White Shirts - 'basics' or iconic?
Posted on 09 May 2019
The white shirt is more than just a 'basic' wardrobe essential. It's the blank canvas through which you personality and charisma can shine through. Easily paired with all manner of trousers and accessories - the white shirt is an iconic garment, synonymous with sophistication, professionalism and style.
HISTORY
The story of our white shirt dates back to more than a century, when it was a status symbol for high class, well bred men- landlords, nobles, earls and the works, you know. In those days, before washing machines and dry cleaning services made lives easier (and lazier), household laundry was a daily chore and the ordinary working class could not afford to wear a fresh shirt every day! A man wearing a white shirt meant, he was affluent enough to engage a servant to wash his clothes and also that he had lots of options to choose from!
This social segregation went a notch up in the 1930s in the Americas, where educated, salaried professionals were labeled ‘white collar workers’ while the waged, manual labourers were termed ‘blue collar workers” thus, reinstating the ‘status’ of a white shirt. To add to this, was the ‘winter of dis-continent’ - industrial disputes of the 1970s in the UK, where wearing white shirt by the affluent suggested their non-involvement in the disruption.
WHITE SHIRT IN FASHION
ICONIC STYLE
Till date, the white shirt remains an epitome of style, class and good taste. With iconic personalities- actors, designers, sportsmen and even politicians, the white shirt evolved as a sign of confident dressing!
Movie stars like Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire, exuded elegance and class in whites. Don’t forget Mr. Bond- whose white shirts with his English attitude scream ‘sophistication’- may be a little shaken sometimes but never stirred!
STYLE IN WHITE
The white shirt is a wardrobe staple for a reason. It goes with almost anything - be it denims, smart trousers, cargoes and oh well, even shorts!
Tuck it into a pair of classic denim jeans and loafers for that ‘ruggedly charming’ look! May be a linen jacket or even a leather jacket could complete the look.
A business pitch upcoming? Think white. A well tailored suit with a white shirt could just steal the show! And for a more accessorised look, pair your white shirt with a tie or some cufflinks for a touch of drama.
Shop all white shirts online at: https://www.thestiffcollar.com/search?type=product&q=white
3 comments
Rock the everyday look with Just White Shirts. From boardroom meetings to clubbing nights, white shirts are the perfect outfit that gives you a smart, funky yet casual look.
Dear Abhishek,
The Confident White shirt is awesome and it helped me win over a meeting today. Thank you!
Plus your blog is quite exciting to read, especially when we so often ignore things that help us make the first impressions.
Keep up the good work.
Kapil
Hello Kapil,
Apologize for my delayed response. Ecstatic to hear your feedback on the Confident shirt & happy that it helped you win over a meeting. It’s truly amazing how critical a role our clothes play in defining who we are & the impact it has on the work space. The blog as you can tell is a new initiative & i’m glad to hear that you are enjoying the articles. Do advise if you have any specific feedback for me to further improve the content and/ or if there are any specific topics you would like me to cover. Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers!
Abhi