Elizabeth & Clarke is a women’s clothing subscription box all about polished, cute tops. They began with the mission of perfecting and extrapolating on the idea of the plain white shirt—though you'll now find pops of classic colors in their designs, the company is still dedicated to creating stylish essentials that are versatile, high-quality, and affordable.
Elizabeth & Clarke only designs a limited amount of new tees, blouses, sweaters, and tops each season, so they are able to keep the prices very reasonable. Each season, you get to preview the tops and pick your favorites. There are usually three new tops and a few classic styles that return from collection to collection. They also offer an "Unstainable" collection, which is just what it sounds like—crisp, white tops made specifically to resist stains from all sorts of spills (including wine)!
Each season, you can pick the tops you'd like to receive, or leave it up to the folks at Elizabeth & Clarke to decide for you. If a size or style isn't quite right, you can always exchange or return the item. Returns and exchanges are free in the U.S.
Elizabeth & Clarke sent us this box for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: Elizabeth & Clarke
The Cost: $60 for one shirt, $100 for two shirts ($50 per shirt), or $120 for three shirts ($40 per shirt), which are delivered once a season (once every three months). Shipping, returns, and exchanges are free in the U.S.
LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use code CMSA25 to save 25% off your first box!
The Products: Essential, versatile shirts, sweaters, blouses, and other tops with on-trend silhouettes and detailing (many of which are stain resistant and even machine washable). Available in sizes 00-18.
Ships to: Free shipping, returns, and exchanges in the U.S. Shipping to Canada is $15, and international shipping incurs a $25 shipping surcharge.
Check out all of our Elizabeth & Clarke Reviews and the Women’s Subscription Box Directory!
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This is a review of Elizabeth & Clarke's collection for Summer 2017. I love the look of crisp white tops, but I have a hard time finding styles that fit and are worth the cost. Personally, I also like things that have a bit of personality about them—I have a style that's a little more outside-the-ordinary. It's hard for me to drop a lot of money on just a plain white button down that might be practical, but doesn't feel quite like me. I often find that "essential" pieces make me feel like I'm wearing a "professional" costume rather than dressing like a more polished version of myself. Elizabeth & Clarke seems to have some pieces that are more traditional, as well as pieces with details that push them a little outside the box.
Here are the three looks I got in my package. I'm most nervous to try the Mercer since I'm unsure whether the asymmetrical cut will look awkward or not. The other designs look awesome, though (I love the sailor-esque neckline on the Halifax). Also, I could've stood up and cheered when I saw that all of these pieces are machine washable and dryer safe!
Halifax Top (Crepe de Chine, Machine Washable/Dryer Safe)
The first top is silky smooth and has a slight translucence to its fabric. I usually wear a medium in tops and chose to receive all of these shirts in a size 6. I found that the neckline made the shoulders seem to slouch out just a little more than I would've liked, but it is really comfortable to wear. My shoulders are broader, so I'm used to them being squished into more tailored tops. Here, they felt much freer—I could move my arms around without restriction or feeling like something was about to tear.
The longer sleeves weren't my favorite at first. I'm only 5' 3", and my arms are on the shorter side—I often feel like half sleeves make my arms look shorter than usual. But I think, because these end just above my elbow and have a looseness to them, they aren't too bad. The neckline is cool, too—I like the navy detail a lot and the fact that the neckline is made from several layers of folded fabric. It's the kind of detail that I could see people looking twice at.
The shirt is the exact same on the back. I was a little worried the deep V would show off the clasp of my bra, but it looks like we're safe! This shirt is from the Unstainable collection, too, meaning it's ready to resist "water-, oil-, and alcohol-based stains" according to the info card.
Mercer Top (Crepe de Chine, Machine Washable/Dryer Safe)
I was skeptical of this top, especially seeing it waiting for me on the hanger. All of the darting and seaming necessary to make this asymmetrical silhouette work made the shirt hang in such a weird, kind of messy looking way. But putting it on, the shirt was comfortable, light, and surprisingly flattering! It's another Unstainable style, too.
This top is made from the same fabric as the first shirt, so it's silky soft and just opaque.
The shirt has just the slightest bit of stretch about it (like, very slight), so I actually shimmied into it without touching the available zipper. The longer shape didn't get along perfectly with my curvier silhouette, but it did sit much more comfortably than I expected. I do feel like if you have a longer torso, this will be super flattering on you!
I don't dislike this top since it's so interesting and comfortable to wear. If I had one change, it might be to have the two shoulders be the same. It feels so weird to me to have a little bit more coverage tapping on my one shoulder but have the other be bare. I keep thinking the less-substantial shoulder has gotten bunched up or something and needs pulled down, haha!
York Top (Ponte de Roma Knit, Cupro Lining, Machine Washable/Lay Flat to Dry)
This was my favorite top in this box! The thicker, Ponte fabric (which is also Unstainable!) has just the slightest bit of stretch to it, and there's a soft lining beneath. Again, I just shimmied into this top without using the zipper on the back. I was really happy about the length and general fit of this top, which I thought might turn out too straight to be flattering on my body. But it's pretty effortless and doesn't pull or hug anything too much at all.
The best part of this top, for me, was the shoulder detailing. The tabs create a sort of a structured cap sleeve that matches the tabs along the neckline. It's a design I've never seen before, and I just love how unexpected it is. It's very professional, but I feel like there's a tiny bit of avant-garde edge to it, too.
The only part of this top that I'm not so into are these tabs on the hemline. Something about them looks unfinished like they should've been sewn on the sides or folded up into the shirt. They also just remind me of those tabs you have to pop out of travel coffee lids...
Apart from the flappy things, I liked this top so much that I wore it the same night I got it. I do improv at a local comedy theater, and I had a show to do that night. I ended up tucking the hem into my high-rise dark skinny jeans, but it looked pretty darn cute. I can attest that the Sweat-Proof cupro lining did keep me feeling way less sweaty and sticky than I thought this thicker, lined top would leave me. And after the show, a friend of mine came up and said: "I love this shirt—you look like Claire Underwood [from House of Cards]... and coming from me, that's a really great compliment!" I'd mark this as a winner!
Verdict: I loved my first experience with Elizabeth & Clarke! The tops feel so well made, and they all have something unique about them that makes them a bit more my style than a plain button-down shirt might be. At $40 per top, they're definitely what I'd consider expensive. But I feel like I'll get so much more use out of these tops than a typical top I'd find at the mall. These shirts are built to be machine washed (which is huge for me), and the stain resistance is huge. So they'll have a much longer lifespan than other shirts I've bought. I can't wait for the next group!
What do you think about these Summer 2017 picks from Elizabeth & Clarke?
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