never manages.
• A slanted placket. The buttons run on an angle instead of straight down the middle, which breaks the vertical line and stops it looking like a work shirt.
• A small print, not a bold one. Tiny florals give it interest without turning it into the loudest thing you own.

Buy more, save more

• Buy 2 and save 10 percent
• Buy 3 and save 15 percent
• Buy 4 and save 20 percent

The discount is applied automatically at checkout.

How it fits

Celia is a relaxed fit and true to size, and it comes in M through 2XL only, so check the chart before ordering rather than assuming your usual size is in the range. If you are between two sizes, take the larger one, because a sleeveless armhole that sits close is uncomfortable in a way a sleeve never is. The size chart lists chest, length and sleeve in inches, measured flat.

30 days to change your mind

Send it back within 30 days for a full refund. There is no restocking fee and no questions about why.

A few recent reviews

The collar is the reason I bought it and the reason I will buy another.
Gussie A., Tucson

Real linen. It creases and it is cool, both of which I expected.
Iona T., 66

The armholes are cut generously. Nothing digs in under the arm.
Reba M., Sun City