White dress shirts aren’t strictly reserved for business meetings, although they may be the hardest working piece in your wardrobe. These looks prove that a white shirt can be worn and styled for any dress code, no matter how formal or casual. Sometimes it just takes a little imagination to pair it with something unexpected to make it feel new all over again. Playing with size, proportion, and details can make a white dress shirt go from supporting character to the star of your outfit. There are so many different styles when it comes to dress shirts, from casual Oxford shirts to formal tuxedo shirts, and just as many ways to style them. Take a cue from these street-style stars and how they wear every type of white shirt.
OVERSIZED TUXEDO
A white tuxedo shirt, usually reserved for formal occasions, looks so great when worn in a casual way. I love this “borrowed from the boys” oversized tux shirt with spread collar paired with sequin shorts for a fun night out look. Try borrowing your man’s formal shirts to recreate this look.
EVERYDAY LOOK
This perfect white dress shirt looks so chic styled with jeans for an everyday look. The elongated cuff gives the shirt a bit of an edge and looks great tucked in and finished with a belt. It creates a nice balance when you pair a high-quality dress shirt with distressed denim for a high/ low look. A formal shirt with French cuffs would look great styled this way too.
GO TO EXTREMES
The extreme shape of this shirt is such a cool overall look paired with cargo pants and Birkenstocks. I love the details like the button-down collar, wider cuffs, and extreme shirt tail shape to create a cool take on the white shirt.
SPORTY VIBES
This classic white dress shirt looks great layered over a plain white t-shirt and workout shorts. It’s a great way to pull together a sporty look to grab coffee and run around town.
WHITE HOT
If you are into all white looks this summer, this outfit is super chic. Pair a linen white button-up back to a white denim mini skirt for a look that can take you to brunch, cocktails and everywhere in between. Plus white clothes look so great on every skin tone, especially in the summer, so don’t be afraid to go for a head-to-toe white look.
KEEP IT CASUAL
Take the plain white shirt up a notch by wearing one with utility pockets and layering it over your favorite breezy summer dress. Paired with flip flops she looks casual, comfortable and effortlessly chic all at the same time. This is a great way to style sport shirts this summer.
DRESS IT UP
Leandra Cohen pulls off a perfect look in a white shirt dress with a bow tie detail at the front. I love the mini length back to the platform heels for a sexy summer vibe.
BELT IT
There is something so sexy about women taking men’s dress shirts and making them their own. I love this open shirt look with a mini skirt and heels. Styled with her belt bag, it makes the look somehow a bit practical!
CITY GIRL
Pernille Teisbaek effortlessly pairs her white casual shirt with a denim mini and white sandals for a day in the city. Wear a slimmer fit shirt for a neater, put-together look and keep the top button or two open for a more relaxed vibe. There is a reason why the classic white shirt is the basis of any capsule wardrobe, as it can easily pair back to virtually anything in your closet.
THE HIGH/ LOW LOOK
Anine Bing wears her elongated shirt over a tank dress and pairs it back to boots. She adds a stack of gold chains and pearls to create tension to the look so it’s both dressy and casual at the same time. See how to incorporate pearls into your wardrobe here.
KEEP IT NEUTRAL
Neutral colors always look great with white dress shirts, especially in the warmer months. I love how she styled the shirt as a dress and layered a suit jacket over it with light boots. In the fall, a dark suit jacket and boots would be great update.
FORMAL STYLE
For formal events or a black tie look, pair your white shirt with a black suit or black trousers for a dressed-up look. Jenna Lyons is the master at this and I love how she layered her necklace stack and chandelier earrings with this look. Read our post on how to create your own necklace stack here.
While dress shirts come in many different colors, you can never go wrong with the classic white shirt. When styling it’s often the right choice to pair back to casual looks like jeans, formal wear like trousers or skirts, or to business attire like suits or under dresses. Try pairing your white shirts with unexpected items in your closet to create new ways to style yours!
