Consider for a moment the enigma of the corset. Outdated? Absolutely. Repressive? Some may say so. How, then, has it managed to hold our cultural imagination over 100 years after having gone out of mainstream fashion? Ultimately, the allure and glamour associated with it is difficult to follow. The line of the ribbon, painstakingly tied, which runs down a woman’s back meets a modern match in the on-trend lace-up shirts of today. Modern designers such as Emilio Pucci, Derek Lam, and Tamara Melon appear to have taken inspiration from the seventies (if you haven’t started to see a common theme this season…) and the late nineties (think Britney Spears on the cover of “Oops… I Did It Again!”), but today’s chic lace-up tops remain relaxed and bohemian while hinting at a pointedly old-world “peek-a-boo” sex appeal. Check out some of the options below that will put your crisp button-downs to shame.

Style Inspiration: Blogger Brittany Xavier of Thrifts and Threads

1. Soft shirt with lace up detail, $67.26 at ASOS

2. CORBEN blouse, $135.00 at Aritzia

3. NEOPOLITAN tunic by Free People, $196.13 at ShopBop

4. SALENA top, $65.00 at The Store On Queen

5. Leather-trimmed silk top by Emilio Pucci, $1210.00 at Net-A-Porter

By Alyson Linke, Twitter and Instagram

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