Today, I am creating five white shirt outfits to give you a little inspiration for a classic piece that can get really boring, really fast if you don’t style it in an interesting way.
I like this shirt by J. Crew because it has 3/4 sleeves, perfect for the summer. The shirt also has shape in the waist, which is important when you want to work with the curves you have or create the curves you don’t.
As always with this series, to help you build a wardrobe, I am pulling pieces to build these outfits using items I’ve used in previous weeks and also repeating some of the same pieces several times times, as well. I do this because it is a more realistic and cost effective way to create multiple looks using the same pieces. Yes, it would be nice to have a closet full of options, yet smarter and more efficient to do more with less.
Button front shirts can be tricky to own. First, many women feel like they don’t actually own their white shirts but rent them, because after one wear they are right back at the dry cleaners. One tip to cut down on dry cleaning bills is to wash them in the washing machine and then send them out only for pressing. Another problem with white shirts is how quickly they yellow under the arms. If this is a problem with you, be sure to check out Raise Armpit Stain Remover, a product I recently reviewed on this blog.
Okay, now on to the looks.
Five White Shirt Outfits
Look #1
One Item, Five Fashionable Ways. Look 1 by bridgetteraes
I wanted to start with the most obvious way women wear white button-down shirts, with a basic pair of pants for work. While this is an easy look to reproduce, without some interesting components, you risk creating a chicken outfit. Don’t know what a chicken outfit is? Read more about it here. Yes, you need to do something to this basic outfit to make it flavorful.
When you start with such basic pieces, you can add accessories in any color and style. Here, I started with the orange belt and built from there. With orange being the main focus color, I chose a multi-colored necklace that further pulled in the orange, but, to make the outfit less matchy-matchy, I chose Vince Camuto’s comfortable Zella pump in metal taupe, a pair of shoes one of my clients bought this weekend.
Look #2
One Item, Five Fashionable Ways. Look 2 by bridgetteraes
One of my favorite ways to wear a white button-down shirt in the summer is to use an oversized men’s shirt as a bathing suit cover up. Another way to wear it casually is with a pair of shorts. Here, the shirt can be worn open or with a few buttons undone to show off a tank. Like my bathing suit cover up, a white button down can offer shoulder coverage from the hot sun, while still giving you an easy, breezy open look.
With a pair of basic khaki shorts and a fun play on purple and lime green, the outfit is casual and summery. And, I couldn’t miss an opportunity to showcase my all-time favorite summer sandals, the Birkenstock Gizeh.
Look #3
One Item, Five Fashionable Ways. Look 3 by bridgetteraes featuring boyfriend jeans
With the waist being a popular focal point, belting is and will continue to be a popular trend. I love obi belts, and especially love the soft, supple color of this one from Guess which offers waist shape without too much distraction. Using the same orange handbag from the first look, I love how the belt color combines with the teal necklace. The whole look works together to elevate a more casual pair of boyfriend jeans.
Look #4
One Item, Five Fashionable Ways. Look 4 by bridgetteraes
When wearing a white button-down shirt with a maxi skirt, I think it is important to either belt the shirt or wear it tied. Here, I decided to belt it to create a sophisticated summery look that could also go to the office, if your work environment is casual enough. When hemming a maxi skirt, don’t wear it too long. The rule of thumb is to hem it to your ankle bone. When bringing it to be hemmed, be sure to bring two heel heights so the tailor can find a length that will work well for both heights of shoes.
The importance of having metallic shoes, handbags and accessories in your wardrobe is that, when in doubt, you will always have them on standby. In addition, if your outfit is very colorful, gold or silver accessories will harmonize well without added distraction.
Look #5
One Item, Five Fashionable Ways. Look 5 by bridgetteraes
A white button-down with a pair of capris is classic and very summery. Again, the use of gold accessories plays well with the bright pants, without adding too many focal points. I also love bib-necklaces with white button-down shirts because they fill in the open space of the neckline and draw the focus towards your face.
The last thing I want to address is what to do if you are a busty woman who can’t wear button-down shirts because they gape open. I have this problem and rarely wear button-down shirts for this exact this reason. However, there are a few solutions. The first is to bring the shirt to the tailor and have small snaps put in along the placket, in-between the buttons that close over the bust-line. You can also consider using Fashion Tape which has a very strong hold and will help seal the shirt closed. The last solution would be to wear a camisole or tank top under the shirt, which will add a pop of color, but is not ideal for coverage because it can add unnecessary bulk under the shirt. Instead of a full tank, I like a product called The Molly, which is a half-tank that offers coverage without the bulk. Molly’s can be bought in missy sizes at Molly’s Clothing or in Plus Sizes, where it is called The Mollie, at Lee Lee’s Valise.
