Fashion

[Bri369]

A blouse to me refers to the fabric - something soft and silky. 

It doesn't necessarily have to have buttons. 

[Bri369]

A button down is a shirt to me. 

[Daysdee]

Buttons, darts and not tee-shirt fabric.

[chrystaltree]

I don't know.  All blouses are tops but not all tops are blouses.  For me a blouse has either front or back buttons.  A blouse is usually has a collar and sleeves.  A blouse is usually a woven fabric like silk, chiffon, cotton.  

[GenXmuse]

I don’t know but I know it when I see it. 

[Andreatoo]

I forgot to mention they're only worn by women...but If I want to tick off my husband I refer to his button down shirts as blouses

[ALRATIBA]

I generally agree with this ... 

From "What's the difference between a t-shirt, a top, and a blouse?"

https://www dot quora dot com/Whats-the-difference-between-a-T-shirt-a-top-and-a-blouse

A top is a more generic "umbrella" term for any type of shirt or upper body garment.  (Including t-shirts, camisoles, and other traditional undergarments; knit shirts; button-up and structured blouses; sweaters;  lightweight outerwear; etc.)

A blouse is women's dress shirt. This can include both structured "button up" tops and less structured pieces of a more loose fitting or feminine style. 

[Foxxee]

I try not to use the word "top" because everything we wear on the upper part of our bodies has a name.  When someone says they bought a top, for me, it could be anything.

Sometimes online retailers list everything under "top."  Clicking on that link gives us all the different styles.  Some make us go through all of the "tops" to find the style we want.  I'd rather see each style listed.  

Blouses, shirts, t-shirts, etc.  

[Pearlee]

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@ALRATIBA wrote:

I generally agree with this ... 

From "What's the difference between a t-shirt, a top, and a blouse?"

https://www dot quora dot com/Whats-the-difference-between-a-T-shirt-a-top-and-a-blouse

A top is a more generic "umbrella" term for any type of shirt or upper body garment.  (Including t-shirts, camisoles, and other traditional undergarments; knit shirts; button-up and structured blouses; sweaters;  lightweight outerwear; etc.)

A blouse is women's dress shirt. This can include both structured "button up" tops and less structured pieces of a more loose fitting or feminine style. 

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@ALRATIBA   Wow - that's really vague.

[NYCLatinaMe]

To me, a blouse is a woven with buttons, could be just one button in the back.  A top is almost everything including blouses, but to me a t-shirt, like a hanes t-shirt or a message t-shirt, or those company t-shirts, is just a t-shirt not a top.  A top has something more than a basic t-shirt.  And tops and blouses are for women.  Men wear shirts.  Don't ask me why, dk.