One White Button Down, Three Ways

One White Button Down, Three Ways

Lately all I seem to want to wear is black and white. Not in a creepy Kris Jenner way, but it seems to be what I gravitate toward. Lately I'm particularly excited about crisp white button downs. They have to be soft, cover the butt, and not show a bra underneath. I like the thicker ones like men wear but that are harder to find for women sometimes.

Here are three ways I suggest you wear a  basic white button down (upper left) this fall.

Under a dress like a jumper. It's amazing how different a dress can look with a shirt underneath it. I've loved this look before with a collar shirt, but I thought it also worked well with a collarless. If you like this look but aren't sure what shirt/dress combinations to use or what shoes to wear it with, look at Boden for styling inspiration. You'll see this idea also works well with a basic long-sleeved tshirt. I think this combination is dying for a bold necklace or a skinny belt around the waist, tights when the weather turns, and a low brown bootie or knee high boots.

Under a stiff sleeveless shirt. I was playing around with the textures so the bottom two shirts look fairly similar; however, the bottom left is quite stiff. Using a stiff sleeveless shirt over a button down is a great way to wear it beyond the summer and show off a fun texture or embellished neck. I'd love something like this Boden sleeveless top over a basic button down with so-called "cigarette pants" like these from TopShop, these from Lane Bryant, or these from Asos. Add shiny tie up shoes or leopard print flats, and you're done.

Under a flowy lace shirt. This is the opposite end of the spectrum, but it still works and may be a way to wear lace to work without looking too casual or too sexy. It's also a way to take a shirt (like this) that you might already own that reads as very sweet or slightly Western and make it a little more preppy.  On the flip side, it also adds a boho feel to an otherwise stiff shirt.