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(Left to right) Ann Taylor Weekend Frayed Mid Rise Wide Leg Jeans in Ivory; Gap Organic Cotton Perfect Shirt; Sam Edelman Ethyl Low Top Sneaker in Bright White Leather; Pacifica Illume UPF
Relaxed Jacket in Poppy Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Ann Taylor; Nordstrom; The Gap; Athleta) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
White shirts are wonderful for women of every age but as we get older, there are even more reasons to love them, especially in spring and summer. A white shirt keeps you cool. (Hallelujah!)
It frames your face and reflects light. It’s versatile. A classic one is a money-saving workhorse and pairs with almost anything in your wardrobe, from blazer to bathing suit to brightly
colored sweater. Movie stars have embraced the magic of a white shirt for decades. Sharon Stone even wore one to the Oscars with a long satin skirt back in the day!
The kind I am talking about is a white button-down. It can be thin and crisp or a heavier cotton oxford style. But it should have a collar and long sleeves with cuffs.
Here are some surefire white-shirt formulas:
1. White shirt + Satin pleated skirt + Layered necklace + Kitten heel (Left to right) Journee Collection Women’s Manza Kitten Heels in Black;Kenneth Jay Lane Pearl Triple Strand Necklace Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Macy's; Halsbrook)
Tuck in a white shirt like this beauty — Classic Fit Non-Iron Stretch Supima Cotton Dress Shirt ($118, brooksbrothers.com) — and blouse it a little. Open up the neck to showcase a statement
necklace like the Kenneth Jay Lane Pearl Triple Strand Necklace ($150, halsbrook.com). With a sleek skirt like the Aqua Pleated Satin Midi Skirt in black ($78, bloomingdales.com), a
kitten-heeled pump like the Journee Collection Women’s Manza Kitten Heels in black ($70, macys.com) and a small clutch, this elegant look can take you to a cocktail party, a shower, a
graduation, even a daytime wedding.
2. White shirt + Blazer + Jeans + Scarf (Left to right) Levi’s Women’s 726 Western Flare Slim Fit Jeans; Zara Tailored Double Breasted Blazer; KateSpade Fortune Spinner Square Silk Scarf in Pink Multi Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Macy's; Zara; Nordstrom)
A navy blazer like this Tailored Double Breasted Blazer ($90, zara.com) makes a chic combination with a white shirt such as Fitted Cotton Shirt ($46, mango.com), a printed silk scarf like
this Kate Spade Fortune Spinner Square Silk Scarf in Pink Multi ($88, nordstrom.com) and jeans in a medium wash like these Levi’s Women’s 726 Western Flare Slim Fit Jeans ($70, macys.com) to
wear to work — assuming jeans are permitted. Unbutton the shirt collar and knot the scarf at your collarbone. Just add loafers or low-heeled pumps and a shoulder bag. The same look can take
you to a meeting, to lunch or to an afternoon event such as an art show, lecture or concert.
3. White shirt + Bright hoodie + White pants + White sneakers (Clockwise from left) AnnTaylor Weekend Frayed Mid Rise Wide Leg Jeans in Ivory; Gap Organic Cotton Perfect Shirt; Pacifica Illume UPF Relaxed Jacket in Poppy; Sam Edelman Ethyl Low Top Sneaker in Bright White
Leather Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Ann Taylor; Nordstrom; The Gap; Athleta)
For a snappy, updated weekend look, pair a colorful hoodie like the Pacifica Illume UPF Relaxed Jacket in Poppy ($98, athleta.gap.com) with an affordable white shirt such as Organic Cotton
Perfect Shirt ($39, gap.com), white jeans like the Ann Taylor Weekend Frayed Mid Rise Wide Leg Jeans in Ivory ($90, anntaylor.com) and sneakers like the Sam Edelman Ethyl Low Top Sneaker in
Bright White Leather ($80, nordstrom.com). Leave the shirt untucked so the hem peeks from below the jacket. Add a crossbody bag or backpack to keep up the sporty attitude.
4. White shirt+ Print pants + Straw hat + Espadrilles (Left to right) Zara ZW Collection Printed Pants; Miz Mooz Carmena Flat in Ocean Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Zara; Nordstrom)
Create a beachy vibe by wearing a shirt like the Women’s Oxford Shirt in White ($42, landsend.com) half-tucked into printed cotton pants like the ZW Collection Printed Pants ($70, zara.com).
(Love this blue and white combination!) A straw hat like this cute Bucket Hat in Natural ($30, loft.com) and colorful espadrilles such as Miz Mooz Carmena Flat in Ocean ($90, nordstrom.com)
evoke island style à la St. Barts or Capri.