New Style Idea

THE BOSS

There's no denying the white shirt dominates many an office, but you have to choose the right one for the job. "If you’re looking to wear your white shirt in a business setting, choose something fitted, so it will stay neatly tucked in and not bulge out of your pants or skirts," says Town & Country Fashion Market Editor MaryKate Boylan. "You want something that looks good under a jacket, so it gives you options." She also recommends keeping the cuffs buttoned (rather than rolled) for an irrefutably in-charge look.

Choose something fitted, so it looks good under a jacket.

"White shirts never go out of style. They are classic, but can each be so individual at the same time," says model and entrepreneur Lana Ogilvie, pictured here. "I wore my favorite white shirt until it disintegrated. It was by Helmut Lang and I bought it in the ’90s. You really can’t go wrong with a white shirt."

The Weekender

White shirts can add a much-needed dose of structure to relaxed jeans and flats. To amp up the cool, trade in the standard, long-sleeved button-down for a more daring version. "I like to look for unique moment in a white shirt," says Boylan. Think: exaggerated collars, contrasting buttons, seaming details. A tailored short-sleeved version or a tie-waist tunic style, like these seen here on entrepreneurs Jessica Joffe and Alison Bergen, look polished enough for a low-key lunch meeting, but easy-going enough for Sunday brunch.

Look for unique details: Exaggerated collars, interesting sleeves, contrasting buttons.

"A shirt is a canvas: it is seasonless, ageless, and in our case, sizeless," says Joffe, who co-founded Même Chose, an inclusive new line of shirts, with Bergen. "Shirts also telegraph authority. Shirtwaists, the earliest incarnation of the women’s shirt, liberated women, allowing them to move freely and work outside the house and demand the vote."

The Night Out

Choose a slightly oversize man's shirt, tuck it in, and top it with a wide belt.

There's still room for sartorial innovation, though, as seen here on Haniya Riaz Khan. In a cheeky twist, the bottom of the shirt is visible below a tulle skirt, designed by her father-in-law, Naeem Kahn.

The Cool Girl

When it comes to pushing the fashion envelope, think of your white shirt as a safety net: No matter what else you pair it with, a classic, long-sleeved button down will bring a polished, grown-up sensibility to your look. "When you want to have a little fun with your white shirt, add a camisole or even a bustier," says Boylan, who points to Clueless's Cher Horowitz as her inspiration. "Or you could go the opposite way and wear a turtleneck or tee with a white shirt that's open at the neck."

Think of your white shirt as a safety net: Wear it under a camisole or over a thin turtleneck.

Pairing it with a tweed mini skirt and sneakers, as DJ Tessa Hilton does here, keeps the style youthful, not to mention comfy.


Source: townandcountrymag.com