White Shirt

Guideline

An absolute must-have that gets you feel well dressed up, stylish and set confident. 

However, to choose  and wear it well, that’s another story! As usual, it will the tiny pieces of details that will make the huge difference. 

The white shirt is one-size-fits-all and will suit to any body types. 

There is definitely one just for you! 

As well as for the White T-shirt, the most difficult job here is to pick up the rare pearl. 

You ll find tones of them in shops or boutiques BUT find Yours, that one perfectly adjusted, in high quality is not always a picnic! 

How to select your white shirt ?

For it to become a real basic of your wardrobe, it must be simple, that is to say white, with long sleeves, buttons and a classic shirt collar (french collar).

So forget about claudine collars, mao collars, blouses without buttons… which are not in the same category.

We also forget the embroidery, lace, cutouts, frills, yokes, asymmetrical buttoning, links etc..

Which material to select

Go for Poplin (also known as tabbing) fabric 100% cotton. 

Poplin is a type of weaving which provides a fine but thick aspect to the fabric. 

The fabric can be made with wool, silk, cotton or a mixture of cotton and polyester. 

When it come to the white shirt, we are really promoting 100% cotton Poplin fabric. 

 

Chemise blanche pour femme et jean

Pinterest*

No wonder as Poplin material just combined strongness and durability on one hand but also softness and lustre, on another hand. 

The Poplin material is easy to iron and do not wrinkle easily.

Besides, the material should not be to thin or see-through. 

Also forget the too rigid shirt with its starchy aspect and far not comfortable.

Forget about the rice tag to judge, it s not a pledge of quality when the fabric is!

That is why and again we favor 100% cotton fabric. 

It is essential that the buttons are white ! Pure white … please run away from the yellowed ones …

L’excellence ; mother-of-pearl buttons. 

 

The cut of your white shirt

The cut should be slightly oversize but certainly not arched. 

Preferably straight, there are no pliers neither at the in the front or at the back. 

The bottom can be straight or oval-shaped. 

Oval-shaped or curved will look better if you plan to show of the bottom under a sweater.

There should not be any shoulder pads , one single chest pocket but not more! 

French collar, also called as Classic or Kent collar, is the most common one , its opening is light but substantially wide like the distance between the cutting-edges is approximately 6 to 7 cm. 

The collar swings between softness and steepness and when it comes to its height, it should reach the middle of your neck if buttoned up. 

That’s also something you need to know, the longest the cutting-edges are, the longest your face will seem.

TO SUMMARIZE


Capitalize on a shirt as simple and minimalist as it can be , rely on 100% cotton-poplin, straight and fairly loose, then you will tick all the style and comfy boxes.


Our favorite brands

With 100% cotton-poplin :

The best and the easiest is to go to department store like Galeries Lafayette or Printemps and might do a group shot thanks to a wider availability overview. 

As much guarantee of success, the white shirt has, as easy it is to find it in almost every shops, therefore don’t misjudge about findings in fast-fashion shop like Mango, there you can discover some treasures (the only attention to pay on, would be the see-through of the fabric). 

Nevertheless, if you bump into the ONE, which will fulfill all your expectations, take 2 straight away, you will never ever get tired of wearing them so it matches everything.

It’s purely a masterpiece in your wardrobe, timeless and versatile.

$$$ Budget : between 20 and 150€

How to style a white shirt

To be fair, there’s 1000 ways : 

  • Perfect match to achieve a Tomboy style, wear it next-to-skin, neckline opened (more or less according your mood and wether it’s a day or a night outfit) surrounded by tiny fines chains, sleeves rolled up to the elbow displaying a nice watch , in front tucked it into your pants or your skirt and let it out at the back.
  • Style it with a round neck black or anthracite colored jumper but let sleeves, collar (buttoned all the way up to the top) and bottom cut appearing.
  • As an overshirt, revealing a sexy caraco.

 

The masculine version of the white shirt is the striker of your wardrobe, multifaceted it will : 

calm down your « too » sexy or « destroy » looks.

Bring some chic to your casual outfits.

Downplay « disco ball » pieces like mini skirts with sequins or glit.

Mix and match

Here some ideas to combine your white shirt with others basic and timeless pieces of your wardrobe :

White shirt

+ Slim or raw skinny

+ Blazer

+ Patent, flashy or black suede pumps

White shirt

+ Slim or skinny destroy

+ Leather perfecto

+ Sneakers

White shirt
+ Sweatshirt (collar, sleeve ends + bottom of shirt sticking out)

+ Skinny used

+ Boots with thin heels

White shirt

+ Leather Slim

+ Sneakers

White shirt

+ Cashmere sweater

+ Black Slim

+ Chelsea boots

White shirt

+ boyfriend jeans

+ Babies, pumps or minimalist sandals with thin heels

White shirt

+ Mom jeans

+ Patent, flashy or black suede pumps or minimalist sandals with thin heels

White shirt

+ Chino

+ Minimalist slingbacks or sandals with thin heels

White shirt

+ Men’s pants

+ Minimalist sandals with thin heels

White shirt

+ Men’s pants

+ Sneakers

White shirt

+ Denim shorts

+ Minimalist sandals with thin heels

White shirt

+ Leather mini skirt

+ Derbies

White shirt

+Sequined mini-skirt

+ Sneakers

White shirt

+ Skater or ruffled skirt

+ Sneakers

White shirt

+ Midi skirt or pleated midi skirt

+ Sneakers

White shirt

+ High waist pencil skirt

+ Heeled boots

White shirt

+ Raw Skinny

+ Blazer

+ Waders

White shirt

+ Destroyed boyfriend jeans

+ Leather perfecto

+ Rock boots

White shirt

+ Denim skirt

+ Sneakers or sandals tropéziennes

White shirt

+ Straight cropped jeans

+ Blazer

+ Babies

C

white shirt

+ Straight cropped jeans

+ Prince of Wales printed blazer

+ Heeled boots

White shirt

+ Carrot pants

+ Minimalist pumps, pumps or sandals

Inspirations Pinterest

Chemise blanche et jupe en jean

FDZ

Wear your shirt with a denim mini-skirt to tone it down and give it some gravitas.

Chemise blanche et short en jean

Rover.ebay

Another outfit with a shirt and shorts; this time it’s a linen shirt.
It’s a very nice mix for summer.
You can roll up the sleeves like here or open the buttons and roll them up.

Chemise en jean et skinny

Sincerely Jules

The beautiful Julie wears a white shirt with a skinny, a fancy belt and derbies.
A chic and casual look!

Tenue d'été

Abaday

Worn with jean shorts, it’s a great option for this summer.
Maybe add a bra to this outfit and you could even wear it to go shopping!

Chemise en coton et mini-jupe en jean

Pinterest*

Here, it comes to soften a mini skirt.
You can wear flat sandals, Converse or sneakers with this outfit.

Tenue d'été chic avec une chemise et une jupe blanche

Pinterest*

In a chic and cool white total look with a white denim skirt!

Chemise blanche et jupe midi léopard

Tdm

White shirt and leopard skirt: the shirt comes to soften the skirt.
Here it is a shirt a little more fancy but a masculine shirt would also suit well.

Jupe crayon imprimé léopard et chemise blanche

Pinterest*

To play down a leopard pencil skirt worn with high-heeled sandals.

How to care for your white shirt

 

Ideally, your basics should always be impeccable.

It is therefore important to maintain your white shirt.

The shirt must be perfectly white, without stains.

Here are some maintenance tips to keep your shirt looking its best:

Washing

Wash your shirt in the washing machine at 30° or 40°C with your usual detergent.

Add a tablespoon of baking soda in the drum.

Replace your fabric softener with white vinegar and add a few drops of tea tree oil.

Only wash your white shirt with white. Don’t mix and match, and don’t turn it into a baby pink shirt!

Avoid the dryer of course and dry your shirt on a hanger at room temperature.

 

The collar of your white shirt is loose

Do something as soon as it’s dry!

Don’t let that dirt linger and do absolutely everything BEFORE you wash.

The trick?

Make a paste by mixing 2/3 baking soda + 1/3 water in a small bowl.

Then apply it with a toothbrush.

Leave it on for 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse.

If it’s not enough, go up a gear!

Dilute a tablespoon of soda crystals (ecological stain remover extraordinaire) in a bowl of hot water.

Scrub, rinse, it’s magic!

This is obviously valid for loose cuffs, loose button plackets, etc.

 

Your white shirt has turned yellow

Let it soak overnight in a basin with a mixture of 2/3 water and 1/3 white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.

If it is 100% cotton (and only in this case), dry it in the sun in summer. The sun has a remarkable bleaching action!

In winter, you can hang it outside when it is freezing.

Let’s chat ?

 

If you enjoyed this article, you can find it again as well as 80 others items of the wardrobe in the EBOOK "Everything you need to know about wardrobe items".

  • How to choose well 
  • The favorites brands 
  • How to dress them up with style 
  • Advises to identify which accessories , shoes, jackets etc to combine with 
  • Mix & match : 22 ideas of outfits for each pieces of your wardrobe 

 

This Ebook is divided into 7 parts :

 

  • top 
  • pants 
  • skirts and dresses 
  • shoes 
  • accessories 
  • underwear and tights 

 

You will not be disappointed with the 1300 pages, this Ebook contains! 

 

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Each item to be seen is selectable  in only 2 clicks!

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What can you expect with this Ebook ? 

 

It will guide you to choose each piece of your wardrobe in the right way, at the right time and for the right occasion :  material and fabric to prefer, cut, color, finishings... 

 

The favorite brands: you will find a lot of my recommendations,  far from me the thoughts that I know what’s best to be on trend , but because I have tried them on myself .

 

As a matter of fact that ?

 

You're guaranteed not to make a purchase you'll regret later!

Then there are lots of tips on how to wear each piece... and really optimize all its potential!

And above all, to combine it with the other basics and timeless pieces in your wardrobe...

(Where fashion magazines often tend to propose more eccentric combinations... with pieces you don't necessarily have and which therefore require you to make other purchases…)

 

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See you soon!

*Il s’agit ici de photos dont les sources n’ont pu être identifiées sur Pinterest.
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Crédit photo entête de l’article :
H&M