A letter from the founders
We're hanging up the shop sign. Before we go, there's one shirt we want you to have.
Why our Floral Blouses are the collection we're proudest of, what makes them different from the tops you already own, and why every style is 50% off for our Retirement Sale.
We're Milly and Mae. For years this little shop has been the two of us, a lot of cups of tea, and a lot of conversations about prints. This season we've decided it's time to slow down and retire.
Closing a shop means a lot of last decisions. The hardest one was what to say about the floral blouses, because they're the reason many of you found us in the first place.
They started with a complaint we heard over and over. Women told us they owned plenty of tops but felt like none of them said anything. Plain colours were easy and forgettable. The "fun" tops felt like they belonged to somebody twenty years younger.
We wanted something in between: a proper shirt you could wear to the shops or to lunch, covered in colour, that still looked grown-up.
It took a lot of samples to get there. Here are the six things we refused to compromise on.
Every band is its own little garden
Look closely and the print keeps going.
From a distance it reads as cheerful stripes. Up close, each band is a different garden: tulips on orange, daisy clusters on yellow, tiny trees on green, scattered blossoms on turquoise. You notice something new every time you look, which is exactly why it never feels boring to wear. The print even carries onto the collar, so the colour sits right next to your face where it does you the most good.
It looks just as good walking away
The bands run all the way round.
Lots of printed tops put all the effort into the front and leave the back plain. We didn't want that. The stripes on this shirt wrap right around the body and line up across the shoulders, so the back is as colourful as the front. People see you leave just as often as they see you arrive.
A proper collar, and not a button in sight
Not a T-shirt with a pattern on it.
You get the neat, pointed collar of a proper shirt with none of the fuss. There are no buttons to do up, no gaping between them and nothing to iron flat. It simply slips over your head, and the open V at the neckline keeps it cool and flattering. It folds up crisp in a drawer and looks pulled-together the moment you put it on. The collar is what makes a bright print look considered instead of casual.
A relaxed fit with sleeves that flatter
Easy through the middle, short sleeves that stop in the right place.
The body is cut straight and roomy, so it skims over the tummy and hips instead of clinging. The short sleeves end just above the elbow, covering the upper arm without feeling heavy on a warm day. Wear it loose over linen trousers, or tuck in the front with jeans.
Sizes S to 3XL, and one price for all
We never liked the idea that colour is only for small sizes. Every blouse in the collection comes in S through 3XL. Whatever size you choose, the price is the same. If you're between sizes, the relaxed cut means you can usually take your normal size. Check the size guide on each style before you order.
Bright, but never a costume
This was the part we worried about most. Too much colour can tip over into fancy dress. What keeps this shirt grounded is the scale of the print. The flowers are small and close together, like an old-fashioned floral fabric, so the overall effect is soft and textured rather than loud. It looks happy without trying to look young.
Our floral shirt, next to the tops already in your wardrobe
| The usual top | Our floral shirt | |
|---|---|---|
| Plain, or one big motif on the front | Bands of tiny florals, front and back | |
| Shape | Stretchy tee or clingy jersey | A shirt collar with a pull-on V-neck, no buttons |
| Fit | Tight at the tummy or shapeless | Straight, relaxed body that skims |
| Sleeves | Too short or too heavy | Short sleeves ending just above the elbow |
| Sizing | Often stops at XL | S to 3XL, one price |
If we were going to close the doors, we wanted the last thing we sold to be the thing we loved most.
Why everything is 50% off
Our Retirement Sale.
Normally these shirts are $170.00. That's what it costs to make a printed top with a real shirt collar, a neat V-neck and a pattern that lines up all the way round.
But we're retiring, and neither of us wants to see them packed into boxes. We'd much rather they went to women who'll wear them on ordinary days, at lunch with friends, and on the first warm walks of the season. So for the Retirement Sale, every style in the collection is $84.95.
When a size is gone, it's gone. We won't be making more.
$170.00$84.95
Retirement Sale: save 50%
- Bands of tiny florals that run front and back
- A shirt collar with an easy pull-on V-neck, no buttons
- Straight, relaxed body that skims rather than clings
- Short sleeves that end just above the elbow
- S to 3XL, same price in every size
- Tracked delivery and 30-day returns
Same price in every size · while sizes last
Thank you for every order, every kind email and every photo of you wearing our shirts. That's what we'll miss most.
If you've been eyeing one of these for a while and kept putting it off, now's the time. It won't come round again.
Pick the one that makes you smile.
— Milly & Mae · Milly & Mae Sydney
Milly & Mae Sydney · Retirement Sale · Tracked delivery · 30-day returns (see our returns policy for conditions) · Prices shown in AUD.