5 Ways to Style One Shirt for Office, Casual and Party
Tuck it, layer it or roll the sleeves -- five honest looks from a single shirt you already own, without buying anything new.
A good plain shirt is the hardest working thing in a wardrobe, and most of us wear it exactly one way. Here are five, in the order we would actually reach for them through a week.
1. Full tuck, for the office
Sleeves down, buttoned at the cuff, tucked in fully, with a belt that matches your shoes. This is the version that needs the shirt to actually fit at the shoulder -- everything else can be adjusted, that cannot.
2. Sleeves rolled, for a long day
Roll to just below the elbow, twice, wide folds. It reads as relaxed rather than untidy, and it is the quickest way to take an office shirt into an evening without going home to change.
3. Open over a plain tee
Treat the shirt as a light jacket. A plain white or black round-neck underneath, shirt open, sleeves rolled. Works best in a slightly looser fit, which is why an older shirt often looks better this way than a new one.
- 4. Half tuck with denim -- front tucked, back loose, for weekends.
- 5. Buttoned to the collar with dark trousers, for evenings out.
One last thing that matters more than any of the five: press it. A cheap shirt that has been ironed looks better than an expensive one that has not.