Following our articles on bras for big busted women and bras for small busted women, I have now also updated this article on women’s camisoles.

Camisoles are one of the best wardrobe essentials for women over 40 and in this article we will show you some of the best camisoles as reviewed by readers, as well as some of my own favorites.

The benefits of camisoles

The benefits of wearing a camisole are plentiful:

  • They can create a flattering layer underneath tops;
  • they help with tops that are too low-cut;
  • they can create a smoother line underneath clothing by camouflaging bra straps, and minimizing any bumps or bulges and can help camouflage your belly;
  • and if you select a cami with slimming features, it can be a functional piece of shape wear to whittle a bit off of your middle too.
  • You can wear as underwear, nightwear, or choose a camisole to wear as part of your outfit.

How to select and wear a camisole

The use of your camisole is different depending on your body shape. Let’s take a look at some of the women’s capsules you may want to choose.

Everyday essentials camisoles

If you’re going to be wearing your camisole everyday – perhaps because the weather is cooling down where you are and you want an extra layer – then you may want to choose a pack of everyday essentials camisoles to make sure you have plenty for the whole week.

Amazon Essentials Slim-Fit Camisole, Pack of 4 | 40plusstyle.com

Amazon Essentials Slim-Fit Camisole, Pack of 4

Camisole with wide straps

If you have a large bust, you might prefer a camisole without a shelf bra so that you can wear your own bra underneath.

Select one of the camis with wider straps that are designed to fully cover up bra straps rather than one with thin straps which will mean your bra straps are on display.

You can also select a camisole with built-in molded cups or underwires.

Rosyline Layering Tank Tops | 40plusstyle.com

Rosyline Layering Tank Tops

You may like to wear a bra with this camisole: check out the best bras for large breasts.

If you are smaller chested

If you have a smaller bust you can choose a camisole with a shelf bra or an in-built bra.

Some in-shelf bras have wider elastic and offer more support than others, so check the thickness and amount of elastic if you need more support.

You can also select a seamless cami to wear with your own bra as well to either add additional padding or support or to make your bust look bigger (if you want it to).

shelf bra camisoles | 40plusstyle.com

beautyin Camisole with Shelf Bra

Want more tips on how to dress for a small best? Check out our recommendations for small busted women and the best bras to buy.

Best camisoles for summer

Depending on where you are in the world, you may be looking for cool weather or warm weather options. For summer, choose breathable fabrics or lightweight fabrics.

Ekouaer Silk Satin Camisoles | 40plusstyle.com

Ekouaer Silk Satin Camisoles

Best warm camisoles for winter

In winter you may like to get a camisole that keeps your body warm so you can wear more fancy layers on top. The camisole (below) has a microfiber interior fleece to keep you cozy.

JOYSHAPER Thermal Underwear Top | 40plusstyle.com

JOYSHAPER Thermal Underwear Top

The best fabrics for camisoles

Camisoles come in all kinds of different fabrics from nylon, to cotton, to silk. Many have a combination of these fabrics.

I personally only wear camisoles in natural fabrics as they do a better job and keeping me comfortable and keeping me either cool or warm.

Cotton camisoles

Cotton is still one of the best fabrics around. It keeps you cool in summer and it feels soft to the skin.

The Felina camisole (below) is made from organic cotton colored with natural plant dyes. You can choose from a gray slate color or a sky blue.

Best camisoles - Felina organic cotton camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Felina Organic Cotton Camisole

Modal or bamboo

Micromodal has become a popular fabric for camisoles. This fabric is created from Beach Tree Pulp. It’s finely knit and feels silky giving them a luxurious and super comfortable feel on your body.

The fabric comes in 3 different versions:  modal, micromodal and ultra luxe. In the micromodal variety the ground fibre is a bit fiber which allows for a higher concentration of it in the final product without adding extra weight. This makes it feel even more silky. Ultra lux uses a finer knit version which gives it a more airy feel.

The long-length camisoles below are a mix of bamboo rayon for softness, and spandex to give them a bit of stretch.

Best camisoles - Femofit bamboo rayon/modal camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Femofit Bamboo Rayon/Modal Camisole

Silk camisoles

Best camisoles for women over 40 - Wendy wears a camisole and animal print skirt | 40plusstyle.com

Silk camisoles are perfect to layer under evening dresses or your best jackets and cardigans. They can be shown to the world or worn underneath your clothes.

Wendy @fashionoverfifty.wendy above shows how you could wear your silk camisole with a skirt for a night out. You could team the same outfit with sneakers for a more casual daytime look.

Recreate her outfit with this similar top, skirt, flats, clutch, earrings and sunglasses.

M.M.LaFleur Lisey 1.0 Washable Silk Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

M.M.LaFleur Lisey 1.0 Washable Silk Camisole

Satin camisole

Satin refers to the weave of the fabric, rather than the fabric itself, so it can be made from different materials, or a mix of fabrics. It’s a good choice if you prefer a finish with a bit of sheen to it.

Women's camisoles - Cinq à Sept Marta Silk Satin Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Cinq à Sept Marta Silk Satin Camisole

Jersey camisole

A soft, casual option is to choose a jersey camisole, which would sit well under your winter knitwear.

Daily Ritual Jersey Standard-Fit V-Neck Scoopback Tank Top | 40plusstyle.com

Daily Ritual Jersey Standard-Fit V-Neck Scoopback Tank Top

Lace camisole

A lace camisole would look lovely for nightwear with your pajama bottoms. Or you could wear under a blazer, or leave a little lace showing under your winter knitwear.

VAVONNE Lace Camisole Tank Top | 40plusstyle.com

VAVONNE Lace Camisole Tank Top

Also take a look at the best pajamas for women over 40.

Lace trim camisole

For a more subtle lace effect, you could choose a cami with a little lace trim around the arms and neckline.

Vanity Fair Layering Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Vanity Fair Layering Camisole

Styles of camisoles

Best camisoles for women - Alison wears a camisole and shorts | 40plusstyle.com

Now that you’re thinking about what material you would like your camisole to be made from, how about the style of your camisole?

Padded camisole

If you want to create smooth lines or you feel your bust could do with a little oomph, you could try a padded camisole.

Alison @wardrobe_oxygen above (read her style interview here) chooses a vest style camisole for her vacation.

Check out this similar top, denim shorts, sandals, bag, hat, sunglasses and bandana scarf.

ANYFITTING Camisole with Built in Padded Bra | 40plusstyle.com

ANYFITTING Camisole with Built in Padded Bra

Camisoles with in-built bra

If you need more support than a shelf bra but you don’t want to wear a bra underneath your cami you can consider a camisole with an in-built bra.

Best camisoles - Hanro built-in bra camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Hanro Allure Built-In Bra Camisole

Camisole with a high neckline

As many women use camisoles to layer under their low cut tops, camisoles with a high neckline are in higher demand than I think brands realise.

A few ladies mentioned that they resort to wearing their camisoles back to front which is of course one solution, but ideally you will get a camisole with a high neckline.

This camisole has a higher neckline and comes in a variety of colors.

NANAVA Ribbed High Neck Racerback Camisole Top | 40plusstyle.com

NANAVA Ribbed High Neck Racerback Camisole Top

V-neck camisole

A v-neck camisole is a classic shape that you can wear as underwear, or you could layer under a top or blazer.

1.STATE Pintuck V-Neck Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

1.STATE Pintuck V-Neck Camisole

Camisoles as evening wear

Because 1990s trends are back in style at the moment, you’ll see there are lots of camisole styles designed to be worn for evening or with your daywear, rather than as underwear.

Below is an evening camisole option for you featuring a cowl neck.

Donna Karan New York Cowl Neck Sleeveless Top | 40plusstyle.com

Donna Karan New York Cowl Neck Sleeveless Top

Sequin camisole

You could also look for a camisole featuring sequins for a special occasion, or to dress down with your denim.

SATINIOR Sequined Camisole| 40plusstyle.com

SATINIOR Sequined Camisole

Long camisoles versus short camisoles

Sylvia wearing long and short camisoles | 40plusstyle.com

Most camisoles tend to be quite short but long camisoles can be useful too. They can be used as layering pieces or be comfortable as loungewear.

You can layer your longer camisoles with a short cropped top like this one or with a longer cardi or jacket.

The camisole I’m wearing is from Stella Carakasi and is made of organic cotton. Check out also these long camisoles from Amazon.

ShezPretty 4 Pack - Basic Cami | 40plusstyle.com

ShezPretty 4 Pack – Basic Cami

If you want a camisole to layer under a v-neck and you aren’t too concerned about covering your tummy as it will be under another top, you could look at a crop option.

Boao 3 Pcs Crop Camisole Top | 40plusstyle.com

Boao 3 Pcs Crop Camisole Top

Camisole colors

The best camisoles for 2022 - which brands to buy, how to wear them and the best shaping camisoles | 40plusstyle.com

The color of your camisole will depend on your own personal preference, whether you are wearing your camisole as underwear or outerwear, and whether you would like your camisole to blend in with the rest of your outfit or stand out.

Below are some of the most popular options to choose.

Black camisole

Jess @elegantlydressedandstylish above (read her style interview here) shows off a great look in which she creates a column of color with her black camisole and jeans, and then wears a long cardigan over the top. If you want to, this is a good technique for looking taller and slimmer.

Check out this similar lace trim camisole, jeans, cardigan, pumps, clutch and earrings.

The Drop Natalie V-Neck Lace Trimmed Camisole Tank Top | 40plusstyle.com

The Drop Natalie V-Neck Lace Trimmed Camisole Tank Top

White camisole

A white camisole is always a classic option to wear under your shirts and sweaters, or with a pair of shorts for your vacation.

Splendid Emilie Tank | 40plusstyle.com

Splendid Emilie Tank

Nude camisole

If you’re worried about your camisole showing under your clothing, choosing a neutral or nude shade can help. Look out for beiges and browns and choose a color close to your skin tone.

Amazon Essentials 2-Pack slim-fit thin strap tank | 40plusstyle.com

Amazon Essentials Slim-Fit Thin Strap Tank

Red camisole

Red will always get you noticed. You could wear alone with a skirt or pants as evening wear, or layer under a blazer.

Wantschun Silk Satin Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Wantschun Silk Satin Camisole

Pink camisole

The long, lace-trim camisole (below) comes in pink or a good choice of colors and reviewers say it is perfect for layering.

Bozzolo Lace Neck Camisole Top | 40plusstyle.com

Bozzolo Lace Neck Camisole Top

Navy camisole

If you’re looking for a softer alternative to black, navy is always a good option. A navy camisole would look lovely layered under a white blazer.

Nordstrom Everyday Satin Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Nordstrom Everyday Satin Camisole

Green camisole

The green camisole below comes in a good choice of colors, and it is draped so would be good to hide a tummy.

Esenchel Loose Camisole| 40plusstyle.com

Esenchel Loose Camisole

Gold camisole

Gold is always a glamorous option for evening. I like how the gold camisole below is styled with wide-leg white pants.

VIDUSSA Cowl Neck Satin Camisole | 40plusst

VIDUSSA Cowl Neck Satin Camisole

Or if you can’t decide which color

If you don’t want to choose just one color, or you want to add multiple camisoles to your closet, you could choose a set of camisoles that come in a variety of shades.

BQTQ 6 Pcs Camisole Tops | 40plusstyle.com

BQTQ 6 Pcs Camisole Tops

Slimming and shapewear camisoles

Shaping camisoles combine a cami with shapewear that can smooth your waistline and tummy area.

Shaping camisoles range from minimum to firm control.

Choose a minimum firmness for everyday wear underneath pants and jeans. You can wear the firmer control with skirts and dresses or any outfits where you need a little extra support.

Slimming camisole – lightest level of control

If you prefer to be comfortable but still want to smooth your mid section of light level of control shaper may be a good option for you.

Maidenform Long Length Shapewear Camisole | 40plusstyle.com

Maidenform Long Length Shapewear Camisole

Slimming camisoles with firmer support

If you want more smoothing and shaping then this compression tank top may be your best choice. They are a little bit harder to put on but will smooth you out even more.

Bali Firm Control Lace ’N Smooth Shaping Cami | 40plusstyle.com

Bali Firm Control Lace ’N Smooth Shaping Cami

Belly shaper camisole

If you have a bigger bust you may prefer a camisole shaper that allows you to wear your own bra. This type of shaper is popular with some of my friends.

Maidenform Wear Your Own Bra Shapewear Torsette | 40plusstyle.com

Maidenform Wear Your Own Bra Shapewear Torsette

For more advice on wearing shapewear, check our article Shapewear, do women over 40 need it?

How to wear your camisole

with a blazer

Best camisoles - Karen in a camisole and blazer | 40plusstyle.com

Karen @styledbykaren above shows off a classic, yet very modern look featuring a blazer, jeans and a camisole.

Steal her look with this similar camisole, jeans, blazer, sandals and sunglasses.

Best camisoles for women - camisole and blazer outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Karen Millen Compact Cotton Stretch Tailored JacketTreasure & Bond Lace Inset CamisolePAIGE Laurel Canyon High Waist Bootcut JeansMUSSHOE Ballet FlatKurt Geiger London Round Shoreditch Small Crossbody BagBOCAR Statement Chunky Acrylic Necklace

With a cardigan

You could try a similar look to the one above, but swap the blazer for a cardigan for a more relaxed feel. I like the draped look of the cardigan below, which comes in a good choice of colors.

Best camisoles for women | camisole and cardigan outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Lock and Love Draped Open Front CardiganHalogen Asymmetric Cowl Neck TankMadewell The Perfect Vintage JeanPaul Green Leilani Peep Toe SandalMontana West Shoulder Bag Concealed Carry PurseKendra Scott Tassel Bolo Necklace

Under your dress or jumpsuit

If you have a dress or a jumpsuit that you feel is too low-cut for you to wear and feel confident, you could always choose a camisole with a pretty neckline to wear underneath.

Best camisoles - camisole and jumpsuit | 40plusstyle.com

Eliza J Wide Leg JumpsuitMakeMeChic Lace Trim Cami Crop TopDREAM PAIRS Chunk Low Heel Pump SandalKurt Geiger London Round Shoreditch Small Crossbody BagKendra Scott Tassel Bolo Necklace

under a sheer top

If you have a very sheer shirt or blouse, you may want more coverage than your bra will give. A camisole is the perfect solution.

Best camisoles for women - camisole and sheer top outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Baum und Pferdgarten Maku Sheer Floral Blouserag & bone Michal Crop Scoop Neck TankKUT from the Kloth Donna Fab Ab High Waist Raw Hem Ankle Skinny JeansPaul Green Leilani Peep Toe SandalKurt Geiger London Round Shoreditch Small Crossbody BagJczR.Y Square Acrylic Dangle Earrings

With a shirt underneath

You could actually mix things up a bit with your layering and wear your camisole on top of your white shirt. This is a trend at the moment (as the 90s are back in style) and it’s a good way to define where your waist ends and your legs begin – making your legs look longer.

best camisoles - camisole and shirt outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Caslon Cotton Button-Up Tunic BlouseMakeMeChic Lace Trim Cami Crop TopPAIGE Laurel Canyon High Waist Bootcut JeansDREAM PAIRS Chunk Low Heel Pump SandalKurt Geiger London Round Shoreditch Small Crossbody BagJczR.Y Square Acrylic Dangle Earrings

under a ruana

Best camisoles for women - Abi in a camisole and kimono outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Abi @stealmystyle40 above chooses a loose kimona/ruana to wear over her camisole and jeans.

Get her look with this similar camisole, ruana (other options here and here), jeans, sandals, bucket bag (another option here) and necklace.

This is also a good luck if you’re wearing shorts and a camisole on vacation but you’d like to cover up a little.

Best camisoles - camisole and ruana look | 40plusstyle.com

SweatyRocks KimonoTreasure & Bond Lace Inset CamisolePAIGE Laurel Canyon High Waist Bootcut JeansStuart Weitzman Mirela Espadrille Wedge SandalVintga Bamboo BagKendra Scott Tassel Bolo Necklace

over a turtleneck

Again, another option where you can switch your outfit around. Wear your camisole over your turtleneck. For the best effect, choose tonal colors.

Best camisoles - polo neck and camisole outfit | 40plusstyle.com

The Drop Natalie V-Neck Lace Trimmed Camisole Tank TopOThread & Co. Half Sleeve Turtleneck T-ShirtMadewell The Perfect Vintage JeanDREAM PAIRS Chunk Low Heel Pump SandalMontana West Shoulder Bag Concealed Carry PurseKodewiet Vintage Pearl Earrings

with a skirt

For a dressy evening look, you could wear your camisole with a flowy skirt and blazer. Switch to a denim jacket or cardigan and flats for a daytime outfit.

best camisoles - camisole and skirt outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Karen Millen Compact Cotton Stretch Tailored JacketThe Drop Natalie V-Neck Lace Trimmed Camisole Tank Toprag & bone Silk SkirtPaul Green Leilani Peep Toe SandalKurt Geiger London Round Shoreditch Small Crossbody BagKodewiet Vintage Pearl Earrings

with your pajamas

A camisole top is a good choice when looking for summer pajamas. You’ll find more of the best pajamas for women over 40 in this article.

best camisoles - camisole pajama outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Etam Pearly Silk Pajama CamisoleOpen Edit Mix & Match Satin Pajama PantsDL Open Toe Indoor Slippers

Your camisole capsule outfits all together

See below for the outfits I featured in this article all together, so you can think about how you could wear them and how you could mix and match to create different looks.

Camisole capsule wardrobe | 40plusstyle.com

shop some of the items above here:

How to care for your camisoles

Most camisoles get their stretch from a combination of nylon and elastane which can be damaged by hot water. So handwash in cold water or wash them in your washing machine in a mesh lingerie bag.

Don’t put them in the dryer, instead lay flat or hang to dry, they’ll keep their shape and stretchiness, and last much longer.

Here’s a list of some favorite camisole brands we’ve assembled from our 40+ Style readers.

Do you use a camisole? Which are your favorites? Add them to the comment section (and feel free to share links to specific products)

Continue reading:

  1. Shapewear: Do Women (Over 40) Need It?
  2. Best Bras For Large Breasts: Bras Which Are Supportive AND Stylish
  3. The Best Bras For Small Bust Sizes AND What To Wear If You Have Smaller Breasts

Like this article on the best camisoles for women over 40? Share it on Pinterest

The best camisoles for 2022 - which brands to buy, how to wear them and the best shaping camisoles | 40plusstyle.com

Feature image by Jess @elegantlydressedandstylish

Sylvia

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.

Want to get more articles from 40+style in your inbox, subscribe here.

You can also connect with 40+style on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Support 40+style by using the links in our articles to shop. As an associate for Amazon and many other brands, we receive a small commission (at no cost to you) on qualifying purchases which enables us to keep creating amazing free content for you. Thanks!