Home Style Everyday Style The Utility Shirt: End-of-Summer to Early-Fall Essential (How I’m Wearing it Now)

Cropped Utility Shirt, Meet The Little Black Dress

The Utility Shirt: End-of-Summer to Early-Fall Essential (How I’m Wearing it Now)

August 13, 2023

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Before I know it, fall will be here. And here in the UP, fall usually means snow. I know, I know, waaaaaayy too early, right? But…that’s my reality, people. So I’m rocking all of the sandals, shorts and dresses now while I still can.

And you guys, I found the best lightweight layer for late summer/early fall — when the nights start getting cooler but the days stay nice and hot. This utility shirt from Gap is perfect for that transitional weather.

The Cropped Utility Shirt Making My Late Summer Outfits

Little black dresses have long been a go-to of mine in summertime (I mean, year-round, tbh) because of their versatility. Add sneakers to dress them down, plus strappy sandals and some fun jewelry for a night out. And when it gets chilly, having a light jacket or shirt to throw on top of those LBDs is essential.

Gap’s utility shirt is made from 100% Lyocell (an earth-friendly and lightweight fabric), so it’s perfect to throw on over dresses or tanks, but soft enough against the skin to wear on its own. The cropped length makes it perfect to pair with high-waisted jeans and the lightweight fabric makes it ideal for layering. Right now I’m wearing it as a lightweight jacket with my favorite everyday tank dresses.

This End-Of-Summer Jacket Is Ready For Fall Outfits

This GAP utility shirt is softer than any denim jacket I own + it folds down super small I can carry it in my bag for cooler end-of-summer nights.

shirt (xs) | dress (petite small)

Though I love wearing my denim jacket over all the dresses, I am happy to have something to switch things up a bit with this utility shirt. It is softer than any denim jacket I own and folds down smaller than them as well — so it fits easily into my bag for warm days or cool nights (or air conditioning). It’s the perfect layering piece.

Gap's utility shirt is made from 100% Lyocell (an earth-friendly, lightweight fabric), so it's perfect to throw on over dresses or tanks.

shirt (xs) | dress (petite small)

I’m wearing an XS here (usually a size S), so I would recommend sizing down since the fit is slightly oversized. The sleeves are nice and long so I folded them up here, but the length will be nice for layering under other jackets or sweaters come colder weather.

shirt (xs) | dress (petite small)

Now let’s talk about this tank dress from Gap: It’s an easy, throw-on-and-go option…that’s on sale for under $30! It comes in black, light purple and gay. Available in regular, tall and petite sizes XXS-XXL, it’s easy to get the ideal fit. I tried both small and petite small, and I liked the shorter length of the petite on my 5’4″ frame.

I love that I can wear a regular bra with this little black dress - without the straps showing!

shirt (xs) | dress (petite small)

The fabric isn’t super-clingy, and it’s soft and stretchy, so it’s actually really comfortable. I love that I can wear a regular bra without the straps showing (especially if it’s a racerback — or sometimes I use these to keep the straps from showing — just need someone to help put them on). One of the best parts is the fact that it doesn’t ride up as I walk, so I’m not constantly pulling it down.