My wardrobe is crammed with easy-to-reach cotton tees and ribbed vest tops. Plus, having a slight obsession with the underwear-as-outerwear trend, I hold a strong belief that basics are designed to be seen rather than reserved solely for lounging around the house. This'll explain why I'm delighted to see the resurgence of pointelle, a super-soft fabric with a delicate, lace-like pattern that elevates the humble basic and evokes summers spent frolicking in the French countryside (a girl can dream).
If you've been hit with a wave of nostalgia, it makes sense. The openwork knit, characterised by its lightweight nature and peppered with girly motifs like hearts, dainty florals, diamonds and chevrons, is associated with schoolgirl vests, frilly socks and grandma cardigans. Pointelle hasn't necessarily gone anywhere — it's been a favoured natural fabric for maximising comfort, especially during transitional weather, due to its breathability — but it's this cosy simplicity reminiscent of girlhood, and its natural fit in the slow-paced, whimsical world of the cottage-core aesthetic that's seen it pop back up on our fashion radar.
According to Google, searches for pointelle have increased by 70% in the past month. Cult favourites like Cou Cou Intimates and Dôen are the brands that've been championing a pointelle item, showing us how to incorporate this look into our daily wardrobe rotation. Sabrina Carpenter was photographed reclining in a Cou Cou Intimates floral print pointelle bra and knickers set for the front cover of Perfect magazine last month, and once you see an off-duty Zoe Kravitz strolling through NYC in ballet pumps and sporting a white pointelle cami top beneath a button-down cardi, you know it's officially a cool-girl staple.
Like all good basics, a pointelle top is versatile. Lately, we've been treated to a decent run of bright days and sort-of-warm weather, meaning clothes are constantly coming on and off, and light layers are important. A pointelle vest top is just the piece we need to throw on under a blazer at the office, or match with a thinly knitted cardigan for a weekend day-date.
If this is your vibe, then you'll be pleased to know that Primark has the cutest pointelle cami top that'll easily become an everyday go-to. With a scoop neckline that features a pretty picot trim and a subtle heart pattern, it instantly adds more interest to an outfit than a standard tank top. Primark has five colour options to choose from, too, including a classic navy and white, or a bold red shade that'll totally channel a tomato girl summer once the season hits. My pick is the cottage-core-coded pastel blue hue.
Best of all? This cami comes in at under a fiver, so you can stock up on as many colours as you please. Shop this and our other fave pointelle tops on the high street.
Primark Cotton rich pointelle cami top
Cou Cou Intimates The scoop tank
Free People End Game Pointelle Tank
ASOS Design Pointelle scoop neck vest in cream
Organic Basics Pointelle cardigan in soft lilac
Organic Basics Pointelle cardigan in soft lilac
Sophie Leen is the Bookings Editor for Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK. She specialises in creating fashion and shopping content across both digital and print platforms, as well as producing all of our fashion editorial photoshoots, which have included our digital cover with Olly Alexander and our curve influencer’s letter to the high street story. Sophie also looks after our Try Before You Train franchise where our team have tested and reviewed over 100 gymwear items.
