Styling a White Tailored Shirt

Imogen,
Do you have any advice on styling a man-tailored shirt with jeans? Especially for us short waisted types, even shaped shirts can look sloppy and boxy. I’ve tried belting them but I don’t really know how to do it so that it looks good. I don’t want to give up , because I love the look on my portrait area. It’s just my waist and below where it begins to look like a mess.

So here are my tips on how to style a men’s style white collared button down shirt so it doesn’t swamp you or make you look overly short waisted, while still looking feminine.

My first styling here is with a floral skirt.  The reason being is that it’s a masculine/feminine mix that stops the shirt from looking too business and authoritative.  Now I’m wearing the skirt just below my natural waist (so think a skirt more on the hips) with the shirt tucked in (and this is actually a man’s shirt, I stole it from my husband’s wardrobe, but it is a men’s slim fit design).  Men’s shirts have much longer tails, which allows for tucking and blousing (notice that I’ve bloused the shirt over the waistband of the skirt which helps to make my waist look longer.  I paired it with a narrow belt which looks better on a lower waisted skirt.

In this second skirt and shirt styling I’m wearing the skirt higher up – making it high waisted with an added wide belt and not bloused the shirt.  My aim here is to make the shirt the “short” garment and skirt the “long” garment proportionally.  This doesn’t work as well if you’re very busty (like I used to be) as it can overemphasize your bust, but it’s fine if you have a regularly large bust or smaller.  I think it’s really important to accessorize a white shirt with an interesting or larger scale necklace inside the collar, it takes it away from being such a masculine garment and adds some detail (as the shirt is a very plain garment in itself).

Now I’m doing the shirt and black pant.  This can look like you are part of the wait staff if you’re not careful, which is why I’ve accessorized with the blue necklace, belt and ring.  That pop of color takes it away from being too boring.  If you’re tall you could wear an alternate shoe color for interest, or if you’re also wearing a black jacket to go with your pants (so you have the column of color on the outside), but if not, then blend your shoes to trouser for a longer leg line.  Again I tucked and bloused the shirt a little for some waist elongation.

If tucking is not your thing, or the shirt is too fitted to blouse, look for a fitted shirt with a shorter hem that is made to be left hanging out.  It’s much more fitted than the men’s style shirt in the earlier pictures.  This is better with trousers than a skirt, as with a skirt the proportions can be thrown off when the shirt is left out as it becomes too 1:1 proportionally and more boxy.

When choosing a white shirt I always look for some detail (like in the shirt above, with the puffed sleeve and black braid down teh sides) to make it more interesting and a little feminine (this one is my shirt, not my husbands!).  The broderie anglaise type of fabric makes this a more feminine option and so works well with the plain jeans (rather than needing a feminine bottom half).  You’ll notice I’m also wearing a white cami underneath, this stops you noticing the waistband of my darker pants, and elongates your waist.

Here I’m wearing the hubby’s shirt with my mid-rise jeans, but I’ve popped the collar and added a little jacket/shrug for detail plus a more industrial style necklace.  Standing the collar up can be great to elongate your torso as long as you don’t button too high – notice (as I have the cami underneath) I only button to the mid-bust point, no higher – that helps to elongate through the neck area for a taller/slimmer look.

Always remember the rules of co-0rdination - the one of volume plays well here – shirt voluminous, then a fitted bottom half, more fitted shirt,you can wear a more voluminous bottom.

White Shirt Campaign – Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation

Speaking of White Shirts – the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation launches it’s annual White Shirt Campaign on 8  April (and you know that this is a cause close to my heart). From 8 April you can purchase a white shirt from Witchery (they will have 7 styles to choose from) and 100% of the sale price is donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.  On 1 May wear a white shirt and don’t forget to #whiteshirtcampaign when you post a picture online to draw attention to this worthy cause.