Shirts are actually a men-specific piece of clothing which looks more fabulous on women! With time there are many changes and modifications in women’s fashion shirts like sleeveless, half-sleeve or long sleeve women’s shirts and more. Why is that, women look even better in a male outfit? The fact is women’s shirts are shaped quite differently than that of men’s. They are designed to accommodate chest and are not almost as formal as men’s shirts are. Women’s shirts have no perfectly sized cuffs, collars and sleeves. Neither most of them are designed to be paired up with a tie. However, women’s shirts, unlike men’s, come in stylish, formal and casual versions.
A Short Background of Women’s Shirts
Women’s shirts became utmost popular in the 70s and 80s. They were embellished with additional features such as bows, ruffles or puffed sleeves. In the 70s, the style worn commonly was the Mexican peasant blouse which had its origin in the 17th century women’s shirts. They are sometimes referred to as pirate shirts too. By the 90s, women’s shirts got popularized as professional attire and variations like sleeve lengths were made.
Women’s shirts are popular even in countries like China and Japan. In China, they are usually made in silk and sport a small collar that stand up always similar to a shorter turtleneck. These shirts feature a system of braided hook and loop called frog buttons, instead of traditional buttons.
Choosing Women’s Shirts
Before you start looking for women’s shirts, the first essential step is to ensure that you have measured your correct size. The measurement of size of a woman’s shirt is more difficult because they have to accommodate a curvy figure. If the size is improper, result will be either a shirt popping open, and thereby exposing the body, or too much excessive fabric bulging around the body looking absolutely unattractive. Take measurements and go to your nearest fashion shop to try three sizes nearest to your measurements; that will give you your correct sizing.
Types of Women’s Shirts
You can find four types of women’s shirts which come in various styles. Each type has its own unique purpose, fit and fabric. You have to use your own choice and personal preference while choosing amongst the different styles. Some of the styles are multipurpose and can be worn for many types of occasions.
Casual: These are available with or without a collar. They are usually patterned and made in simple fabric like cotton.
Dressy: Dressy shirts are normally beautified with accents like frills and made in fancy fabrics such as silk.
Professional: Women’s professional shirts are made in stiffer fabrics and feature a collar. They are designed for formal occasions and business.
Uniform: Women’s uniform shirts are made just like men’s shirts; only difference is they are suitable to the woman’s figure. They are also sometimes made to worn with a tie.
There are various styles available in dressy and casual shirts, while the uniform and professional shirts vary only in color, and perhaps materials, because they are meant solely for places like schools or work that have a dress code.
Styles of Women’s Shirts
Women are fortunate to have an endless variety in styles of shirts. These include more colors, hidden buttons, low cut necklines and even short and long women’s shirts. The following styles can be seen in dressy or casual shirts.
Asian: The Asian shirts for women are made with solid, silky fabric and often feature detailed floral patterns. Their collar is stiff, short and may feature a single frog button in front. These shirts have loops and hooks rather than buttons.
Button Collar: Button collar shirts have buttons straight up to the collar same like men’s button-down shirts.
Hidden Buttons: Women’s shirts with hidden buttons sport a concealed flap of fabric which covers up the button row below the shirt’s front.
Split Collar: Women’s shirts having a split collar sport a neckline in a V shape that still features a collar on it. But the collar cannot be put together to close the shirt.
V-neck: Women’s shirts with V-neck have no collar and often have a low cut front. They resemble a lot to a cardigan made of cotton instead of knit.
Wrap Around: These types of shirts have buttons but the buttons are concealed by additional material that wraps over the front and is tied on the side of the shirt.
Ruffled Front: This is typically feminine with large ruffles that border the shirt’s front from top to bottom and hide the buttons.
You can mix and match these various styles with the kind of desired shirt to get a perfect shirt you want.
Customizing Women’s Shirts
Because of the specific figure of women, it is difficult to find women’s shirts that fit perfectly. This problem is common particularly for busty women. And if the shirt doesn’t fit well, it results in opening of the shirt between buttons or excessive fabric. You can tackle this problem with some solutions.
The easiest solution is wearing another shirt underneath a shirt that is popping open and showing bare skin to others. This also sometimes helps the fabric to stay flatter along the body, thereby keeping the shirt unopened. It also avoids any exposure in case of malfunction of the shirt. The second solution is a bit expensive and it is to get the shirt altered by a tailor who will trim the shirt to fit it better to the contours of the body.
Wearing Women’s Shirts
Women can wear shirts in a number of ways. Dressy, uniform, business and even some casual shirts can be worn with a belt to make them look more professional. If the shirt is shorter even than mid-hip length, it cannot be tucked in. Traditional shirts can be tied in the front to form a knot, which shortens the shirt to give a distinct, designer look.
Dressy and casual shirts can be accessorized with things like scarves, belts and necklaces. Even ornamental pins on the chest look nice on these shirts. If paired up with high heels and skinny jeans, women’s shirts give a classy and chic look.
Find a huge range of women’s shirts at FormalWorkAttire.com where you can also get countless useful tips regarding women’s shirts. Images of some of their fabulous shirts are given in this article too.