Top Trend: Menswear Shirting

Stealing is allowed when it comes to digging into your boyfriend/dad/brother’s closet looking for the perfect “borrowed-from-the-boys” look. From top to bottom, the unisex and gender-blurred trend is big right now and the oversized men’s shirt is a cornerstone item of this style. And there is just something incredibly sexy and alluring about a woman wearing this classic men’s staple – case in point: Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  The shirt is also extremely versatile. It instantly gives an effortless and laid-back chic vibe to any ensemble.   And if you still haven’t returned that shirt you “accidentally” borrowed from your man, well then here are a few high end examples of how to make some good use of it.

Balenciaga                                                                                        Jil Sander                                                                       Marni

For a resolutely feminine hourglass figure, Balenciaga tightened a powder pink oversized menswear shirt with a metallic red belt. The extra slim waist clashes with the stiff structural collar and long sleeves to create the ultimate modern woman at work silhouette (#girlboss). Another take on office wear would be Jill Sander’s ensemble. To add a little androgyny and power to a classic suit, the designer Rodolfo Paglialunga half-tucked in his  light blue button up. A perfect way to make the outfit look more casual and off set the elegant, marble effect pencil skirt. Marni delivered a slightly different interpretation of workwear, taking a more relaxed and playful approach. Inspired by a workman’s jumpsuit, the Italian house put together an all pink outfit composed of a buttoned up shirt with extra long and large sleeves and a structural pants. The look was finished off with a flurry of oversized pouches. Some hold designed to be held in the hand, others appeared hanging at the ready along the waste for easier access in case of emergencies.

N21                                                                                              Stella McCartney                                                          Dries Van Noten

We couldn’t possibly talk about men’s shirts without featuring the most iconic one of them all: the classic white shirt. And so we picked a beautiful one, by N21, that designer Alessandro Dell’Acqua paired with a wide sequin skirt in his Spring/Summer 2017 show. Both tough and delicate, his looks aims at deconstructing the outdated tenets of femininity.  For slouchy but always in control, refer to Stella McCartney blue and white graphic shirt, half buttoned and pared with some seriously rumpled beige pants. So chic ! One last way of rocking your male apparel would be to contrast it with ladylike layers of clothing. Take a peek at Dries Van Noten perfect combo: the khaki boyfriend shirt was a perfect base to enlighten and glorify the designer’s fine lace bra.

The blending, blurring and bending of sartorial gender lines has also resulted in designers choosing to have their men and women share a runway. Showing both collections all at once has allowed them create a more unified fashion universe. Its a new development in the industry that might also point to resolutely more open society where clothing can be worn in creative gender fluid ways.

So give your wardrobe an androgynous upgrade (without spending a penny) by borrowing a shirt or two from that special man in your life. You know he won’t even notice its gone.