Oh, our beloved white button up. What would a boss lady do without it? A staple in every powerful women’s work wardrobe. Dressed up, dressed down, fitted, loose, patterned or not, the white button up will never go out of style. Although a favorite, sometimes we stray from grabbing this shirt because of its notorious compliment to a simple black pant and matching blazer. So how do we elevate the white button up? Whether it be the addition of color, pattern, or texture, let’s talk about some ways you can add a bit of spice to your spring office outfits using this cherished piece!
A white button up is the perfect classic piece to show off your powerful personality. Let’s think of it as a blank canvas. YOU get to choose which styles are the best for you: what works for you, what doesn’t, what you’d like to try, and what you don’t. The white button up allows you to get to know who you are as a boss lady and put together an outfit that reflects this.
Springtime is the perfect time to experiment with different colors and patterns for a refreshed office look. Styles you may not have known you like may become your longtime favorites. A white button up goes with anything and everything – the perfect piece you need to show off a vivid orange dress, a pleated textured skirt, or trendy flared jeans. The white button up makes it easier to step outside of your comfort zone, but still wear a familiar favorite. Let’s look at 5 different ways to style a white button up for your office this spring!
1) Try a riff on the classic silhouette
A. Sheer Button Up
A sheer white button up gives you options on how to style your outfit on any particular day. For a more casual look, you can keep it as an open layer over a dress, blouse, or tank. For a chic look, you can add it buttoned up over a cami and tucked into your favorite colored trousers. Not only does the sheerness complement a variety of trends, but it modernizes a classic style.
B. Added Accessory
Belts can be just the thing that an outfit needs to tie it together. An attached belt design makes it easy to add on an additional accessory without the hassle of finding one to match. This added layer cinches in your waist and brings the boss lady look to a whole new level. With a belt addition, the simple white button up is transformed into a unique look that can give you an elevated appearance when paired even with black work pants.
C. Variation in neckline
The cut and buttons on a white blouse can make it stand out from traditional dress shirts. Button variations, whether color or shape, can take this look to the next level. The Farinaz Taghavi shirt keeps the white button up professional-looking, but lively at the same time. With the addition of the V-cut neckline, the shirt can be paired with a patterned blazer for an elegant office look.
D. Captivating Sleeves
The smallest addition could be what you want to shake up your look! Different sleeve variations for a white button up provide a successful way to do so. The ruffled detailing included in this Nicole Miller top, gives the shirt a springtime feel with a businesslike look. Since the shirt is sheer, it will allow you to wear a camisole that coincides with the style you’re going for. For a more monochrome look, add a white camisole underneath. For a festive and springtime look, add a lilac-colored cami. However you choose to style this shirt, you will look like the fashionable, boss lady you are.
2) Color makes the world go round, so add some colorful pants!
With the simplicity a white button up can bring to your outfit, adding a bright pair of your favorite pants can add the perfect element of POP! Not only do pants come in different styles, cuts, and fits, but pants are the perfect comfortable way to add a unique spin to every white button up outfit.
Floral pants are the epitome of springtime. Pairing some with a tucked-in, slim-fitted white button up allows for a sleek and polished look. The Parker mid rise floral pants add the fun and flirty addition the top can use.
Another option to style with your white button up is a pair of solid colored trousers. Subtle pink pants are a great alternative to loud patterned pants because they still incorporate a color that is not often showcased around the office. The LACAUSA pink trousers give your look a subtle colorful addition and are still the perfect contrast to a white button up. If you are feeling especially bold, a beaming color such as a bright electric blue invites summer a bit early! The Blue Kobi Halperin pants will leave you feeling everything but blue.
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3) Add some pattern!
Have you ever had the desire to add more patterns to your wardrobe, but don’t know how to style it? Patterns are a great way to spice up the look of your white button up outfit. From animal print to tweed, there are hundreds of patterns to choose from. Whether featured on a blazer or skirt, patterns bring life to your outfit and can be a reflection of what boss lady you choose to be on a certain day.
Blazers are the ideal addition to the comfortable white button up. The Wildfang Tailored fit tux blazer is the ultimate example of a bright, spontaneous, and striking piece that will inspire you to conquer your office day this spring. For effortless Boss lady vibes, a cheetah or leopard print blazer will give you all the power you need to own your work! Strong patterns help show off your inner confidence and strength.
Tucking a white button up into a pencil skirt is undeniably one of the most boss lady looks. Nonetheless, you can use patterns to elevate this essential style. The trendy Boden Pencil Skirt is a combination of a springtime color with a muted pattern that gives your outfit some edge. If you want to strut the pencil skirt and button up combo but wish to keep it classic, a striped pattern is an upscale and sophisticated way to include a cherished aesthetic. The ba&sh pleated skirt shows the addition of the classical print with a twist. The asymmetrical inclusion keeps the outfit current when added to a white button up.
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4) Dress it up!
With the warmer weather coming through, dresses are a must this spring. Although sometimes we find ourselves looking up “What to wear over (or under) a dress”? Your answer to the question? A white button up! It has the perfect coverage you need for an office casual look while still expressing your fashionista aura.
A midi dress is a great compliment under a white button up. You can keep the top open to showcase the print and springtime colors of the dress while adding a business casual edge. When paired, the Boden sleeveless midi dress gives you a polished look through its length, cut, and fit. The Donna Morgan sleeveless crepe midi dress has a great A-line cut in contrast to a formal form fitting shape. You will be comfortable and stylish for any casual office setting. A bright colored dress can be the ideal choice to pair with a white button up. Its texture, color, pattern, and shape are somewhat opposite of the top, allowing the stylish dress to be highlighted.
A white button up and sleek office dress can be styled universally for the classic office look with an added elevation. The staple piece will look especially great under a simple office dress. A look inspired by the 1950s is a prime style to strut the cherished office aesthetic with a spring touch. Dresses are amazing, but jumpsuits? We can call it the “cousin” of the dress family. A Boss lady cannot deny that jumpsuits are the ultimate power move. Something so simple (literally all you have to do is slip it on) yet so fashionable. A classy statement piece that is perfect under the white top or tied up to complement your physique.
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5) Grab those Jeans!
We are stepping into an era where office looks can range from pencil skirts and a blouse, to jeans and a t- shirt. Wherever you are on that spectrum, one style that will always be the perfect blend of casual and upscale is the white button up and jeans combination. T Shirts are typically paired with jeans for an effortless look, but including a white button up with a stylish pair of jeans can be the easy step to take your casual look to the next level.
In recent years, the straight leg “Mom” jean has been increasingly popular. Paige jeans are the perfect mixture of comfort and style. The addition of such a trend to a loose white button up can give you a simple, but fierce look. The love for Skinny jeans may never go away, and rightfully so! This fit is still one of the most complementary fits of denim when paired with a loose white button up; it is the perfect contrast of loose up top and fitted on the bottom.
If you want to step outside of your comfort zone, you can add jeans that feature a different cut or print. Jeans with designs are trending and offer your white button up outfit an exclusive look. The Oula printed jeans make it easy to wear with a white button up because of the white detailing included on the sides of the jeans. Not only are designs on jeans becoming more and more popular, flare jeans are back! The 70s style has been reintroduced to the world with a more simplified aesthetic. Jeans with a flare design are a perfect way to show off your fun and flirty side, put together with a fitted white button up, this outfit couldn’t get any more flattering. Regardless of the style of jeans you choose, your outfit can be brought together with a white button up–left open with a camisole inside, or loosely tucked into jeans for a current style.
Try the styles
Fashion becomes much more fun and fresh when you can style things that you love in a unique way. When finding new ways to style your beloved pieces, you have the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone with some items, and stay in your comfort zone with others. This is exactly what fashion is about! Finding which styles you like, the styles you’re looking forward to trying, and the outfits you want to show off. Your boss lady confidence will shine through the styles you choose to wear. Back in the office this spring, embrace the new, the old, and the combination of the two– the funny part is, this can all start with just your ordinary white button up.
When you rent from armoire, you get an endless revolving closet with staples and an ever growing collection of exciting new styles! Take our style quiz today!
