How to style a white shirt like celebrities do
From the Oscars to our everyday outfits, the white shirt is the new must-have
G-Club
April 4th, 2022
April 4th, 2022
Gianfranco Ferré used to think of the white shirt as "a universally used term in the contemporary lexicon of elegance that everyone pronounces as they wish, never the same, yet unmistakable in its identity". The iconic designer considered it so important that he made it his paradigm item, while in recent years many of us have relegated it to the back of our wardrobes, buried under piles of apparently more contemporary and fashionable pieces. Then, suddenly, a couple of days ago Zendaya and Uma Thurman reminded us of its coolness. The stars, respectively counseled by stylists Law Roach and Kate Young, chose two similar outfits, featuring a white shirt + long skirt combo. The star of Euphoria opted for a silk-cropped model, cut just below the bust and matched with a sparkling skirt with a train covered in silver sequins, both created by Pierpaolo Piccioli of Maison Valentino for Oscar night 2022. Uma, on the other hand, opted for a more minimalist Bottega Veneta black & white look consisting of a totally buttoned shirt and a long sheath dress. The outfit seemed to be a subtle tribute to Mia Wallace, who danced with Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction in a white shirt and black trousers, but, above all, to the nineties elegance of Carolyn Bessette. Shots of her, hand in hand with husband John F. Kennedy Jr. at the Bright Night Whitney Fundraising Gala in 1999, continue to fill the Instagram feeds, even more so after the last Academy Awards, a bit like those of Sharon Stone in a Gap shirt and lilac satin Vera Wang skirt at the 1998 Oscars or those of Monica Bellucci at Cannes 2006 in a floral skirt and white Dolce & Gabbana shirt tied at the waist, embellished with a crocodile-shaped necklace by Cartier.
Despite the many examples, the white shirt + long skirt combo is not the only interesting styling option for this essential. It is very common to wear it under a suit, as was the case on the Oscars red carpet with comedian Wanda Sykes, in a white dinner jacket, and Kristen Stewart who wore a Chanel black suit, jacket and shorts, almost identical to that of her future wife Dylan Meyer, from which a semi-buttoned white shirt stood out. Giving it a more contemporary twist are it-girls such as Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley or Emily Ratajkowski. Depending on the occasion and mood, they wear it as a jacket, over a tank top or a bra; with wide-leg trousers or cargo trousers; tied just at the waist to show off their sculpted abs; under a waistcoat or micro pullover as seen in Miu Miu's latest collections; open, perhaps in linen, over a bikini; in a preppy version with a tie and waistcoat; on its own, cinched at the waist with a belt, almost like a mini dress, as Carrie did in Sex & The City.
The possibilities are many, as are the models and inspirations. And if Instagram or Pinterest do not offer you the right outfit for you, you can always take refuge in the magical world of cinema. A few examples? From the aforementioned Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, from Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday to Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, from Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde to Carrie Mulligan in An Education. After all, no one has ever been able to resist the charm and extreme versatility of the white shirt. Marie Antoinette caused a scandal by wearing it as early as the 18th century, in the Roaring Twenties, Coco Chanel revolutionized women's wardrobes by including tailored and masculine shirts in her collections, and Hollywood divas such as Katharine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich or Diane Keaton have always worn it, Gianfranco Ferrè, Calvin Klein and Alexander Wang have made it a sort of statement, in the 90s Sade was iconic when she knotted it on her hips and paired it with jeans and hoop earrings, while still today neither Megan Markle nor Victoria Beckham can pull it off.
Here is a selection of white shirts with which to experiment and find the right outfit for the coming spring days.
THOM BROWNE White Oxford Grosgrain Armband Long Sleeve Shirt
530€
GANNI Balloon Sleeve Shirt
175€
VALENTINO Oversized cotton poplin shirt
890€
TOTÊME Cotton poplin shirt
240€
DION LEE Cutout buckle-embellished shirt
515€
SACAI Wide-sleeves shirt
350€
SIMONE ROCHA White Pointed Collar Shirt
520€
LEMAIRE White Flap Shirt
490€
RED VALENTINO Stretch cotton shirt
315€
& OTHER STORIES Cropped Asymmetric Blouse
69€
POLO RALPH LAUREN Poplin shirt with drawstrings
139€