When recently scrolling through a few online advertisements, I came across one for styling a white shirt that seemed to come from the school of Ginger-Bred!  I learned early on that to look fabulous, to have standout style, and to be a smart shopper, simplicity is often the way to go.  One of the ‘must have’ items to have in your closet – for casual, business, or dressy occasions – is a classic white shirt.  Not to wear under jackets (though you can), but as a stand alone piece.  It need not be pricey, it just needs to fit you well.  Here are the pics of the ad with my interpretation wearing a shirt I found at Revolve for under $50.

Nothing as great as a white shirt with a black skirt! This ad shows two skirt styles, but the options with this combination are truly endless.  A slim black leather pencil skirt with a white shirt and you can go anywhere! It’s also a great base for your favorite jewelry and sexy shoes.   When I wear black and white I often choose a tan or two toned shoe to make it less predictable and more visually interesting.  These khaki suede shoes did the trick!

Classic styles can frequently be traced to a someone famous who wore it well – such as Katharine Hepburn…

With her masculine style of dress she exuded chic confidence. We may not want to dress in a man tailored way every day, but when you do this on occasion it’s a nice change. I adore these camel linen pants by Alice and Olivia and a white shirt is my favorite top to wear with them. Unlike Ms. Hepburn, I prefer to wear a high wedge rather than a flat, but both look terrific.

Would you ever consider wearing a classic white cotton shirt to a formal occasion? Talk about chic confidence! Love it!

Sharon Stone knows the power of mixing simple pieces with dressier ones – if you remember she once wore a GAP teeshirt to the Oscars with a formal suit and wow’d the crowd!  To achieve the provocative look shown here you need a few items from the drugstore  – two sided tape, nipple stickers, and one large dose of confidence. 😉

If you tape up correctly, nothing will show, but it does take some getting used to not to be checking yourself constantly.

The bottom line:

• • If you don’t have a classic white shirt that fits you well, time to go shopping.
  • If you do have a classic white shirt, it never hurts to have another.
  • Iron it every time you wear it. Must be unwrinkled!
  • Resist the urge to wear a jacket – let the shirt and what you wear on the bottom stand on their own.  A scarf/wrap is a perfect coverup.

When is the last time you wore a classic white shirt?