Back to basics: The plain white tee
If there is ONE thing that EVERYONE needs in her closet, it is a really great white t-shirt. The basic white tee is quite possibly the most versatile piece of clothing you will ever own.
As long as you get one that FITS PROPERLY.
Tee by Michael Stars
Not all white tees are created equal; some are better made and more flattering than others. A white tee is not a piece you want to splurge on, though, because inevitably your white tee will wind up stained. Fortunately, you can find really terrific tees for about ten bucks at places like Target and Old Navy.
When you are looking for the perfect white tee, fit is more important than price. Choose a tee that is appropriate for your body type. What's the right shape for your shape?
Small chest: You can pull off a classic crew neck or boat neck tee with aplomb. V-necks are good for creating the illusion of cleavage, but you may need to layer a deep V over a cami or tank, to keep from showing too much of your chest. Be wary of deep scoop necklines, which can make your chest look even smaller. Ruching can be your friend, as it will also create the illusion that your cups runneth over, at least a little.
Large chest: The V neck is truly your friend, as long as you are wearing the RIGHT bra and the V isn't too deep (we don't need to SEE your boobs to appreciate them). Scoop neck tees also work well for girls with larger girls; again, make sure you're wearing a properly sized bra, one that holds your breasts front and center. Skip boat necks and crew necks, though, as both will cause your boobs to look like a an inner tube, which is not particularly sexy.
A little extra in the middle: Look for tees with a slight A line or baby doll shape. A tee with some kind of detailing under the bust -- seaming, for example -- will draw the eye up and away from your waistline. Stay away from oversized tees or any tee with a lot of volume. Look also for tees in slightly weightier fabrics, for structure; a thin tissue tee will only highlight your stomach.
No matter what your size, make sure the overall fit is perfect. Shoulder seams should hit at your natural shoulder; armholes should be essentially the same size as your arms. If your bra is visible through the armhole or the shoulder seam hits you halfway to your elbow, the tee is too big.
Check the length as well. Your tee should cover your waistband in the back when you are sitting down; if you wear mostly lower waisted pants, you will need a longer tee. But if you are short waisted, or have short legs, opt for a shorter tee, one that hits just below your natural waist (or just above your hipbone). Pair with a slightly higher waisted trouser or jean for a longer leg line.
Wear your white tee with everything -- jeans and wool trousers and skirts of all types. Wear it under your suit for the office and with chinos for the weekend. Dress it up with a jacket; give it some funk with a cool chunky necklace. Toss your white tees when they start to show wear. The white tee is the perfect marriage of comfort and style.
As long as you get one that FITS PROPERLY.
Tee by Michael Stars
Not all white tees are created equal; some are better made and more flattering than others. A white tee is not a piece you want to splurge on, though, because inevitably your white tee will wind up stained. Fortunately, you can find really terrific tees for about ten bucks at places like Target and Old Navy.
When you are looking for the perfect white tee, fit is more important than price. Choose a tee that is appropriate for your body type. What's the right shape for your shape?
Small chest: You can pull off a classic crew neck or boat neck tee with aplomb. V-necks are good for creating the illusion of cleavage, but you may need to layer a deep V over a cami or tank, to keep from showing too much of your chest. Be wary of deep scoop necklines, which can make your chest look even smaller. Ruching can be your friend, as it will also create the illusion that your cups runneth over, at least a little.
Large chest: The V neck is truly your friend, as long as you are wearing the RIGHT bra and the V isn't too deep (we don't need to SEE your boobs to appreciate them). Scoop neck tees also work well for girls with larger girls; again, make sure you're wearing a properly sized bra, one that holds your breasts front and center. Skip boat necks and crew necks, though, as both will cause your boobs to look like a an inner tube, which is not particularly sexy.
A little extra in the middle: Look for tees with a slight A line or baby doll shape. A tee with some kind of detailing under the bust -- seaming, for example -- will draw the eye up and away from your waistline. Stay away from oversized tees or any tee with a lot of volume. Look also for tees in slightly weightier fabrics, for structure; a thin tissue tee will only highlight your stomach.
No matter what your size, make sure the overall fit is perfect. Shoulder seams should hit at your natural shoulder; armholes should be essentially the same size as your arms. If your bra is visible through the armhole or the shoulder seam hits you halfway to your elbow, the tee is too big.
Check the length as well. Your tee should cover your waistband in the back when you are sitting down; if you wear mostly lower waisted pants, you will need a longer tee. But if you are short waisted, or have short legs, opt for a shorter tee, one that hits just below your natural waist (or just above your hipbone). Pair with a slightly higher waisted trouser or jean for a longer leg line.
Wear your white tee with everything -- jeans and wool trousers and skirts of all types. Wear it under your suit for the office and with chinos for the weekend. Dress it up with a jacket; give it some funk with a cool chunky necklace. Toss your white tees when they start to show wear. The white tee is the perfect marriage of comfort and style.
9 Comments:
Might I personally endorse anything Michael Stars? They are good stuff. The two MS tees I have I have had for years and they are still hanging in there.
Holy crap, woman, FIFTY-EIGHT dollars for a t-shirt? I'm having apoplexy over here. Seriously.
You always says girl with, well with 'girls' should stay away from turtlenecks, and now you're saying crewnecks, too? I have always been on the better-endowed end of the scale (*cough* understatement *cough*) and I wonder what it is you think those of us who live in cold climates should wear in the winter? V-necks and scoop necks are all right for summer, but they just don't cut it in winter.
I actually think it's when the girls are hanging out a little lower than is strictly desirable that the turtleneck (and, to some extent, the crew) is unflattering. So long as they're hoisted up where they belong (if you're a D or better and you bought your bra for less than $25, you're probably not hoisted up where you belong), I think these things are fine.
Of course, you're the fashion expert! (Maybe not SO much the boobie expert, though, lucky girl.)
I'm going to voice opposition about the white tee being necessary. I don't wear white, even of the winter variety. I am already pale enough that white washes me out even more. Recently a nice little old lady, while out shopping, did tell me that if I "just wore a little blush and eye liner and darker lipstick and more eye shadow" I could wear white. Seems like a lot of effort to go to for something that's not even a color :)
I'm with Catherine all the way about not wearing white. It completely washes me out - plus, I'm so accident-prone that if I did wear a white tee, I'd have a coffee spill right between the boobs in no time :)
Now the plain BLACK tee, on the other hand, is a thing of beauty that I could not live without. As is the charcoal grey tee.
A black tee is a good alternative to the white tee, and will also go with every thing. But I really believe that white is more wearable than we assume, even if you are very fair skinned. It reflects light and can really wake up a tired face. Seriously.
Jan is right; a good bra is the key for large breasted women. And crew necks are classic because they pretty much work on everyone, BUT -- "work" isn't the same as "flatter." A V neck or faux wrap is MUCH more flattering than a plain old crew neck.
So what should Jan wear in the winter (since I have banned turtlenecks and crew neck tees)? Henley sweaters are terrific, since the buttons up the front give a nice V effect without leaving too much exposed. Layer over a crew neck tee for warmth. Or opt for a cardigan, but don't button all the way up -- leave the top two or three buttons undone. Again, feel free to layer over a crew neck; the open V at the top of the cardi creates a nice long line.
Ta da! I haven't lost my mind! Today at least. Woo!
As a 34DD when I'm not pregnant, and much larger when I am, I'm going to weigh in on the crew/turtle issue. The prob is that if you have a large bosom and wear a crew neck, you have this huge expanse of fabric on your chest -- and the only thing that creates interest is the actual shape of your boobs. And if you're wearing a fitted crew, you'll look like a porn star. If you're wearing something looser, the shirt hangs off your chest and doesn't skim the rest of you properly, and you look about 15 lbs heavier. A v-neck that hits above your cleavage ends up being more modest as well as prettier, and you have better room for a nice necklace, which can really help bring attention up towards your face, where it belongs.
So in winter I still wear the v-neck but invest in a LOT of nice warm scarves to warm up any exposed areas when I need to go out.
And I have 2 dozen cheap tees in my drawers from Target that looked good for about a week or two before the hems shrank and started creeping up, and the neckline started twisting. I'd trade them for 4 well-made tees from Michael Stars any day. Remember... it's not about the pricetag, it's all about how something wears and how long you can wear it.
What Melissa said. Exactly.
I will layer a v-neck over a tank, both to keep my bra covered (because flat chest + v neckline = escaping lingerie) AND for warmth. But keep the neckline open; you can always add a cardigan if you're chilly.
I love the tees from Michael Stars. I am bummed that the sizes skew so small. The one I want with the keyhole goes xs-med. I am losing weight, but not there yet.
I second the Henley T idea for larger chested girls! I dig the Henleys and always layer them with a cute tank top. I also live in a cold climate, and v necks are fine since you should likely have a jacket on outdoors anyways ;).
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home