My perfect white shirt?

Angie's post is well timed. I've been wearing more white recently and I took photos of yesterday's outfit to post.

Since some movie or other that I saw in middle school, I've had an image of the elusive (illusory?) Perfect White Shirt, the one that looks stolen from your boyfriend yet ultra cool and flattering. They never quite live up to it but here's my latest attempt.

It's a men's oxford from Everlane, their new "air oxford" - almost as light as poplin but with the feel and durability of oxford. I sized up to a men's small. If I were taller I might size up even more to get the right oversized look, but at my height I'd be lost in it. Anyway, when I tried it on in the store, another customer came over and said it was the perfect shirt, so I decided to go for it.

Incidentally this outfit would be perfect with the pink sneakers I don't own! Old R13 boy skinny jeans, new Puma sneakers.

(Pardon the wet hair in the photos.)

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31 Comments

  • Joy replied 6 years ago

    Love this shirt on you and for your style. The fabric sounds wonderful. I like the shaped hemline and agree that anything larger would be overwhelming. Maybe you need sneakers with white on them, like Cons with the white toe or something with white soles. Do you ever wear the classic style of Tom's?

  • Angie replied 6 years ago

    This looks perfect for your style. I vote Killer. Pink sneaks next. 

  • ClaraT replied 6 years ago

    Wait, what? There is an Everlane store in SF?! Thank you! I didn't realize that.

    And yes, the shirt looks great. Perfect length.

  • cobaltblue replied 6 years ago

    Love it!

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 6 years ago

    It does look perfect! Great with the jeans and sneakers. You have that effortless cool look.

  • unfrumped replied 6 years ago

    Great score!

  • Bijou replied 6 years ago

    It does look like the perfect shirt stolen from your boyfriend on you. I love it, the fabric looks such great quality. I also love the idea of the addition of pink sneakers... I can see how sneaker addiction can get out of hand, a bit similar to me and my ankle boots.

  • cindysmith replied 6 years ago

    Definitely your perfect white shirt!

  • Elizabeth P replied 6 years ago

    Looks great on you.

  • Nomad replied 6 years ago

    I love that shirt on you! Perfectly nonchalant and cool and flattering.

  • Jaime replied 6 years ago

    Just right on you!

  • lozz_oz replied 6 years ago

    Looks great! What about a pair of brogues as an alternative to sneakers?

  • harmonica replied 6 years ago

    Perfect!

  • Greyscale replied 6 years ago

    Joy, I do have classic Chucks (black and white) and you're right, they'd have been a good choice with this. They're a little faded now, but I should clean them up a bit and wear them more often.

    Clara, yes! There's a showroom on Folsom St in the Mission. It only carries a small selection of items, though, mostly the latest releases. I'm often a little disappointed that I can't try on sizes for the things I'm really interested in. A few years ago, before they opened the showroom, they used to have open houses once in a while where you could try on their staples. It was more satisfying somehow.

    lozz_oz, I just got my favorite oxford shoes back from the cobbler, and they would have looked good with the shirt. But actually the sneakers were a good call as I almost missed the train home from work and jogged to the station to catch it! Next time I'll wear the shoes.

  • Inge replied 6 years ago

    I agree, this is so good on you. Glad you found your shirt, Greyscale.
    (And I think you need those pink sneaks too, said the enabler ;-)

  • Style Fan replied 6 years ago

    Great shirt.  Perfect for your style.

  • LaPed replied 6 years ago

    Looks great on you! Are the sleeves really long if you unroll them?

  • tulle replied 6 years ago

    Very nice.  I love the idea of wearing a man's shirt, but I'm too short and hippy to make it work.  This one looks just right on you, and perfectly at home in that beautiful room.

  • ClaraT replied 6 years ago

    Thanks for the additional store info.

  • JuniperGreen replied 6 years ago

    Excellent fit and great nonchalant style!  I can see a moto pairing with this nicely when weather cools back down. 

  • Chris987 replied 6 years ago

    Definitely a great shirt for you! The pink sneakers would be great but I think the ones you are wearing are perfect.

  • Janet replied 6 years ago

    That is a great shirt on you -- easy yet flattering! I have a hard time with this because so many shirts catch on my hips, but I do have a couple of white shirts that work.

    One of my issues with white shirts is that often the ones that fit the best are either in fabrics that are a little too thick for the summer season, or too sheer to wear without a layer underneath (which I just don't like in summer). So of course I have several white shirts that are all *almost* perfect rather than one truly perfect one, but that seems to be like finding a unicorn. :-)

  • replied 6 years ago

    Definitely your perfect shirt.  It never occurred to me to purchase men's.  I suspect they are longer through the body?  Is it opaque?  

    I have a soft spot for pink sneakers.  I don't own any, but I really admire them.  

  • Greyscale replied 6 years ago

    Some fit / fabric answers:

    La Pedestrienne: The sleeve is 3 cuff-widths longer than in this photo (I folded it way up, then folded again, to make a 4-layer cuff). I don't know how it compares to most womens' shirts because those are long on my short arms too (I always fold up cuffs and pin them like a fake french cuff). Maybe a little longer. The other issue is that the sleeves are wider, which is good for my arms but looks a bit sloppy; the rolled cuff pulls it in usefully.

    Sterling: It is not entirely opaque but better than average -- my jeans just barely show through when I look at my full size photos.

    Men's shirts are longer, yes, and also narrow in the hips as Janet mentioned. But there's a range of cuts and styles, and men's shirts right now are a little boxier than the past few years. I had a really great shirt once from the J Crew kids section -- kids' shirts are shorter in the sleeves and body than men's shirts and a 14 is about a size 2. In fact I'm not sure why I didn't just get another of those.

  • Lisa replied 6 years ago

    That shirt looks perfect on you to my eye, great job!

  • Karie replied 6 years ago

    That really does look like the perfect white boyfriend-style shirt on you. I love the idea of pink sneaks with it.

  • Sara L. replied 6 years ago

    This is a great shirt on you.  It's not too wide and I like the length.  I've given up on button down white shirts.   They're never quite right and I'm always worried I'll spill something that will stain.  The funny thing is that I'm not worried about spills on all the other white items I own and I very rarely spill things.

  • Greyscale replied 6 years ago

    A question, if anyone is still reading: would this look good in black?  Or is this really just a good look in white? How about short-sleeve white? If I did short sleeve, should I size down for a more fitted look?

    Sara, I'm ok about spills but I always end up with ink stains on the sleeves: I always end up resting my arm against an open pen on my desk. Ah well.

  • Suz replied 6 years ago

    It looks wonderful on you. Yay! 

  • replied 6 years ago

    That is weird. I thought I'd responded to this thread.
    I really like that this shirt is oversized!

    Yes to the black! It might even be better!

  • Karie replied 6 years ago

    I like it in black too. Very versatile!

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