Happy Wednesday, Ladies! Today, we are looking at one of the hardest-working wardrobe essentials in your closet: the tee shirt. This essential often gets overlooked because of its utilitarianism. Dress it up or down; a tee shirt can be one of the most versatile items in your closet. Keep the neutrals on hand with white, gray, and black in a crewneck, v-neck, scoop, or bateau neck. But don't forget stripe tees, especially this time of year.
Did you know the striped tee started life in The French Navy in 1858? The original sailor tee sported 21 stripes, one for each of Napolean’s victories. The distinctive pattern of stripes made it easier to spot a sailor in the sea if, by chance, he fell overboard.
At the turn of the twentieth century, on a visit to the French Riviera, Coco Chanel spied the tee on a Navy seaman and introduced the Breton tee in her 1917 nautical collection. This look was a breakaway from the heavily corseted fashion popular then. Coco initially paired the tee with flared trousers, and a trend began. Women in trousers? Striped Tees? Separates? This outfit seems so matter-of-fact these days, but waaaay back when it took one brave woman to change fashion forever.
And definitely add whimsy to your wardrobe with a graphic tee. They look fantastic underneath cardigans, jean jackets, and blazers.
Today, Beth shares a wardrobe essential: The Tee Shirt
The outfits are shoppable via text and image widgets
Plus, find shoppable collections of tee shirts
A classic white tee can get you so much mileage. It’s good to have a variety of neckstyles so that you can mix things up a bit. Go for crewneck, v-neck, scoop neck, and bateau neck. Also, look for linen and jersey tees in the summer.
If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you will no doubt notice my love for striped tees. From the classic Breton Tee to tees with stripes of all colors, a striped tee is one of my favorite go-to's all year long – but especially in the warmer months.
1. Linen Jersey Striped V Neck Tee 2. Mariner Cloth Fitted Waist Tee 3. Ribbed Scoop Neck Tee 4. Relaxed Linen Tee (pink stripes) 5. Ribbed Scoop Neck Tee 6. Perfect Fit Elbow Sleeve Tee 7. Vibrant Stripe Crewneck Tee 8. V-Neck Tee Strafford Stripe 9. Effortless Jersey Raglan Tee 10. St. James Cropped Boatneck Tee
Tees can play a significant part in your ensemble when trying a trend. Keeping things simple on top can ease you into wearing (and feeling comfortable) in a new-to-you style.
Tees can also be part of your going-out ensemble. When you can’t think of which top to pair with a colorful or embellished bottom, reach for a classic tee – it works every time!
Yesterday, Beth shared what to pack for a beach vacation. Make sure to click the title or image below to read the article.
is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.
She’s 65, 5’8, and size 8.
Terrific blue suit today! LOVE!! Is it from Veronica Beard or Talbots, by chance?
Hi Jill! It’s a Veronica Beard blazer.