June 6, 2024, 8:19 PM UTC

By Colleen Sullivan

As a beauty and fashion editor, I receive over 500 emails a day from PR reps pitching everything from flattering jeans to plumping lip glosses. I don’t envy them — it’s hard to make an item stand out when an editor’s inbox is overflowing with new product announcements. But recently, images of a fashion pick caught my eye — a shirt that can be styled multiple ways, creating a wide range of looks. That product happened to be the Marcella New York Alyssa Infinity Top.

Intrigued, I asked the PR rep to send me a sample as I was excited to see if the top lived up to all its photos.

Marcella New York Alyssa Infinity Top

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Alyssa Infinity Top

$72.25

$85.00

What is the Marcella New York Alyssa Infinity Top?

By definition, “infinity” means something that’s unlimited and endless, so could this top really provide me with that many style options? Well, it's designed to create multiple looks in one, from an off-the-shoulder style to a halter-type neckline. And it comes in four colors — chestnut, black, red and pink (their bestseller) and in seven sizes — from XS to XXXL. So if you pick up every shade, you might just have a top for every occasion.

Ordering the right size is key — too much fabric can make the shirt difficult to style. I started with a size small, but found an extra small size fit best. After all, it is meant to be fitted. The viscose fabric (the manufacturer calls it sheer European jersey) feels like a blend of cotton and silk. There’s ruching on the front of the shirt, which can be flattering for the stomach area, and elastic banding on both the top and bottom to hold the shirt in place.

How it works

I sat down to view the company’s how-to video, hoping to pick up some pointers before putting on the top, but after watching, I worried it might be harder to configure than I had originally thought. It was obvious the model was getting advice from someone behind the camera while my cameraman (my husband), was not a professional fashion stylist.

The top is basically a tank top with flowy arms. To start, you simply pull the shirt over your head, pull your arms out of the tubing so all the fabric rests around your midsection, then adjust the top elastic band over your chest (like you would a tube top) and the bottom elastic over the waistband of your pants.

Next, you’ll need to find the slit in the sleeves — this sounds simple but you really need to feel around the thin fabric with your fingers. Once located, you slip your arms through the slits and you’re ready to recreate the looks in the video.

Why I like it

Once you get the hang of it, there are endless ways to style

But here’s my suggestion: The video is a great launching pad, but trying to follow it can be challenging. Things got a lot easier when I realized the best way to make this shirt work was by winging it. That is, once I stopped looking at the video, and just started styling it myself, I found it easy to create looks. I’d pull one of the sleeves over my head and voilà — I’d have an off the shoulder look. Then I’d pull two of the sleeves over my head in different directions and I’d have a crisscross look. Folding the arms into the shirt created a halter top. In the end, you may find that all your experimentation with the top may create a design that’s not even in the video.

As for styling, the fabric is sheer, so you’ll need a strapless bra or pasties. The top looks great paired with white jeans, but it also works well with linen or leather pants, or a long skirt. The shirt is machine washable in cold water but needs to be laid flat to dry.

What to consider

There are a few cons to consider: The ruching in the photos looks perfectly pleated but the truth is it’s not easy to get the ribbing to look flawless. But that’s somewhat okay — the fabric strips help conceal stomach issues (especially the black color). Also, I often find myself pulling the elastic ribbing up at the top and down by the waistband to keep the shirt in place.

In the end, I have to give the three women who designed this top a shoutout — I’m not sure how they came up with the idea (I was told they were looking to create a shirt that “achieved a balance between utilitarian and elevated aesthetics”) but it really is a masterpiece in design.

You won't have to buy new shirt styles as often

This is a great piece to own if you want to switch up your look throughout the day/night, if you travel a lot and find you’re always tight on space in your luggage, or if you want a versatile top to create different looks within your wardrobe. At over $70, it’s a bit pricey, but the truth is you’re getting a lot of value for your investment. The design can help replace multiple shirts in your wardrobe — or prevent the need for you to buy new styles every so often.

And then there’s this: Marcella has partnered with the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) to support girls in Sub-Saharan Africa — a region where poverty excludes millions from education. For every top sold, Marcella covers the costs associated with three days of school, which includes books, uniforms, school fees and menstrual products. The brand has supported 885,300+ school days since 2021. So, your investment in this top will do more than just boost your fashion sense.