The eternal appeal of the white shirt is not just that it goes with anything, although it does. And not only that it can take you anywhere, although it can. It is not even that it never goes out of style, or that good quality versions are accessible at real-world prices, although those are true also.
A white shirt is self-confidence. It stands for it, and it brings it, and that’s the real secret. It is a superhero cloak that bestows you with this formidable power. Self-confidence is not as snazzy as the ability to fly or live for ever, but arguably it’s more practical. I don’t know why or how it works, but it doesn’t matter, because if you feel confident then you are confident. Faking it and making it are one and the same here.
Courage is everything at this time of year, when life can feel a bit daunting. Perhaps your instinct is to hibernate in a hoodie. Hey, I hear you. But while a hoodie can cushion you from the cold dark world, a white shirt can help you tackle said world. And it is almost as easy to wear. Plus you almost certainly have one in your wardrobe, so you know it makes sense.
A white shirt is an easy option with a formal suit or tucked neatly into tailored trousers or a pencil skirt. But it really comes into its own when you allow it to cut loose. Embrace its breeziness, and it makes you feel breezy too. Wear it crisp and loose, and let it put the wind in your sails.
When you free the white shirt from its corporate shackles, it lifts you up with it. It will make casual bottoms look instantly more fashion-forward than a T-shirt or knit. It has style pedigree, but not so much personality that it overwhelms yours. It doesn’t compete with you, it supports you instead. It looks calmly intentional, but somehow also as if you just pulled it on without a second thought.
It does take a little practice to get the styling right. And the white shirt look is not a one-size-fits-all. I often see women wearing oversized white shirts, buttoned to the neck and cuff, magnificent as a galleon in full sail. Often, the kind of women who can pull off a slicked back bun and extra long trousers that puddle over shoes. But none of these – the buttoned-up big white box shirt, the slick bun, the puddled hems – work on me. A look that aims for “Mayfair art curator” somehow lands closer to “repainting the hallway”.
I have worked out that the most effective way to harness its swagger while still feeling like myself is to soften the edges. Leave the top and bottom buttons undone, so that the neckline falls open, and the shirt tails drape and swing. Roll the sleeves up to the elbow. The effect is subtle, but it changes everything. You still get the grand architectural sweep of shirting, but the posture feels more relaxed. If you were driving a car, you would have loosened your grip on the steering wheel just enough to sing along to the radio. It becomes less of an authority figure, and more of a partner in crime.
Speaking of partners in crime, there is no better pairing for a white shirt than jeans. Now that jeans have got wider, resist the impulse to automatically tuck the shirt in. The wider profile of jeans means there is more denim on display, so if you tuck in the top half, the balance is off. Let the shirt swing free. No cheating with a French half-tuck. It will feel strange at first, but stand back and have a look in the mirror, and you will see what I mean: the proportions are just better. The outfit has a natural harmony. The jeans bring ease, the shirt adds purpose. No matter that, moments earlier, you were standing in front of your wardrobe muttering “help” under your breath. To the outside world, this is a look that declares you have mastered the art of effortless style. And when you start the day like that, the sky’s the limit.
Model: Imogen May at Milk. Styling assistant: Charlotte Gornall. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Bumble and Bumble and Dr Sams. Shirt, £150, With Nothing Underneath. Jeans, £275, Essentiel Antwerp. Shoes, £85, John Lewis
