Posts Tagged: t-shirt

Tim Gunn on T-shirts and casual wear

By IN Fashion, Less Frantic Mondays, Style

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible

“Unless dressed up by the rest of the outfit, a T-shirt is strictly casual wear. It makes no difference to me whether the T-shirt in question is expensive or cheap.”
– Tim Gunn, “Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible”

I love Tim Gunn. He pulls no punches in his opinions on style, like this one, from his delightful new book on the history of fashion.

I’m not sure I agree 100% with this opinion, however. What about a shirt that is otherwise in the shape of a T-shirt, but is made of a refined material? When worn under a blazer, it’s anything but casual.*

Less Frantic Mondays: Tips and tricks for getting dressed and creating working mom outfits with less hassle and more fun.Then again, if it’s a short-sleeved top in a material like nylon or silk, is it really a T-shirt?

  • Fab mamas: What do you think? Are T-shirts casual wear only? And is a non-casual short-sleeve shirt really a tee?

*Here’s some more discussion on Quora on whether the T-shirt can be more or less formal.

Get fabulous. Be fabulous. Declare your right to discover and manifest your personal style with the Fab Mama Style Manifesto.

Working Mom weekend casual outfit: Geek chic

By IN Personal Style

Working mom weekend casual outfit: Geek chic comic book T-shirt, denim Bermuda shorts, Saucony casual shoes, Eugenia Kim straw hat, Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses

One of my favorite things to wear on the weekends is a fun graphic-printed T-shirt. Some of mine are abstract patterns, some are from places I’ve been, and some represent my inner geek.

This shirt, from WeLoveFine, is for my comic book and superhero loving side. It’s Loki, one of my favorite Marvel characters, done in an Art Nouveau style (and if you follow my Pinterest account, you’ll know my love for Loki is in no small part because I’m a big fan of the actor who plays him, Tom Hiddleston).

So what does a fangirl wear with a comic book shirt, maybe to a comics convention even?

This is a casual outfit, so let’s start with a pair of denim Bermuda or walking shorts. If I’m walking around at an event, I’ll want comfortable shoes, like these lightweight Saucony trainers.

Or maybe I’m on a geek family outing to the local Renaissance Festival, so I’d better add a hat and shades to protect myself from the sun. My favorite Eugenia Kim straw fedora fits the bill, and you can never go wrong with Ray-Ban aviators.

Put it together and you have geek chic.

  • Are you a chic geek too? What do you geek out about?

Shorts: Banana Republic. (Similar, $79, Zappos).
Shirt: WeLoveFine, Loki Nouveau,  $25.
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Classic Aviators ($150, Lord & Taylor).
Shoes: Saucony (similar, $60, Zappos).
Hat: Eugenia Kim for Target (similar, $64, Bergdorf Goodman).
Working Mom Outfit Level: 1/Weekend Casual

[Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.]

Share the love

Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)

Outfit post: Fab Mom Style Upgraded T-shirt, jeans and casual shoes [Level 2]

By IN Personal Style

Level 2 Working Mom Outfit photo: T-shirt, jeans and casual shoes with a Fab Mom Style Upgrade

This week is my second of two outfits demonstrating the Fab Mom Style Upgrade for jeans, T-shirt and casual shoes. (The first one is here.)

Once again, I chose a fitted, solid color T-shirt. I have several of these crewneck style tees; they’re so basic and versatile.

Last week I wore wide-legged trouser style jeans; this week I’m going in the opposite direction with black skinny leg jeans. I love these cobra patterned Habituals, which explains why you’ve seen them before. They have the versatility of jeggings without being so body-unforgiving.

(By the way, if you compare the two photos, you can see how the two pant leg silhouettes affect the perception of my body shape differently. I look a lot curvier in the hips with the skinnier jeans. Just another example of why it helps to understand your body shape and how different garment types will fit and flatter it differently, whether you want to minimize your curves or accentuate them.)

I kept the overall outfit simple, and feeling a little bit French, with a green scarf at the neck to match the shirt, and little black flats to match the pants. Ooh la la!

T-shirt: LOFT (Similar, $66, Michael Stars).
Skinny jeans: Habitual Cinch Hi-Rise Skinny (similar, $159, Bloomingdales).
Shoes: DKNY Pure (similar, $66, Zappos)
Scarf: Gap (similar, $33, The Limited)
Working Mom Outfit Level: 2/Weekend Chic

[Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.]

Share the love

Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)

How to give your T-shirt a Fab Mom Style Upgrade

By IN Advice, How-To Tuesdays, Style

Fab Mom Style Upgrade for T-shirts

Look in any woman’s closet and you’ll see plenty of T-shirts. They’re one of the workhorses of any wardrobe. The jeans and T-shirt combo is practically a weekend uniform.

But there’s a big difference between an ordinary T-shirt and a Fab Mom T-shirt. Give your tee a Style Upgrade and you’ll not only look sassier running errands, but you can take that tee to work as well.

Here’s how.

  • Get the right fit. Step one is to ditch the 10K freebie and make sure your shirt is a) for a woman and b) right for your shape. (Here’s how to find a T-shirt for the pear and apple shapes.) Properly fitted, the most basic solid-color knit tee can go from weekend with khakis to work with a blazer or a suit.
  • Be embellished. What if your drawer is already filled with plain tees? Look for decoration. This doesn’t have to mean sequins (although that is actually an option!). It can mean pattern, stripes, graphics, even a tiny row of buttons on the shoulder. Take a look at the J Crew site and see the thousand ways they spin an ordinary T-shirt into something a little different.
  • Try an alternative. Who says you have to wear a traditional T-shirt at all? In the summer, a white linen shirt is a breezy, lightweight option that will go with anything a tee would. A polo shirt has the shape of a tee with a collar for dressiness. Or go beyond the T shape itself and try a knit top in a different silhouette. If it’s comfortable and casual, why not?

Remember, no matter what option you choose, make sure it fits your body. Too tight is no more flattering than loose and baggy.

So here’s your Style Upgrade homework for the week. (Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz!) Pull out the ordinary T-shirt ‘n’ jeans combo you most often wear out and about. Now put that tee away and try one of the Upgrade options. Give it a test run and see if you don’t feel a little bit more Fab.

Next week: Fab Mom Style Upgrade for jeans.

What to buy

 

Share the love

Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)

How to buy a T-shirt for the apple (inverted triangle) shape

By IN Advice

Best T-shirts for the Inverted Triangle Shape


Last week I wrote about how to buy a T-shirt that’s more flattering to your female form than a man’s big ol’ boxy version–and specifically how to do so for the pear shape, also known as the triangle.

This week it’s only fair that her opposite number, the apple (inverted triangle), gets her due. This is the silhouette with narrow hips and wider shoulders.

As with my guides to buying blazers for the pear and apple shapes, the advice for one is really the inverse of the other.

So here’s how to buy a T-shirt for the apple (inverted triangle) shape.

  • Minimize your neckline. You want your shoulders to appear narrower, rather than wider, so skip the wide-necked styles and look for a V-neck or a deep scoop.
  • Watch the size. This is just as true for you as it is for the pear; baggy doesn’t flatter anyone. You especially want a shirt that’s slightly narrower in the middle and flares out at the bottom to create that curved line at the hips.
  • Think empire. Instead, try to find styles that are more fitted on top and looser as they flow down from beneath the bust. This is sometimes easier in a blouse than a traditional knit T-shirt, but the principles are the same. Wrap shirts can offer a similar effect.
  • Pay attention to length. Like the pear, you want your hemline to hit just about at the hipbone. Try on tops in varying lengths to see which one looks best.

Color can help you, too. A color-blocked T-shirt that’s darker on top and lighter on the bottom will give the appearance of being narrower in the shoulder while also being right on trend.

(By the way, some stylists consider the apple and inverted triangle to be two different shapes, with the apple having a thicker abdomen. But the advice here should work for them both.)

What to buy

Dorothy Perkins coral shirt
$35 - dorothyperkins.com

Anthropologie ruffle top
$48 - anthropologie.com

Banana Republic 3/4-length wrap tee
$39.50 - bananarepublic.gap.com

Talbots ballet wrap T-shirt
$50 - talbots.com

TRUTH Heart Throb Womens Tee
$23 - tillys.com

Color-block A-line T-shirt
$28 - yesstyle.com

Crafted Company top
$50 - modcloth.com

Old Navy Tri-Blend v-neck T-shirt
$9.50 - oldnavy.gap.com

 

Share the love

Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)

How to buy a T-shirt for the pear (triangle) shape

By IN Advice

Best T-shirts for the Pear Shape

Best T-shirts for the Pear Shape by closetcoach featuring a boat neck t shirt

Confession time: When it comes to T-shirts, do you default to the standard men’s size large Hanes Beefy T and call it a day?

If that’s you (and I won’t tell), then here’s my goal for you today: no more men’s T-shirts on your woman’s body. They flatter no-one; unless you’re flat-chested and narrow-hipped, you are not shaped like a man.

(And if you are flat-chested and narrow-hipped? Congratulations, you’re a model. Wear whatever you want.)

So what kind of T-shirt should you wear? Well, one that flatters your body. And by “flatters” I mean–as I always do–that it gives you a balanced silhouette by making wider parts appear narrower, and narrower ones a bit wider.

This means different things for different people, so here’s how to buy a T-shirt for the pear (triangle) shape–the one with hips wider than shoulders.

  • Draw the eye upwards. Look for details at the top of the shirt, like buttons, a bow or other detailing. Or try color and pattern, like a stripe.
  • Widen the shoulders. Try a neckline like a boatneck (bateau) or scoopneck–or even a cowl.
  • Don’t go too big. Baggy shirts don’t make you look smaller; they make you look shapeless. You want fitted, but not tight, especially if you have a bit of a tummy. If you do go looser, think draped, not voluminous.
  • Watch the length. The hemline should end past your waist, just below the hipbones. Otherwise, your hips are emphasized and your body looks cut in half. And never, ever go cropped.

Once you’ve found a perfect, flattering T-shirt (or two or three), have fun styling it. T-shirts are super versatile, and can take you from Level 1/Weekend Casual all the way up to Level 4/Client Meeting (if you wear it under a suit).

What to buy

J Crew boat neck t shirt
$33 - jcrew.com

Worthington cap sleeve t shirt
$14 - jcpenney.com

American Living ruffle top
$25 - jcpenney.com

Striped tee
$33 - torrid.com

Old Navy jersey tee
$4.97 - oldnavy.gap.com

Lauren Ralph Lauren boatneck shirt
$49 - lordandtaylor.com

Old Navy shirt
$11 - oldnavy.gap.com

 

Share the love

Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)