Five ways to wear a white shirt in autumn
The white shirt post from spring 2023 is still the most-read piece on this blog. Most of the questions it generates are about autumn: what to do with a white shirt when the weather turns, when the summer combinations stop working, and when the shirt needs to do something different. This post is the answer to those questions.
Under a chunky knit, collar and cuffs showing
This is the combination that gets the most questions and the most skepticism before people try it. The collar sits above the knit neckline and the cuffs extend past the knit sleeves. It works because the contrast between the crisp white cotton and the soft texture of the knit is doing most of the visual work.
The knit needs to be chunky enough that the combination reads as intentional. A fine-gauge knit over a white shirt just looks like you are wearing two thin layers. A ribbed or cable-knit in a mid-tone autumn color. Dark olive, warm rust, navy. Is the most reliable choice.
Tucked into wide-leg trousers
Wide-leg trousers in a heavier autumn fabric. A wool blend, a thick cotton twill. Work well with a white shirt tucked in. The shirt provides a light, clean top half that balances the volume of the trousers. The tuck should be a full tuck, not a half-tuck, for this combination to work properly.
The trouser color matters. Dark navy, charcoal, and dark olive all work. Lighter colors tend to make the combination look more summery than autumnal, which is fine if that is what you want but worth knowing.
Half-tucked with a midi skirt
The half-tuck is the most casual of the five combinations and the most forgiving in terms of fit. A midi skirt in a heavier fabric. A wool blend, a thick jersey. Gives the combination enough weight to feel autumnal. The shirt can be slightly oversized for this one; a fitted shirt half-tucked into a midi skirt tends to look more effortful than a relaxed one.
Open over a fine-gauge turtleneck
Wearing the white shirt open as a light outer layer over a fine-gauge turtleneck is a combination that works on the warmer end of autumn. The turtleneck provides warmth and the open shirt adds a layer without adding much weight. The shirt should be left fully open. Buttoning it partway tends to look awkward over a turtleneck collar.
The white shirt is one of those pieces that earns its space in an autumn wardrobe precisely because it does different things in different combinations. The five here are starting points, not rules.