This site contains affiliate links, view the disclosure for more information.
My favorite piece of clothing in the entire world is a button-down, there is truly nothing like it. Nothing to wear? Button-down! Your outfit is boring and lacking excitement? Button-down. Want to look put-together and cool while running your errands? Button-down. Missing some color and pattern in your closet? BUTTON-DOWN. It is absolutely the answer to all of your styling problems and this summer we’re all about them, the perfect staple to elevate any outfit. This is an easy-to-follow guide on how to style your button-downs and make the most out of them without overthinking it or complicating things. There are endless possibilities to style a button-down, and we have it down to a science here at What People Are Wearing. So, worry not, we’re here to help you achieve the most wonderful button-down looks! (I wonder how many times we’ll write button-down in this article, follow along).
1. Big Button-down, Little Shirt
Are you aware of the big tee little pant, big pant little tee formula? Well, we’re into big button-down, little tee! Linoya spotted this gorgeous outfit on the streets of New York City, and we’re truly obsessed. We love using button-downs as an extra layer over a little shirt, in this case, very little. It adds dimension to the outfit and creates a perfect oversized but fitted look that is great for the upcoming warmer months. The Frankie Shop does amazing oversized button-downs, we love this pastel blue one, the perfect fit and length!
Pair this with the ultimate black bikini top, just like in the photo!
But if you’re looking for a little more coverage, Free People has great basic black camis for the same effect with a little less skin!
White trousers are such a summer staple, we love the ones from Reformation ones!
Finish off the look with the iconic Tabi flats, controversial, but we love them.
2. Princess D Inspired
The ultimate universal fashion icon is the people’s princess, Princess Diana, the one and only. She’s left us with a lot of grief and plenty of amazing looks to recreate and be able to feel almost as wonderful as she was. She had the most amazing fashion sense and loved the sporty-chic looks and basics, which is why the next way to style a button-down is so simple but so effortlessly cool. Tucked into your jeans is such an easy way to look put together and professional, so this is ideal for going on a business lunch or an important meeting, however, this is most definitely plausible for a day-to-day look that’s just a little more elevated and sophisticated! Add a chunky belt to accessorize and make the outfit stand out even more, and you’ve got yourself a winner!
Madewell does amazing vintage-esque jeans that will make your 90’s dreams come true!
And these are the ones Linoy is wearing in the photo!
We love this belt from B-low the belt, it’s the perfect touch to finish off!
3. A Pop of Color
This outfit is fantastic! Not only is it an easy inspiration for a casual daily look that anyone can recreate, but the pop of color just makes it so much more interesting. For the girlies who love colors, yellow is the absolute hue of the summer, and it’s a wonderful addition to your wardrobe!
We will always be obsessed with the Polo Ralph Lauren button-downs, an undisputable staple if you’re looking into splurging on a nice-quality button-down.
Layer a little black dress underneath! We love the Reformation fit, especially the neckline!
Pair this all with a black pair of loafers, and it’s a look!
4. Layering to the Max
For the chillier summer days, there’s nothing like the option to undress and re-wear when the weather is feeling a bit confused. A button-down is key for summer layering, as it is the perfect in-between garment that adds a little bit of spice to your fit. If you’re looking for a versatile outfit that works for the office, school, or afternoon drinks; this is the one. We’re always into blazers, but adding a button-down underneath just gives so much dimension and character to the full outfit, it’s as easy as that!
Revolve has an amazing selection of blazers, and we found a super dupe for the one in the photo!
We are obsessed with this royal blue button-down, it’s a stunning color for summer. Again, you can never go wrong with H&M, plus they’re super affordable!
Uniqlo has the BEST basic white tee!
Crossover jeans forever, such a cute detail!
5. Sweater Weather Button-Downs
We know what you’re thinking; this is a summer guide. However, since we’ve branched out to colder and grayer Europe in the last couple of months, this is definitely a legitimate summer outfit! (When you’re not carrying a jacket, it counts as summer). We love the way a button-down sits underneath a cozy sweater and the way the collar pops out at the top, this is a timeless look that will never go out of style!
We’re obsessed with the little Polo Ralph Lauren bears, such a fun detail!
Paired with the perfect pair of off-white trousers, we love the way they fit! If you’re into low-rise, these are perfect.
We know this article is all about button-downs but, the shoes are the star of the show here, and cannot go unnoticed!
6. The Staple
There’s not much to add here; this is the perfect outfit for when you feel like you’ve got absolutely nothing to wear. A fresh and fitted white button-down is the answer to all those worries, and the number of outfits you can create with it is countless. Pairing this with neutral gray flare jeans is an international go-to, there’s no way you can be in the wrong here! Although this may seem boring to some, we love the way it looks and vouch for the basics always! This is such an everyday type of outfit; its versatility never ceases to amaze us. We’ve talked about the oversized button-down, but what about fitted?
The Reformation one is to die for, fits like a glove and gives the outfit an entirely different vibe!
There’s nothing like a steady and trusty pair of pointed boots.
7. Fancy Button-Down
(Image: @matildadjerf)
One last great quality of the button-down is that you can easily transition with it from a day to night look for any occasion; a date, dinner, drinks with friends, anything! In this case, we love a good white-on-white moment, it always looks so angelic and gives off summery vibes all around, it’s no wonder it is a staple in the history books of summer. At least for us, a good trusty button-down and a staple skirt will always do the trick, and you’ll look put together and elegant, without putting too much effort in! Matilda Djerf is also known to be the queen of simple outfits, but she always scores and looks incredible! So, this is a definite inspiration for a summer evening.
This beautiful skirt is such a staple for the warmer months and can be paired with almost anything!
We love the sleeve detail and how beautiful it looks accessorized, definitely take inspiration.
If you’ve made it this far, the word button-down has appeared 31 times, which clearly proves our love for it. So, do yourself a favor, it’s time to get your hands on some good button-downs to spice up your closet!
Comments