It's been a while since we've gone back to the basics. Today we plan to get back into talking about the pieces that we come back to over and over again, that make up the foundation of a working girl's wardrobe. Elizabeth took some convincing, because she is of the opinion that our focus today (the basic white t-shirt) is not a work wear piece. That inspired us to make today's post a two-fer: a discussion of basic pieces and a new series (man, do we love a post series) where we each wear the same piece in our own unique style. We hope this new series will give you a little insight into our different styles, as well as give you some styling tips at you might not ordinarily think of.
We agree that a basic white T may not be appropriate for all offices all the time. But we also are here to make the argument that professional women should own at least a few basic white t-shirts anyway, because they are incredibly versatile, comfortable, and can actually be dressed up to wear in a work setting that doesn't involve denim. (Not going to lie. It was a challenge to get everyone to stick to the rules of wearing the white t to work on a day that wasn't casual Friday.) Stick around to the end where we give you some insight as to where to pick up this wardrobe staple!
So Katie 2 wore her basic white tee (BWT) first. She was inspired by one of her favorite posts of 2017 (seriously, go back and read it). The day Katie 2 chose involved a meeting with senior management, so she had to look reasonably put together. She chose her trusty old (like old old) black pencil skirt with button detail, a BWT, and a patterned scarf. This particular scarf is several years old from Banana Republic, but Katie 2 loves it. The scarf is great because it can be worn with black, grey, navy, and white with ease. It's also very light weight, so there was no added bulk or warmth which can be a problem when there is transitioning temperatures. She tied the scarf in a super fun way she learned long ago (can't remember where) and basic black pumps. In all honesty, the entire outfit was very simple and basic. But woah the compliments! The scarf was the real winner of the day. Because of the simplicity of the outfit, the scarf became the focal point which is great because the scarf is around your face! Plus, people noticed the fun way she tied it and complimented. Even in a room with her boss's boss and the head of the US Legal department, she never felt under dressed, even though the shirt she was wearing is something she would throw on to play soccer step-mom. Still not feeling it? Add a blazer for an instantly stepped up look.
Elizabeth went second and wore her BWT with navy blue cropped trousers and a wool poncho. (Katie 2 would like to say that even though she fulfilled the request, Elizabeth did not fulfill the spirit of the challenge.) The t-shirt wasn't at all visible because as we mentioned above, Elizabeth doesn't think BWTs have a place in the office. But the piece served its purpose. With the rising temperatures here in Chicago, the short sleeves kept Elizabeth cool and comfortable, and allowed her to look appropriate if and when she took off the poncho.
Katie 1 wore a basic long sleeve T with cute gold button details at the shoulders. It gave a very nautical vibe when paired with navy pants and nude pumps. She felt this outfit was perfect for the early spring temperatures forecasted for the day she chose to wear her T. She added earrings and a tassel necklace to make the outfit more interesting. Honestly, her outfit was fine but it definitely wasn't exciting. The slight detail on the shoulder of her top did make it a bit more interesting. Perhaps she would have put together a more interesting ensemble if the temperatures were warmer. A white T paired with a pencil skirt (a la Katie 2) is a great spring/summer look and she has a ton of spring/summer pencil skirts that would have fit the bill. In particular, she's thinking of paring her white T with a kelly green cotton pencil skirt and black and white animal print pumps. That would have made for a much more interesting outfit. Perhaps we will revisit when the weather warms up.
Regardless of whether you're in the Elizabeth camp, we do think you should have at least a few basic white t-shirts in your closet. Casual Friday, weekends, and just every day life offer plenty of opportunities to get use out of this basic piece. But basics can be hard to find, and the BWT is no exception. Katie 2 has consistently gotten hers from Banana Republic because they have just the right amount of stretch and aren't see-through. However they aren't as durable as she would like, and Katie 2 often finds little holes along the bottom from the wash. Katie 1 is a longtime fan of Target for BWT. Merona was her go-to, but since it has been retired (or since it has been in the process of being retired), A New Day offers some pretty reliable options. A lot of bloggers swear by Everlane for basics. (Check back- we are going to dedicate an entire post to the retailer.) The New Perfect Fit T from J.Crew also shows up on a lot of blogs as a great go-to. We can't comment, as we haven't tried it.
We agree that a basic white T may not be appropriate for all offices all the time. But we also are here to make the argument that professional women should own at least a few basic white t-shirts anyway, because they are incredibly versatile, comfortable, and can actually be dressed up to wear in a work setting that doesn't involve denim. (Not going to lie. It was a challenge to get everyone to stick to the rules of wearing the white t to work on a day that wasn't casual Friday.) Stick around to the end where we give you some insight as to where to pick up this wardrobe staple!
So Katie 2 wore her basic white tee (BWT) first. She was inspired by one of her favorite posts of 2017 (seriously, go back and read it). The day Katie 2 chose involved a meeting with senior management, so she had to look reasonably put together. She chose her trusty old (like old old) black pencil skirt with button detail, a BWT, and a patterned scarf. This particular scarf is several years old from Banana Republic, but Katie 2 loves it. The scarf is great because it can be worn with black, grey, navy, and white with ease. It's also very light weight, so there was no added bulk or warmth which can be a problem when there is transitioning temperatures. She tied the scarf in a super fun way she learned long ago (can't remember where) and basic black pumps. In all honesty, the entire outfit was very simple and basic. But woah the compliments! The scarf was the real winner of the day. Because of the simplicity of the outfit, the scarf became the focal point which is great because the scarf is around your face! Plus, people noticed the fun way she tied it and complimented. Even in a room with her boss's boss and the head of the US Legal department, she never felt under dressed, even though the shirt she was wearing is something she would throw on to play soccer step-mom. Still not feeling it? Add a blazer for an instantly stepped up look.
Elizabeth went second and wore her BWT with navy blue cropped trousers and a wool poncho. (Katie 2 would like to say that even though she fulfilled the request, Elizabeth did not fulfill the spirit of the challenge.) The t-shirt wasn't at all visible because as we mentioned above, Elizabeth doesn't think BWTs have a place in the office. But the piece served its purpose. With the rising temperatures here in Chicago, the short sleeves kept Elizabeth cool and comfortable, and allowed her to look appropriate if and when she took off the poncho.
Katie 1 wore a basic long sleeve T with cute gold button details at the shoulders. It gave a very nautical vibe when paired with navy pants and nude pumps. She felt this outfit was perfect for the early spring temperatures forecasted for the day she chose to wear her T. She added earrings and a tassel necklace to make the outfit more interesting. Honestly, her outfit was fine but it definitely wasn't exciting. The slight detail on the shoulder of her top did make it a bit more interesting. Perhaps she would have put together a more interesting ensemble if the temperatures were warmer. A white T paired with a pencil skirt (a la Katie 2) is a great spring/summer look and she has a ton of spring/summer pencil skirts that would have fit the bill. In particular, she's thinking of paring her white T with a kelly green cotton pencil skirt and black and white animal print pumps. That would have made for a much more interesting outfit. Perhaps we will revisit when the weather warms up.
Regardless of whether you're in the Elizabeth camp, we do think you should have at least a few basic white t-shirts in your closet. Casual Friday, weekends, and just every day life offer plenty of opportunities to get use out of this basic piece. But basics can be hard to find, and the BWT is no exception. Katie 2 has consistently gotten hers from Banana Republic because they have just the right amount of stretch and aren't see-through. However they aren't as durable as she would like, and Katie 2 often finds little holes along the bottom from the wash. Katie 1 is a longtime fan of Target for BWT. Merona was her go-to, but since it has been retired (or since it has been in the process of being retired), A New Day offers some pretty reliable options. A lot of bloggers swear by Everlane for basics. (Check back- we are going to dedicate an entire post to the retailer.) The New Perfect Fit T from J.Crew also shows up on a lot of blogs as a great go-to. We can't comment, as we haven't tried it.
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