My Favorite Going-Out Outfit Includes This Cool-Girl Staple—38 Under-$100 Finds

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(Image credit: @loriharvey; Pictured: Satine Pearl Satin Top ($220))

To know me is to know I simply don't leave the house without good reason. Dinner and drinks past 8 p.m. during prime Real Housewives of Salt Lake City watching time? Most definitely not. I can, however, be convinced if a particular outing involves an equally-as-compelling outfit. 

Enter the classic going-out top. For many cool girls on Instagram and starlets, it's often the first thing they turn to when picking out something to wear for a night out. The term noticeably leaves a ton of room for interpretation. Maybe it's a sparkly, bedazzled crop top, a silky halter-neck, or perhaps one of the dozens of options on the market right now, all clocking in at under $100. With new styles coming in hot every day on our favorite retailers like Zara, Revolve, and Shopbop, there's quite literally a going-out top for every occasion you could possibly think of. Plus, they go especially well with jeans or a classic pair of black trousers, no matter the occasion. Versatility rating? Major score.

Below, shop some of the best affordable going-out tops perfect for after-office drinks, a date night, or a squad outing. Trust me—you'll have to resist buying every single one on this list.

Assistant Shopping Editor
Ana Escalante is an award-winning journalist and Gen Z editor whose work ranges from dissecting size inclusivity at fashion week to discussing how American Girl Doll meme accounts are the the answer to society's collective spiral. She's covered it all: Queen Elizabeth II's corgis, Roe v. Wade frontline protests, and the emergence of jorts (or jean shorts for the uninitated). At Who What Wear, Ana is responsible for delivering smart, insightful, personality-driven shopping guides and trend features for a digital-first generation.Before joining Who What Wear, Ana was Glamour magazine's editorial assistant, where she focused on daily news and special packages, including leading the brand's 2022 Met Gala coverage. For more than half a decade, she has covered style, beauty, and digital culture for publications such as Paper magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue Japan, and Allure, among others. Ana has been called a rising star in media by publications such as Nylon and Teen Vogue. (Her mother, meanwhile, calls her "the coolest person" she knows.)