WHEN IT COMES TO CURATING A HARD-WORKING FOREVER WARDROBE THERE ARE SOME ESSENTIAL PIECES THAT ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE. A WHITE SHIRT IS ONE OF THEM.
 
Of course it is timeless, of course it is universally wearable. Whatever the dress code, a stylish white shirt will always be appropriate. 
 
But more than that, the reason it is so crucial for a high-functioning wardrobe is outfit building: every collection we design features at least a couple of white shirt options in different silhouettes and fabrics to make putting a look together easy. It is the connecting piece for every item in your wardrobe, especially when it comes to layering. Statement collars and cuffs add interest to refresh tried-and-true style essentials for the new season.

These details also serve an additional purpose - they are the key to unlocking more challenging colours, those unabashedly bright hues flooding trend reports that may on first glance seem unapproachable.


A collar and cuffs in a more familiar neutral immediately take the edge off a bright orange or electric green knit, creating some distance to act as a buffer between it and your skin tone. Instantly, something that may be more radical for your wardrobe becomes accessible. That being said, it’s worth finding your right neutral. If optic white makes you recoil, opt for a softer chalk or a warmer cream instead.

Read on for our guide to building an outfit with a white shirt

LAYERED


From sharp, classic collars to frill standing collars, exaggerated cuffs to flared, a white designer shirt serves to transform even the most basic jumpers and jackets into something far more considered.

Crafted from soft white cotton that falls to side splits at the hems, our Balloon Sleeve Cotton Layering Shirt is the perfect example, designed especially to accompany this season’s sleeveless knits. Topped with gathered detailing, the  flattering balloon sleeves are still free to make a statement whilst sitting comfortably under a knitted vest.

HEAD TO TONAL


Head-to-toe white embodies summer, fresh and cool, and inflected with soft taupes and grey tones, it’s a trend that will continue into AW22 as well, meaning it’s worth perfecting now.

Our Silk Relaxed Forever Shirt in cream teamed with the Salt + Pepper High Waisted Slim Crop Trouser in a soft blend of black-and-white tones makes the trend easier to wear as a muted alternative to stark white, top to bottom. The sleek, tailored silhouettes are fluid yet flattering for an easy day look that can segue seamlessly into evening. Elect for our Canvas Plimsoll to dress it down and a smarter flat or heel to dress it up.

OFF DUTY


A women's casual long-sleeved top or shirt is an at-home uniform staple. See our Statement Sleeve Layering Top to fill this gap in your wardrobe. 

While a classic round neck references traditional cuts, the statement sleeves that fall to deep fitted cuffs add a feminine, considered polished to any look that flatters all figures, whether you’re styling it solo or as part of a layered, off-duty look. 

Throw it on over joggers for the weekend. If that feels a touch too slouchy, swap a sweatshirting jogger for a silk iteration to achieve a luxury lounge look or look to a sleeveless vest layered over the top teamed with our Leather Slim Crop Trouser and Cotton Relaxed Cargo Jacket.

ATHLEISURE


Relaxed, comfortable, easy, and youthful, athleisure has become a perfectly acceptable style of dress for all ages and, increasingly, job roles.

Pairing a tailored jogger or track pant (in a smart fabric, to steer away from looking too casual) with a luxury cotton white shirt strikes the optimum balance, the finely-tuned working-from-home combination that can still translate into an office setting with the right shoes and jacket. Try our Cotton Forever Shirt in crisp white cotton with the Herringbone Textured Relaxed Straight Leg Track Pant. The classic shirt collar and button front is rooted in traditional tailoring  but subtle volume at the shoulders and a flattering split hem speaks to contemporary femininity. For added warmth that readies your wardrobe for chillier temperatures, add a roll neck into the mix - to echo the rest of your outfit’s colour palette, our Supersoft Longsleeve Roll Neck heroes a striped print in black and soft white. 

STACATION STATION


A crisp white shirt with a summer short epitomises holiday style. A chic way to protect your chest and shoulders from catching the sun, whilst still being cool in every sense of the word, this classic combo is a fail-safe way to make hot day dressing haute. 
 
The relaxed silhouette of our Relaxed Cotton Casual Shirt is airy and supremely flattering, with full-length sleeves that are finished with buttoned cuffs to give you the gift of choice: casually pull them up or keep them long for coverage.

MASCULINE-FEMININE


A feminine shirt is the perfect foil for a masculine trouser. Broderie trims, frill details and lace inserts direct a look away from corporate austerity to a more contemporary interpretation of workwear and AM-PM dressing. 

The Smocked Cuff Balloon Sleeve Layering Top is a riff on a ME+EM icon that can be worn as a standalone piece in summer, with our Relaxed Straight Leg Jean or a casual tailored trouser, and layered up under a knit like our Merino Cashmere Clean Edge V Neck Vest as the seasons change. The broderie detailing works in harmony with the v neckline of a vest and a flared cuff adds a final feminine flourish that also adds a softness to our Super Soft Leather Blazer.