How to Style a Basic T-Shirt
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I started my The Art of Versatility series 3 years ago and it is still one of my favorite pieces to do! If you are new around here, I basically take one piece of clothing (sometimes it isn’t clothing though!) and style it 3 different ways, to try and help you make the most out of your closet! One request I received was to do something similar, but for basic, everyday items. I thought it was a no-brainer to do just that with a short sleeve shirt, so here we are. Summer is coming and short sleeve shirts are going to be your best friend (only friend?!), so hopefully this is beneficial to you. Being able to wear a basic item so many ways not only gets you more bang for your buck, but also makes getting ready a breeze. Spend your time on sunshine and sangria, not agonizing over what to wear!
Daily Ritual Short Sleeve Shirt (available in long sleeve too!) | Madewell Denim Skirt | Marc Fisher Adalla Wedge Espadrilles
Front Tuck
Before we get too deep into the different ways you can style a basic t-shirt, I just wanted to say that this short sleeve shirt is my favorite. I own it in olive and black / white stripes and I constantly reach for them. II probably wear one at least once a week! Also, I own it in long sleeve in ALL the colors. It is a french terry shirt, so a bit thicker than you might be used to, but super soft and budget friendly. I will say that it kind of wears like you only spent $20 on it (because you did lol), but I don’t really care as summer sweat usually does a doozy on my tees anyway and they need to be replaced. It is a super comfy tee and I wear one of mine at least once a week! I also love the neckline and the hemline. The hemline is actually a shirttail hem, so it’s longer in the front and back when compared to the sides. I really like this because it covers your bottom in leggings and also gives you the option to front tuck or tie it in a knot! #versatility
Knotted
Up first I really just wanted to talk about your options for the shirttail. Because this one has the shirttail hem, I wouldn’t wear it loose unless I was wearing leggings. It just looks sloppy if you wear it for real untucked. Depending on the rest of my outfit, I either:
Front tuck
Knot
Tuck all the way in
Denim Jacket (sweaters and moto jackets too!)
Once you figure out which of those you’d like to do, thennnn I’d start adding items on to make it different. Some of my favorites include:
Statement necklaces
Bandanas
Statement earrings
Jackets (or long length cardigans in the fall!)
Layering it under a button up (or [putting it around your waist!)
Layering it over a dress
Button Up
Around the Waist
And of course you can change your bottoms and shoes too! I tried to keep it the same for the most part, so you can see the impact. Bottoms will definitely change it up, but shoes in my opinion shape it more. Think of if I switched out my wedges for some sneakers. Would be a totally different look!
Once you find a great basic, go ahead and get it in multiple hues if you can. I reach for this shirt when I know I want to wear it, but also when I don’t know what to wear. It is that good! What’s your go-to t-shirt? Favorite way to style it?!
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