9 Ways to Wear the Great White Shirt

White shirts are wonderful for women of every age but as we get older, there are even more reasons to love them, especially in spring and summer. A white shirt keeps you cool. (Hallelujah!) It frames your face and reflects light. It’s versatile. A classic one is a money-saving workhorse and pairs with almost anything in your wardrobe, from blazer to bathing suit to brightly colored sweater. Movie stars have embraced the magic of a white shirt for decades. Sharon Stone even wore one to the Oscars with a long satin skirt back in the day!

The kind I am talking about is a white button-down. It can be thin and crisp or a heavier cotton oxford style. But it should have a collar and long sleeves with cuffs.

AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

Join Now

Here are some surefire white-shirt formulas:

1. White shirt + Satin pleated skirt + Layered necklace + Kitten heel

(Left to right) Journee Collection Women’s Manza Kitten Heels in Black; Kenneth Jay Lane Pearl Triple Strand Necklace

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Macy's; Halsbrook)

Tuck in a white shirt like this beauty — Classic Fit Non-Iron Stretch Supima Cotton Dress Shirt ($118, brooksbrothers.com) — and blouse it a little. Open up the neck to showcase a statement necklace like the Kenneth Jay Lane Pearl Triple Strand Necklace ($150, halsbrook.com). With a sleek skirt like the Aqua Pleated Satin Midi Skirt in black ($78, bloomingdales.com), a kitten-heeled pump like the Journee Collection Women’s Manza Kitten Heels in black ($70, macys.com) and a small clutch, this elegant look can take you to a cocktail party, a shower, a graduation, even a daytime wedding.

2. White shirt + Blazer + Jeans + Scarf

(Left to right) Levi’s Women’s 726 Western Flare Slim Fit Jeans; Zara Tailored Double Breasted Blazer; Kate Spade Fortune Spinner Square Silk Scarf in Pink Multi

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Macy's; Zara; Nordstrom)

A navy blazer like this Tailored Double Breasted Blazer ($90, zara.com) makes a chic combination with a white shirt such as Fitted Cotton Shirt ($46, mango.com), a printed silk scarf like this Kate Spade Fortune Spinner Square Silk Scarf in Pink Multi ($88, nordstrom.com) and jeans in a medium wash like these Levi’s Women’s 726 Western Flare Slim Fit Jeans ($70, macys.com) to wear to work — assuming jeans are permitted. Unbutton the shirt collar and knot the scarf at your collarbone. Just add loafers or low-heeled pumps and a shoulder bag. The same look can take you to a meeting, to lunch or to an afternoon event such as an art show, lecture or concert.

3. White shirt + Bright hoodie + White pants + White sneakers

(Clockwise from left) Ann Taylor Weekend Frayed Mid Rise Wide Leg Jeans in Ivory; Gap Organic Cotton Perfect Shirt; Pacifica Illume UPF Relaxed Jacket in Poppy; Sam Edelman Ethyl Low Top Sneaker in Bright White Leather

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Ann Taylor; Nordstrom; The Gap; Athleta)

For a snappy, updated weekend look, pair a colorful hoodie like the Pacifica Illume UPF Relaxed Jacket in Poppy ($98, athleta.gap.com) with an affordable white shirt such as Organic Cotton Perfect Shirt ($39, gap.com), white jeans like the Ann Taylor Weekend Frayed Mid Rise Wide Leg Jeans in Ivory ($90, anntaylor.com) and sneakers like the Sam Edelman Ethyl Low Top Sneaker in Bright White Leather ($80, nordstrom.com). Leave the shirt untucked so the hem peeks from below the jacket. Add a crossbody bag or backpack to keep up the sporty attitude.

4. White shirt + Print pants + Straw hat + Espadrilles

(Left to right) Zara ZW Collection Printed Pants; Miz Mooz Carmena Flat in Ocean

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Zara; Nordstrom)

Create a beachy vibe by wearing a shirt like the Women’s Oxford Shirt in White ($42, landsend.com) half-tucked into printed cotton pants like the ZW Collection Printed Pants ($70, zara.com). (Love this blue and white combination!) A straw hat like this cute Bucket Hat in Natural ($30, loft.com) and colorful espadrilles such as Miz Mooz Carmena Flat in Ocean ($90, nordstrom.com) evoke island style à la St. Barts or Capri.