Iconic white shirt styling moments for me include Uma Thurman in cult movie Pulp Fiction – the untucked, long length style with peaked cuffs held together with cufflinks is as memorable as her character Mia Wallis.
Staying in retro movies, my next white shirt outfit icon has to be Julia Roberts in her 1990 film Pretty Woman, styling her co-star Richard Gere’s oversized white shirt tied nonchalantly over her Hunza mini dress.
If you haven’t yet discovered how wear a white shirt or are looking got new ways to style a white shirt then stick with me. For such a simple piece it’s possibly one of the most versatile pieces you can buy, but there are tricks to switching it up from day to night so you can wear yours on repeat.
How To Style A White Shirt For A Night Out
If you wore a white shirt as part of your school uniform and or have ever worked in a corporate environment then white blouses might feel like business territory only, but I mean business when I say don’t dismiss an oversized white shirt for a night out.
Playing with the proportions and wearing a white shirt with more volume instantly changes the tone from office to party. An oversized white shirt can be styled up: roll back the cuffs, turn up the collar, open up the buttons, if it’s big enough you can even push it off one shoulder. If you’re keeping the rest of of your outfit simple, go bold with chunky earrings or stack delicate jewellery, but white shirts are the perfect complement to pieces considered to be a bit extra such as silver trousers or sequin skirts.
How To Style Your White Shirt For Daytime
If you want to style your white shirt for daytime then it’s essential to learn the art of white shirt layering. To avoid a messy neckline, single breasted jackets such as blazers and trench coats work best, but layering a white shirt under a knit makes for chic layering. Remember, if your shirt is oversized, your knit needs to be too; pull out the collar and turn the shirt sleeves back over the knitwear cuff.
One of my favourite 90s revivals has to be wearing a white shirt with jeans – crisp white cotton shirt, no stretch straight blue jeans, belt, minimal jewellery and a super-simple strappy mid heel shoe. It’s the minimalists way to wear a white shirt, one of the many amazing ways to style the humble white shirt.
With 20 years experience as both a Fashion Buyer and Stylist, Joanne Watkinson has a wealth of knowledge about everyday style and event dressing. We’ve asked her to share her tips and tricks on how to pick the perfect dress or outfit and how to perfect your look for special occasions.
