7 Ways to Wear a Button-Up/Oxford Shirt

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It wasn’t long ago that I had a whopping ONE button-up shirt in my closet. Then this magical thing happened: I joined Pinterest. I started pinning outfits from the blogs I followed (this was before I had my own blog) and I realized that a lot of those outfits included – you guessed it – a button-up shirt. Or is it a button-down? I guess it depends on where you start the buttoning.

Since then my collection of buttoned, collared shirts has grown and I’ve played with lots of ways to wear them. If you’re like I used to be and think oxford shirts are plain and boring, I recommend looking for prints. I’ll link you to some options for your shopping enjoyment at the end of this post!

So without further ado, here are 7 ways I’ve worn my button-up shirts!

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Layering an oxford under a sleeveless dress is great for in-between weather, and it’s like making a whole new dress! Boom: wardrobe multiplied.

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There’s something about the juxtaposition of a tough leather jacket and a prim and proper button-up that I really like.

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Try to find shirts that are a little long so you have room to tie the ends right at your waist. I love this option in the summer especially.

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Oxford-under-sweater is probably the combination I’ve done the most. If you have a few button-ups and a few sweaters, you have endless combinations. Well, not exactly endless but I don’t feel like doing the math. Above are a couple examples with jeans and below are some office-appropriate options.

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Let’s not forget that it’s perfectly acceptable to wear this classic shirt on its own. We don’t want it feeling insecure from always being covered up.

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Besides leather jackets, you can also let your oxford peek out from under any jacket or blazer. At the risk of looking like a frat boy circa 2008, I’m in favor of a popped collar in this limited situation.

Want to add to your own oxford shirt collection? Check out the options below!

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Shop here: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

How to Wear Ankle Boots

This post has now been updated for 2014! Click here to see it.

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It’s time for the long-awaited next installment of “How to Wear”! This time I’m talking ankle boots or booties. They’re so darn adorable, but they can be hard to wear. They cut off your legs at the ankle (as you might have guessed), which can make you look shorter, which in turn can make you look fatter. I don’t mean to speak for all women, but I tend to shoot to look more like Gisele and less like Danny Devito. The key to wearing ankle boots is elongating your legs as much as you can while still showing off the shape of the shoe.

Your ankle boot styling options depend on the kind of heel you’re working with, so I’ve split my examples into 3 categories: wedges, flats, and heels.

Wedge ankle boots

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Wedge boots are my favorite so I put them first! You get extra height, which makes them easier to wear, but they’re still comfortable. I wear my wedge ankle boots with cuffed skinny jeans all the time. Skinny jeans make my short legs look as long as they’ll ever look (still not that long). But cuffing them a bit helps show off the shoe. If you have cropped skinny jeans, that would work too.

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Wedge ankle boots can work with a skirt or dress too, as long as the hem falls a few inches above the knee. The more leg that’s showing, the longer your legs look. Just keep it decent, OK ladies?

Shop Wedge Ankle Boots: Save // Spend // Splurge

Flat ankle boots

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Flat ankle boots are the hardest. They accentuate my lack of height, but I still love them! I wear them with cuffed skinny jeans just like my wedges. You’ll notice in both of the above outfits I tucked in my shirt – if you’re already cutting off the leg line at the bottom, you don’t want to do it at the top too!

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Friends don’t let friends wear leggings as pants. Always cover your junk. That said, leggings can be very slimming on your stems, and you can get away with a short tunic. Flat booties with leggings can be a fun alternative to sneakers or flip flops with a super casual outfit.

Shop Flat Ankle Boots: Save // Spend // Splurge

Heeled ankle boots

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Heeled ankle boots can be worn almost any way you would wear regular old pumps. They’re a great option for the winter because they’re a little sturdier than pumps and you get more coverage on your chilly feet.

Shop Heeled Ankle Boots: Save // Spend // Splurge

See more How to Wear posts:

Army Jacket     Oxford Shirt     Denim Jacket     Flared Skirt