White Magic

CEBU, Philippines - Since I can’t remember, the humble white tee has constantly been a subject of reinvention in a host of fashion magazines. Yes, gone are the days when the white tee was generally used a simple undershirt. The white tee has long forgone its casual past and has made its way to more than just a wardrobe staple. 

Today, the white tee has stealthily made its way into every stylish woman’s wardrobe as it has not been widely regarded as a chic staple with one’s fashion IQ determined by how well one sasses up this wardrobe wallflower.

And while fashion magazines far and wide have interpreted the white tee in a host of ways, coolifying the white tee for every day use remains to be a challenge for many a practical fashionista, especially for those who do not wish to step out of the house being accused of straying from the catwalk. Sometimes, re-interpreting the white tee to make it more stylish can fall flat into the overly done category, which is to say, not a very good option. Dressing up the white tee should be effortless, to say the least. 

Although it may be easy to forget the white tee at a season where 14th month bonuses are on the roll and spring’s hottest prints and fabrics are at an all-time high, here are, nonetheless, top five ways to add some pizzazz on the plain Jane of our wardrobe. This doesn’t only save us lots of moolah but it’s also a great way to squeeze out those creative juices.

Accessorize It

One easy way to dress up a white tee is by layering statement jewelry over it to give it instant oomph. Think big, bold, chunky necklaces that come in interesting patterns or striking colors. Consider your white tee as a canvass you can paint over with mixed media. If you are not the necklace type of person, you may opt to go for huge, dangling earrings instead or intricately woven cuffs that pop with the white shirt as backdrop.

Contrast It

The white tee—especially sufficiently loose ones—can sometimes be all too casual and easy to live in. Contrast this with something edgy like a leather harness worn over the white tee for cool and tough air of fetishism.

Layer it On

Got a cropped top you haven’t been able to use a lot? Now’s the time to give it it’s dose of more than just fifteen minutes of fame by layering it on top of your white shirt. It doesn’t really matter if the tee is a little bit too loose for the cropped top, or if the bottom part pokes out a little bit haphazardly, it only adds to its effortlessly chic quality.

A Matter of Juxtaposition

Texture. Play with texture. How to do this? Set your white tee out on a date with add-ons that come in interesting textures and sheens like sequins or other kinds of embellishments to give it some glam factor. Don’t be afraid to play with interesting materials to put on over your tee as this creates a balance of sorts. While the embellishments will amp up the casualness of the white tee, the white tee, in turn, will serve to tone down the garishness and flamboyance of the sequins and such.

Tomboy Cool

Want to inject some androgynous charm into your white tee? Simple. Just roll up the sleeves and pin them in place if needed. 

Flexibly stylish yet low key enough to be used in the streets, the white tee isn’t just a trend. It’s definitely a staple. And it’s staying for good.  (FREEMAN)