11 New Takes on the Classic Button-Down Shirt
Menswear has always had an influence on womenswear, which can be traced as far back as Coco Chanel's Breton stripe shirts that were inspired by actual French sailors. And while some of the pieces we've co-opted were for very practical reasons (hello, pants!), some, like the button-down shirt, also just happen to look really great on us. Shirting has become so ingrained in our wardrobes that it was inevitable that brands and designers would want to take that classic look and flip it on its head.
Starting with buzzy brands, like Monse, Johanna Ortiz, and Rosie Assoulin, and trickling down to high-street shops, like Zara, we've seen everything from mini dresses to crop tops, skirts and blouses—all rendered in traditional shirting fabrics like poplin and Oxford cloth and designed to look like you'd taken apart your boyfriend's best work shirt and put it back together for yourself.
Our three favorite words: add to cart.
When more feminine silhouettes, like one-shoulder tops, ruffled pencil skirts, and breezy slip dresses, are reimagined with more structured materials traditionally used in shirting, the result is a menswear-inspired look that feels far from tomboyish. Ahead, we selected 11 pieces to wear now that are inspired and playful new takes on the classic button-down shirt.
Johanna Ortiz skirt
Zara top
T By Alexander Wang skirt
3.1 Phillip Lim jumpsuit
J.W. Anderson top
Madewell skirt
Rosie Assoulin top
Tibi shirt
Lisa Marie Fernandez skirt
Zara dress
Derek Lam 10 Crosby shirtdress
