The Quintessential White Tee

I have a confession.

My sense of style when I was growing up was a little… crazy. Not in a good way, either. I would wear a pink tee-shirt, layered with a red-and-grey striped tee-shirt, with acid-wash baggy denim jeans, yellow socks and sneakers. That was when I was 12, and I have photographic evidence.

When I was 14, I wore electric blue and neon yellow windbreakers with ill-fitting, knee-length denim skirts, green faux-leather handbags and white faux-leather high-heeled boots.

Thankfully, my turning point came when I was 17. I read an interview with a model in one of the popular magazines at the time. I cannot remember the model or the magazine. But what she said made a light bulb go off in my head. The question was about her personal style when off-duty. Her answer: A plain white tee-shirt and denim.

It suddenly struck me that less really is more, as long as everything fits well. I started to look at fashion with new eyes. I stopped wearing graphic tee-shirts. I stopped mixing bold colors. Getting the right fit became the most essential factor when choosing clothes. I started visiting seamstresses to get alterations done. Eighty percent of the time, I would be clad in a white tee-shirt and denim jeans or shorts.

White and denim. So timeless. So classic. Such an easy blank canvas for playing with accessories. Whether you like your accessories simple or statement, you never can go wrong with a white and denim background. Personally, I love statement pendants and well-constructed boots, topics themselves for another day.

Today, there are countless options when it comes to the quintessential white tee, in every style you can imagine. I would say, every woman needs a simple crew neck, cap-sleeved fitted white tee in the wardrobe. If you are conscious about your arms, a longer fitted sleeve works, too. I have worn mine casually with denim shorts and jeans, or to the office with power suits instead of a white shirt. Not only was it way more comfortable, it made me feel liberated, confident.

Even though I play with many styles and colors in my Instagram account, my usual go-to outfit is white + denim. Not only does this look flatter just about anyone, it allows others to see the person wearing the outfit, instead of being buried under too many colors and prints. Add your own personality in the form of accessories, and there you have it. A shortcut to looking stylish.

Do you have a go-to look or item in your closet? What are your favorite stores for basic tee-shirts? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment to share your views.

I’ll talk to you soon.

x

JV

Links to stores mentioned in today’s article:

I am a translator by profession and a style player by passion. What is a style player? I like to play with style. This is why I am here at thefrontpageonline.com, to write about style, in particular, my style.

Find me on Instagram @jessicaval.