Essential Classics - The Crisp White Shirt

Marilyn Monroe (Image from fanpix.net)

The crisp white shirt is a staple item for every woman’s wardrobe, and it is a sexy look on any girl, of any shape or size – as modelled above by the sexiest woman who ever lived!

Just this week, I was reading one of my favourites blogs, Fashion Editor at Large, and a post by Junior Fashion Editor was about the latest way you should style this essential item in Styling it up! White Shirts

Alexa Chung has taken the shirt, jewelled the collar and cuffs and then wore it under a party dress – not for one red carpet event, but several!. Out of the two examples shown in her blogpost, this is my favourite.

Alexa in Marc Jacobs dress plus shirt.(Image from Fashion Editor at Large Blogspot)

The advice given if you want to follow this trend, is to either purchase a jewelled white shirt or take an existing one (that still looks crisp white) and add jewels to collar and cuffs. If you like to try new things then I think this could be a fun way of wearing this shirt this season.

For me though, this type of garment is a classic for women, making you feel confident and feminine. A few key things though are important to get this look right:

I keep mentioning crisp – well exactly that – the shirt needs to look pure white and have a sharp finish to it.
Two great ways to wear the sleeves are either rolled back right to your elbows or worn with cufflinks.
Haven’t got cufflinks? – then steal some from your man! I do.
If you have a fuller bust – I recommend to purchase a shirt that is tailored to go in tight at your waist. Avoid wearing large shirts hanging over your jeans – this will only make you look bigger.
For the smaller bust – go for a man’s cut and tuck into high-waisted flared jeans for that gorgeous 70’s look.
Dare to bare – the sexiest way to wear a white shirt is to have it open as low as you can go without it all “hanging out”.
Or for those of you who would prefer the conservative look then button all the way to the top including the collar.
As soon as it looks worn and tired – change it!
Great to be worn with a tight pencil skirt, black tailored trousers, dark or light blue jeans, but if you prefer a retro look then wear with capri trousers of any colour.
Add some colour by tying a single-colour square silk scarf.