Womens Blouses

The blouse is a garment rich in history! It was originally worn by peasants, artists, women, children and workmen and was gathered at the waist by a belt. Blouses weren't popular with fashionable women until the 1890s, when they became popular for wearing with long skirts. Blouses can come in virtually any style-long, short, sleeveless, long sleeves, short sleeves, tight- or loose-fitting, with buttons or no buttons-and just about any fabric. Women's blouses usually have buttons on the opposite side from men's shirts, and the reason for that is unclear.

SHOP.COM offers blouses galore to select from. Blouses made in materials such as silk, cotton and velvet, and available in all sorts of styles from the kimono blouse look to tight-fitting, lace-trimmed versions. Elie Tahari blouses are a fun, casual line of blouses, including its Alia Dining Out top, which features a colorful dining-out design with all-over embroidery, point collar, button front, split hemline and cuffed sleeves. Susan Graver's collection features many loose-fitting, flattering blouses in lots of different prints and colors, including the classy mandarin collar pleated blouse and ruched style, which blends comfort and style in easy-to-care-for,100-percent polyester.

Sunny Leigh makes short- and long-sleeved blouses in shantung and silk, and the stunning red one features a cute little accent bow at the side. Casual blouses abound at ECI, where you can find ones to wear over jeans or skirts, many of which have pretty rosettes decorating the bust.

James specializes in elegant silk blouses with big price tags, but their style and looks make them worth the price. Newport News offers just about any style blouse you can imagine, in a variety of colors, prints and fabrics, at very reasonable prices, and Sag Harbor has some lovely styles, including a floral print, sheer blouse with a flattering fit that features button-front closure, long sleeves and a pointed collar. Michael Kors carries both casual and dressy blouses, from short-sleeve, button-front styles to silky beaded numbers for a special occasion.