So let's look at the basics that are MUST HAVES for any woman's wardrobe. Today, I'm only looking at two important basics: The white dress shirt and white tee shirt.
You absolutely must have a couple of good white dress shirts in your closet. Here's why....
A nice white cotton blend dress shirt is the perfect start. They look good on everyone and are appropriate any time and any where.
I go to TJ Maxx and buy Liz Claiborne's wrinkle resistant crisp white long sleeved shirts for approximately $25. These shirts are perfect year round and go with everything. You can wear them under a suit, with any length skirt, slacks, jeans and even shorts. They are easy to wear, last a long time and, yes, are wrinkle resistant. When I find them, I typically buy three or four. You can't go wrong with a nice white dress shirt. Tucked in or out, sleeves rolled up or down, collar popped up and folded down - these shirts are a great basic. And at that price, how can you not?
The fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, wears white shirts with evening skirts, dress slacks and everything else.
As she stated in People magazine: Carolina has a passion for one simple garment, too: the white blouse.
“I love them and I’ve worn them all my life,” she explains. “They are my security blanket, as they say.” They’re also feminine and easy to match, she adds — and they bring back happy memories. “As a child, I wore white blouses to school, and I remember them always being ready and perfectly ironed,” she recalls.
And when she says perfectly ironed, she means perfectly ironed. “What good does it to you to wear an expensive dress if one of the buttons is falling off or if it hasn’t been properly ironed?”
So, yes, you might need to press out some wrinkles (if only we could do that to our faces and necks!) but you'll look so pulled together.
A nice white tee shirt is another great staple for your closet. Gap sells some beautiful ones - just simple white cotton tees. Again,wear them with your suits, your skirts, slacks, jeans and shorts. Sleeve lengths and neckline shapes are optional. Some women like a V-neck, scoop neck, boat neck, crew neck, and/or ballet neck - it is up to you depending on what looks best.
And I recommend you try one on before buying several. Some tee shirts are made thinly (for layering - like I want to wear MORE clothes!), some sleeve lengths are not flattering to upper arms and some shirts cling (a horror if you look at your back in a mirror and have back fat, muffin top or bra ridges!). Although you can buy these items online, it helps to go to a store and try on a few, to see what looks best (without having the pay to send them back).
With either shirts, you can dress them up with accessories. Scarves can be fun.
So can necklaces of various prices. Dress up, wear what's fun, and remember it doesn't have to match anything.
And you can wear these shirts with any type of cover...
Do be sure to check your shirts for stains (I always spill soup on myself when I'm wearing white), especially looking for the yellowing in the armpits. There are laundry tips online to counter those deodorant stains. And if they don't work, be prepared to throw the shirt away -- it is not attractive to wear an old stained shirt for any occasion in your life. Check your buttons on the front and sleeves. And sometimes consider starching your dress shirt collar - it's a great look! And popping your starched collar is a great face framer (although you will encounter friends who want to fold it down -- HANDS OFF!).
Next week, I'll continue on the basics -- a great pair of jeans.
I am sharing this quote about clothes from Mr. Chanel himself, Karl Lagerfeld - such a great piece of advice:
“Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to.”
Until next week, I remain,
Stylistically yours,
Sooz
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