I’m out in Sag Harbor until Labor Day—how are you spending the waning days of summer?—and it’s been getting a touch chilly in the mornings and evenings. So I’ve been thinking about the best layering pieces for fall and I feel like a good chambray shirt lands right in that category. You can wear it on its own, or with a jacket, or even as a jacket with a thin top or tee underneath. I like the feminine touch of the ruffly neckline of this little number, but also the cowgirl-tough pearl snap buttons.
The patch pockets here are a cool touch, and the light blue is a rather perfect light blue.
The dark wash here is nice and clean.
A tie-neck top that’s positively office-appropriate.
Just a simple, pocket-free menswear-cut option from Everlane.
That Everlane shirt is kind of perfect. I have an ancient denim shirt I still wear that I liberated from someone in the early 1990’s. I may have to add he Everlane one to my closet since the karma would no doubt be better 😉 !
I think I’ve mentioned here before that I take a chambray shirt with me whenever I travel because it’s easy to pack and really versatile. They are especially great at cover ups at religious sites, because they are really lightweight. But also, for years my first date outfit was a chambray shirt and black bottoms (it was a skirt, but then I hit 30 and it became pants.)
I bought a sort of patchwork one (not in a granny patchwork–just swatches of different washes and shades of denim) from a G-Star RAW sample sale last summer and brought it to Italy in September. It was the PERFECT piece to wear in the mornings and evenings when it was a bit chilly, and wasn’t bulky or heavy like a sweater to stuff into my backpack during the day. Sweatshirts feel a bit too schlumpy and casual in European cities. This was a much more sophisticated alternative and kept me warm enough when layers over other tops. Just buy it a size up if you want to wear it like a jacket. Have fun in Sag, Kim! Sad the summer is over 🙁
Denim shirts come under the heading of “Buy and never wear” for me. I have had traditional button downs with and without a ruffle and tie and a couple of really cute sleeveless ones that languished in the closet unworn. Not sure if I wasn’t styling them right but they come off as clunky and stiff on me while endlessly cool on others. What am I doing wrong?
What is the best way to wear a chambray with blue jeans, high contrast in wash, etc?
In my opinion, not at all. Old prejudices die hard, and any form of Canadian tuxedo always looks dorky to me, no matter how often internet style gurus try to convince us that denim on denim has become cool. Maybe a chambray shirt with white or black jeans? Great selection here and except with blue jeans I follow Jenna Lyons’s way of treating chambray shirts as neutral.
I have a ramble post!
I wouldn’t have touched the Canadian Tuxedo with a ten foot pole at one point. I have tried it as of late, compliments of the encouragement of fashion authorities, but must admit I’m not entirely comfortable.
I had owned denim jackets in the past but never wore them because I’m constantly wearing blue denim. But this year, I went out on a limb and got a new denim jacket, thinking it’s A-OK to wear the Canadian tuxedo.
I might have to resort to wearing the jacket with white or black. We shall see.
For some reason, I’ll do the CT with a cotrast wash jacket but not with a shirt.
This will sound pedantic, but I’ve never been sure if a chambray shirt paired with jeans counts as a Canadian tuxedo: figured chambray was a different weave than denim. This is a purely theoretical query on my part, having only ever had chambray skirts, no shirts. However, I too have worn a contrast wash jacket with jeans, which in my personal emotional shorthand represents armor in a daunting situation because the Mikey character in The Goonies wore a CT and he saved the whole town. After all, as Cyndi Lauper noted in the title of her song for the soundtrack, “The Goonies R Good Enough”.
Is that a good movie? I’ve never watched it. Perhaps I need to.
If you see it, take note of Martha Plimpton. She grew out her hair and maybe gained three pounds, but otherwise, Martha Plimpton is the same. Clearly, Martha has been drinking the elixir of life.
okay, i will look for her, thanks.
The Canadian tuxedo is actually a look I like a lot, and the key is to have the shirt and jeans be as close to the same wash and color as possible.
Thanks, Kim! I’ll try it out – I’d like to make this look work.
Even though I’m the LAST person you’d find wearing ruffles, I’m kind of into the first one with the slight “frip” around the collar. It’s giving me sentimental Lady Di vibes.