I’m trying to go without belts, but it’s so difficult!
Maybe I’ll just wear more non-belted outfits but today…belted.
One of my guilty pleasures when it comes to TV shows is Pretty Little Liars. The storyline reminds me of Desperate Housewives but younger. Plus, Aria and Spencer are great style inspirations…a little boho and a little preppy…right up my alley.
So I pulled out this button-down shirt that I never wear and tried to make it look like something I’d actually wear.
I’ve always had trouble with button-down shirts. In petite sizes, the length is usually too short to be tucked into pants. But in regular sizes, it’s too loose to be fitted. Even when I had a shirt tailored to fit me, I couldn’t think of how to wear it.
After a couple of horrible combinations, I pulled out this little number.
Outfit Details: Banana Republic Factory Store shirt – XS, Forever 21 skirt – XS, random skirt, vintage pearl necklace, Payless pumps
What do you think?
What are you favorite ways to style a button-down shirt?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Absolutely adorable! I really like that skirt and I love how you took that shirt which I would normally imagine being very business like and structured into something flirty
Pretty and preppy indeed! The pearls and the blue button down is really cute. My favorite is definitely the skirt! So bright and flashy! Hmm, my favorite way of wearing a button down is really not interesting. LOL I usually will wear “mans pants” and then a blazer with pumps and call it okay.
What a great outfit! I have so many button down shirts that don’t get any love for the same reasons you mentioned — they’re such a pain to wear as I’m adjusting it all day. Pairing it with a skirt like you did is perfect and so cute! Will definitely have to try sometime soon!
Xoxo,
Kileen
http://cuteandlittle.com
Wow! You look awesome! I love the blue botton-down paired with a feminine skirt! So beautiful! Great job on the outfit!
I love PLL too!
I love this look belted, the floral skirt is so pretty. I usually wear my button downs to work (so under blazers and with a skirt or pants). I also wear it with cardigans a lot. I am not very creative but since I have a lot of button downs I always feel inspired to try new looks.
@Curls and Pearls: I wanted to make button downs more fun since they’re a basic staple, but everyone wears them the same way.
@Banhannas: I try to wear shirts with trousers too, but I find that non-traditional shirts work better for me. It’s a good basic outfit that can be dressed up with some nice accessories.
@Kileen: Thanks! This outfit did take me a while to figure out, but since I’m not shopping, it pushes me to be more creative.
@Michelle: Thanks! My inspiration was definitely Spencer from PLL to make this outfit fun and flirty.
@Elle: Isn’t PLL awesome? I’m waiting for the next season to start already. Btw, I want to see some of your looks with button down shirts! =)
Love how the blue of the shirt goes with the deeper blue and purple of the skirt! I never would have imagined the two would coordinate as well as they do. Good job! I have a lot of button-downs (the ones from H&M fit fairly well – just a little loose) and I only wear them for work, usually with trousers or a slim skirt. Boring, I know. I rarely wear them otherwise, except for those casual A&F button-downs. I have a work/play wardrobe divide, haha.
I wish I had a work/play divide, most of my clothes do double duty so I get the most wear out of it. Plus, I don’t dress up that formally anyways, so I guess that helps.
I really like your skirt, and I think you loo really good in vibrant colors. I used to be fond of button-downs, but in retrospect none of then really fit me well. But I like the way they look tucked into a skirt.
Thanks! I really like deep saturated colors since I found that earth tones and muted colors wash me out. It goes without saying that color is my friend and it makes me look more “awake” than I might really be.
This is adorable. I like how you femmed up the button up with a pretty print skirt. I’m trying to find non-conventional uses for button-ups too (aka, not just worn with work trousers or work skirts) but it’s hard. I like the look of mine under a sweater vest but then it was too chunky to tuck into a skirt.
I love the combo of button ups w/flirty skirts.