Finally! An Easy Top for Adventures With Young Children
As a mom of three young children, I’m always chasing after these three unicorns: 1. finishing a morning cup of coffee before it gets cold; 2. taking a family photo where everyone is smiling; 3. finding clothes that make me feel cute and comfy as I lift, carry, rock, and run with (and after) my kids.
Of course, a T-shirt and leggings will get the job done. But at seven months postpartum, I’m yearning to break free from spandex! So, the other day while dressing for my daughter Ella’s softball game, I gave myself two rules: wear green to match Ella’s team’s color and resist T-shirts FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
I then spotted and pulled on a top I’d never worn before: this button-up camp shirt.
Flash-forward to two hours later. My family and I are sitting on the sidelines of a hot, dusty baseball field, watching a pack of five-year-old girls chase after a softball. I’m bouncing my baby, Evelynn, in my arms as the sun beats down. I make peace with the fact that I’m about to have the world’s largest pit stains.
But here comes the plot twist. At the end of the game, I don’t feel sticky, and there are no sweat stains in sight. Instead, I feel cool and dare I say… fresh? Also, as I swoop up a rosy-cheeked Ella in my arms to congratulate her, my midriff stays completely covered. Below is a photo of me feeling myself in the shirt, after the game and a trip to the ice cream store with the kids.
What makes this shirt so magical is the cut and material: it’s made with a sweat-wicking material, but has that classic camp shirt feel. It has all the pros of a workout top, without looking like a workout top. The next time we have a family day, I’m planning on leaning into full camp counselor vibes, and wearing this shirt with high-rise khaki shorts and a bandana. Here are more camp shirts I have my eye on, made out of other lightweight and breathable fabrics:
Thoughts? How cool would it look if we all rolled up to a Cup of Jo meet-up wearing our favorite camp shirts? What other styles make you feel pretty and comfy these days?
P.S. Joanna’s mom’s style and five holy grail beauty products.
Comments
64 commentsSemi-unrelated question for all the wonderful parents here. I know I’m not the only one with a six month old that still wakes up 8-15 times per night (not at all exaggerating), doesn’t recognize her body, and is slowly falling apart at work. I desperately want more than one child BUT what if the next one’s an even worse sleeper? Other parents, help me: how did you ever feel brave enough to roll the dice again for a second, third, fourth child?!
my second is 14 months, both were and are crappy sleepers. four year old does now sleep through the night, most nights anyway. baby still wakes up 5-7 times a night. second pregnancy was an accident/surprise, i never felt ready to go through the sleep deprivation again. kind of want a third but then I’m like AM I INSANE?!? i suspect the answer to this, among other things, is some combination of: just lie to yourself that it’s ok, you’ll never be ready so just do it anyway, they are worth it, everything is temporary. sorry i can’t be of more help to you, sending love and coffee.
I have to admit, I have given this topic waaaay too much consideration over the last couple of years! But I recently purchased the skyline hemp vest from Jungmaven. https://jungmaven.com/products/hemp-vest-skyline-100?variant=45547066851526 It is hitting all the important marks. It’s sturdy and good quality but i don’t feel like i have to be precious about it. It washes well and looks good with everything. It’s lightweight but not flowy. I got it on sale for $100 which is a little more than i want to pay for a shirt but i’m wearing it constantly so worth it.
Do other people’s toddlers not unbutton their shirts? Just mine?
This made me laugh. Mine totally did
Ha! And I was going to say my kiddo would have a FIELD DAY with Janelle’s earrings! They look fab on you, Janelle, I wish my son didn’t want to grab everything off of me all the time – bracelets, necklaces, belts, rings, you name it!
Hahaha mine doesn’t, but I will say I took this photo now two months ago before Evelynn was in her earring grabbing stage. Now I wouldn’t dare !
I tend to stay away from button down shirts because the last one I had (long sleeved) got SO WRINKLY when I washed it, and I do not iron. Did I just have a bad fabric? I can’t imagine that busy moms of littles do any ironing. Any suggestions for low-wrinkle fabric or shirts?
I’m guess what you had was linen? I have to avoid linen for that reason. Too much maintenance. Synthetic brands tend not to wrinkle and are moisture wicking but- as another poster mentioned earlier- are made from plastic.
For long sleeve shirts, I shake out/untwist the sleeves before I put them in the dryer so the wrinkles don’t set. Better yet, hang them on a hanger to air dry. But linen does tend to hold wrinkles, so cotton might be a better bet if you want a breathable fabric.
Yes! I love a good button down short sleeve shirt! I’m always looking at thrift stores and found a very cute one recently that is 100% cotton, cropped AND has an embroidered butterfly on it 😳🥹 I feel endlessly cool in it (yes, pun intended)
Great style! & great tip for this sweaty betty. I like the embroidered linen men’s shirts too, and tuck or tie at waist so its still baggy enough in armpits ( prefer no yoke on the back), works as beach cover up too. Never heard of camp shirt had to google that!
I live in button-down shirts and just today picked up a nice gap linen one at Costco!
omg score!!
Yes! I think the key with these is the length. Perfect to just let it hang, which is great because I’ve become very confused about tucking as of late. Do I? Don’t I? These just work as-is. Quince has a good one in linen and (pricier but great quality) Faherty makes one that I’ve worn a bazillion times. Works for everything.
I agree! I love a good front tuck but now I think that’s out. Or is it in? I can’t keep up.
Its soooo hot and humid in the summers where I live, flowy shirts like these are cooler (especially without a bra!!) than a tight tank top…
This was such a relatable and useful read. I love how the post focuses on clothes that actually work for real-life days with kids, not just pieces that look nice in a photo. The camp shirt idea feels fresh, practical, and still feminine — exactly the kind of easy summer staple I’d want to reach for.
i don’t like short sleeves or synthetic fabrics (i was shocked to learn that polyester = plastic), but since becoming a mom, i LIVE in 100% cotton long-sleeve button-up shirts. sun-safe, breezy, comfortable, and so easy to throw on! if i want some sun, i wear a tank top underneath and use the shirt as a cover-up when i’m done getting sun 🙂
I love a camp shirt!! And to nitpick a little—I don’t think most of the shirts linked are camp shirts! I think of that neckline that she has in the green one as the classic camp collar, so only the gingham shirt linked looks camp to me!
Not sure what makes a “camp shirt”… is it just a short-sleeved relaxed button-down? I have a couple of shirts in this silhouette and I do love them – always feel extremely classy and also comfortable (loose enough to go bra-less), and I do find they are good for a variety of temperatures.
Technically I believe it’s the lack of a collar stand that makes it a camp shirt. Easier to sew and less formal. (See how Janelle’s shirt and the gingham example lie flat around the collar.) But in practice, any short-sleeved button up works about the same way!
I love the campy look! I’m 5’10” and size M – I don’t love the cropped look on my body. Anyone have any ideas?
Gap and Old Navy often have ‘tall’ available for cropped styles, making them hit at a more natural waist (no peeking belly).
Orvis! They are pricey but have good sales.
Quince has a great camp shirt. Wore it in very hot SE Asia last summer and managed to look put together. Bonus: they make great bathing suit cover ups!
I’ll add that Quince has a fantastic washable silk pajama top that is cut like a cropped camp shirt! I have two that I wear eeeeeeeeverywhere but bed :) They, somehow, always make my outfit look polished. Pajamas!
This is the kind of content I am HERE FOR!! I just had our first baby in January, and while out on a walk this morning I realized the sweater I had chosen, and then promptly wrapped my precious baby over, was wayyyy too hot and I had to turn around before we both overheated! I exclusively thrift my clothing, but luckily I live in a mountain town, so I’m going to start keeping my eyes out for camp shirts in performance fabrics (something I never would have considered before)! Also, you’re so brave to be wearing such fun earring with a grabby baby! Mine would have those things ripped out of my ear so fast! Haha
My thoughts as well, Shar! You look so pretty and happy, Jannelle!
Oversized linen button ups are my jam and so easy to thrift. Sleeves can be rolled up, the buttons done up neatly or open, or halfway, whatever your flavor.
I accidentally joined this trend when I got a creamy colored one at a thrift store for my daughter to wear to dress up as Jane Goodall for a school presentation and then I was like, hey wait a minute? Is this cute? And yes, it is! And it fits me :)
Max holding the umbrella to give his cute girls some shade = lovely! Always rooting for sweet men, and am so gratefully married to one.
He is the very best! xxx
I came here to say the same thing! Love him holding that umbrella for you ❤️
I have a few of these already and just bought two more! They are carrying me through the end of my pregnancy and will be perfect for breastfeeding this summer/fall! Got all of mine at Benetton :) Can’t wait to pair them with something other than maternity leggings, and a cute baby!
I just want to commend you for your bravery wearing those (very cute) hoop earrings so close to a baby’s hand :) This made me remember a camping shirt I used to wear all the time after my first was born that I haven’t gotten out in ages! Time for it to make a comeback. The sweatiness of being a mom of little kids is very real.
Get an Ember mug!! Changed my morning coffee life with kids! If I set it down and come back 30 minutes later, it’s still piping hot!
Second the Ember mug!! It is the best gift I received postpartum.
Came here to say the same. It would be a great mothers day gift!
Cute top, love the color. Fabric makes all the difference. I live in a hot southern state, and learned a long time ago that t-shirts, knit fabrics, and snug spandex-y clothes like leggings are unpleasant in hot weather. I would rather wear a loose cotton men’s shirt than a snug t-shirt. I may look frumpy, but I am always cooler and happier for doing it.
I love a v necked or split neck camp shirt (non buttoned). If you have wide shoulders like me, the higher sleeve with the turn do something to make me look more balanced.
Summer is all about woven tops instead of knit. I can’t to tee shirts in the heat.
Okay… this is awesome. and SO needed. I have come to realize that I sweat a LOT every day, if I’m having the kind of day that I WANT to have (taking my dog on a long brisk walk, playing with my kids in an active way, using my walking pad at my desk). Does anyone follow Two Scoops of Style on Instagram? Lovely twin 30 somethings with great style advice. One of them lives in NYC and goes on extremely long walks in the cutest outfits, and I’m like HOWWW??? I would be drenched! Related to all of this, does anyone have a bra that they love that’s not quite real bra, not quite sports bra, something in between that gives shape and support and can easily be thrown in the wash?? And that’s not $100 a pop?
“I have come to realize that I sweat a LOT every day, if I’m having the kind of day that I WANT to have” THIS! This is exactly the stage of life I’m in right now, too. And realizing it has really pushed me to edit my closet so that it has pieces that support this new phase of life that I’m in, where I’m very active and will most likely get a stain on me from cute chubby hands. I’m definitely going to follow that IG account, thanks for sharing!
I just got this “light support” sports bra from Target that checks all those boxes for me! And now I see online that they have lots of other colors… https://www.target.com/p/women–39-s-everyday-soft-light-support–bra—all-in-motion–8482–black-m–moisture-wicking–quick-drying/-/A-87931235
I like this one! https://shapermint.com/products/truekind-everyday-comfort-v-neck-bralette?variant=41285113249926
Big fan of Underoutfit bras: soft, sewn-in pads, no underwire, around $60 full price. I wear them all the time, including during my lunchtime workout.
Just giving a plug for Thompson Tee undershirts, which have a special sweat-blocking barrier. I remember the White Lotus costume designer mentioning them on a COJ interview a while back!
I don’t wear them all the time for day to day unless it’s the right outfit for it, but I second Marie’s rec. Though I wouldn’t call it light support (I’m a small D and I feel very snug/supported in them). They are definitely my go-to sports bras though.
Thanks everyone!! Yall are awesome
Janelle, I love your content! Belated welcome back from maternity leave!
Oh thank you so much! xx
I noticed this kind of shirt as a mini-trend here two summers ago, with lots of people wearing versions that seemed thrifted from the men’s section, either a bit oversized or in the right size but still a bit boxy. Some solid colour ones and then lots of ’80s prints as well. I thrifted myself a periwinkle cotton one that’s big on me, but like Jannelle said it works with high-waisted but not tight shorts, or with narrow bottoms like she’s wearing here. Yay summer!
Cute outfit and baby :) And your partner protecting you with sun umbrella ❤️
I actually have the GAP factory ruffly shirt, and it’s not short, it’s soft & cotton and surprisingly super-cute. And they have great sales.
I’ve been influenced! I love a moisture wicking fabric. I have been looking to expand my postpartum wardrobe beyond joggers and t shirts. I just bought that camp shirt in blue!
Yay!!! If you’re looking for fun combos to wear it with: – camp shirt + wide-legged jeans + brown boat shoes – khaki shorts + low-top converse + baseball hat – overalls + Boston Birkenstocks + big gold hoops
Love those ideas, thanks! :)
Great suggestion!! These generally look a little short for me to still have midriff coverage while in motion, but I’ll definitely have to keep an eye out for styles along these lines still to have better t-shirt alternatives that also aren’t fussy.
If you find a shorter cropped camp shirt that you like, you could pair it with high-waisted jeans / shorts! It actually looks really cool together, and creates this loose and effortless silhouette.
This is the type of top I’ve been looking for with a breastfeeding infant (buttons!) and energetic five year old!
It is truly the bestttt if you have little, busy kids haha. I can run around in it and still feel comfy.
Currently reading this as I grab my cup of coffee out of the microwave. I’m pregnant with my third so this is timely- thank you for the rec!
Congratulations!! I really, really love it, and am actually wearing it right now! x