The Modal Top - Black

The one top that Hil and Sue have in every single colour. If you only understand one thing about The Modal Top from My Essential Wardrobe, understand this: the fabric is extraordinary. Customers come into the shop, pick it up, and immediately say "oh." That kind of soft. That kind of drape. And at £26, that kind of value is genuinely unbeatable.

Made from 95% Modal (TENCEL™) and 5% Elastane, this is the Black — as clean and versatile a colour as exists in a wardrobe. It works under jumpers and cardigans all winter (Hil pairs it with the Y London Asymmetric Knit constantly), on its own tucked into a skirt in summer, and under a blazer for any occasion in between. The 5% elastane means it moves with you without ever bagging or losing its shape.

Features

• 95% Modal (TENCEL™), 5% Elastane — extraordinarily soft, breathable and sustainably sourced
• Casual fit, hip length
• Clean black — works under absolutely everything
• Sizes S–XL
• Machine wash 30°C

Care Instructions

Machine wash at 30°C with similar colours. Do not bleach. Do not tumble dry — lay flat or hang to dry to maintain the shape. Cool iron if needed. Modal gets softer with every wash, so these genuinely get better over time.

Why We Love It

At £26 this is one of those pieces you buy in three colours without a second thought. Hil and Sue both have it in every colourway that's come through the shop — and they reach for it daily. It is, without question, the backbone of a properly layered wardrobe. Under jumpers, under blazers, under cardigans, on its own. The TENCEL™ Modal is produced in a closed-loop system from sustainably harvested wood pulp — as kind to the planet as it is to your skin.

Styling Suggestions

• Hil (UK 10/12, 5'3"): wears her M under the Y London Asymmetric Knit in grey, cream and navy — the black Modal Top reads completely differently under each colour. Also tucked into wide-leg black trousers with a blazer for an instant polished look. On easier days: dark denim, gold hoops, this top. Done.
• Sue (UK 6, 5'0"): wears an S and calls it her "secret weapon" — it's the reason she can wear open-fronted cardigans and floaty knits and still look put together. The Modal Top underneath quietly holds everything together. She layers it under her chunky roll-neck in winter and wears it alone tucked into a midi skirt for Sunday lunch.