Zipped, ruffled or deconstructed, the button-down white shirt is a girl’s summer uniform
A classic that is never out of fashion, the button-down shirt, in white or blue, comes in a riot of shapes and styles. Pair it with cropped jeans, wide-legged trousers or a super oversized pant
Just in case you haven’t received the memo, the humble button-down shirt is set to be the must-have item this summer. While this isn’t exactly groundbreaking news – it has always been a staple in women’s wardrobes thanks to its versatility and ability to compliment any style – this season it’s evolved from a modest essential into a full-blown fashion statement.
“The focus on the classic button-down comes off the back of the normcore mood that swept through the collections, so it makes sense that designers went back to wardrobe staples and reworked them into something new and interesting,” says Lisa Aiken, retail fashion director at Net-a-porter.com.
“A button-down shirt in crisp white cotton or pale blue pinstripe can become the hardest working item in your wardrobe and I don’t think it is ever out of fashion. This season, however, designers looked to reinvent this wardrobe staple with a focus on sleeving and volume which felt fresh and modern,” adds Natalie Kingham, buying director of Matchesfashion.com.
Indeed, the shirting options presented for spring, both in the pre- and catwalk collections, couldn’t be further from the conservative styles spotted at the office. The shirt has undergone an epic makeover as designers experiment with construction and fit while minimising or exaggerating proportions.
One style that appeared in many collections, including talked-about label Jacquemus, is the ubiquitous off-the-shoulder silhouette. It’s all about showing some skin, as evidenced in Emilio Pucci’s one-shoulder style and Zac Posen’s shirts with collar askew collar.
