Everlane
- Everlane recently released "washable silk" tops in three styles: The Wrap Top ($98), The Relaxed Shirt ($110) and The Tie-Cuff Shirt ($110).
- The washable silk these tops are made of is heavier and less sheer than traditional silk, and more low-maintenance - so you can machine-wash it.
- To see how Everlane's washable silk stacks up in real life, four of us wore and machine-washed the tops. Overall, we liked the tops and we recommend them to anyone looking to forgo trips to their dry cleaner. But there's ultimately no beating the real deal, so we recommend Everlane's dry-clean-only Clean Silk Shirt ($98) to the everyone else.
If you asked me to create a wardrobe out of only one material - and I could be as impractical as I wanted - the answer would probably be silk.
Why? It's soft; it's smooth; it looks like a dry martini served in a dimly-lit piano bar.
Unsurprisingly, though, you don't get the glamour of silk without high-maintenance maintenance. The queen of textiles isn't cheap, and the care isn't easy: You'll probably need to hand-wash or dry clean it.
Startups have made it easier to find affordable and relatively hassle-free silk. You've probably seen ads for Lunya's washable silk pajamas or bought a silk pillowcase from Slip ($85), Brooklinen ($69), or Parachute ($189). The latest washable-silk option is from Everlane, the startup that's responsible for a disproportionate number of our team's all-time favorite basics.
Everlane's Washable Silk collection comprises three styles (The Wrap Top, The Relaxed Shirt, and The Tie-Cuff Shirt). These styles currently come in up to five colors and range in price from $98 to $110 (though Everlane estimates the shirts would cost closer to $215 at traditional retailers). Everlane's washable silk is less sheer and slightly heavier than traditional silk, and you can - as the name implies - just throw it in the wash alongside your other clothes. There's no need to hang-dry, either. But, to keep the silky feel, you may want to tumble-dry it on low.
To see how Everlane's washable silk stacks up in real life, I asked my coworkers to wear - and wash - the silk at home. Keep reading to find our reviews, but the gist is this: These are pretty, versatile tops that deliver on the drapery and luxe look of silk without the need for dry-cleaning. But, if you want a traditional experience and sheen, you should opt for Everlane's $98 Clean Silk version and foot the occasional dry-cleaning bill.
Four women review Everlane's Washable Silk tops. Here's what we thought:
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