The White Blouse, Part 2 (Finally!)

It's taken quite a while, but I'm back, and ready to write the next piece, so here it goes...

The Casual, Individual and sometimes Quirky White Blouse

This basic is less about a singular style or shape, and more about your lifestyle and what you are looking for the shirt to do for you. If you work in a corporate environment, and have to wear blouses all the time, you'll probably be looking either a quirky designed blouse that's still appropriate for the office, or a very avant garde/artsy version that looks nothing like the blouses you wear all week. So even though its still a white blouse, you can utilize one that has a unique design to give an outfit a slightly more classic feel.

There are a few basic categories that these blouses will break down into:

1) White sleeveless blouses - While these can be used under a jacket during the week, they can be completely appropriate over shorts in the summer, with a denim jacket, or over a pair of jeans to keep them feeling crisp. Some great examples of these are Equipment's blouses, found on a number of websites like shopbop.com. This old brand has renewed itself, and is finding a new generation of fans - shirts like their Signature Sleeveless Blouse are great for summer, or even for winter with a cardigan thrown over them. Elizabeth and James also carry a similar shirt, the Sleeveless Boyfriend Shirt, which is a bit more sheer. Other stores that carry this type of blouse at a more reasonable price are Gap, who had a whole line of them for the spring/summer, most of which are now on sale, Anthropologie, which is a great place to find any number of unique and/or handmade items, and J.Crew, who has a great selection of blouses, even though they tend to be a bit dressier.

2) The mixed media blouse - This blouse is usually made of a number of different elements; it might be beaded or sequined, might have lace insets, or might have pieces attached as aesthetic elements. Anthropologie is again a great place to find such blouses. Stores like Urban Outfitters are also good for blouses like this, especially if you're looking for a more casual feel. Although not specifically a blouse, 'crossover' items like a lace tee can be dressed up or down - so anothe place to look is American Apparel for their selection of well-priced lace tees. Piperlime.com also has a number of brands with mixed media shirts, and though they are not cheap, they carry a wide range of designers to suit anyone's personal taste.

3) This category is for pretty much any other white blouse you might find - there are a whole lot out there, and because it's such a staple, we know it'll always be around, and people will always be working on ways to reinvent it. No matter what your style, you should be able to find at least one white blouse that suits you. Since this is especially subjective, I'm just going to share a few of my favorites with you. Anthroplogie carries a number of tops I love, like the billowy summer top, the Friendly Competition blouse, the Victoriam undergraments-inspired Vintage Lace Chemise blouse, the Archeologist Button-up, and the beautifully feminine Anthurium blouse. I also love Madison Marcus' Radical Top, which is a take on a tee turned blouse with some lace insets, Elizabeth and James' Betty Shirt which is a cropped 'romance blouse,' and Free People's Snap Out of It Tunic, all of which can be found on shopbop.com.

The choice of blouse may also depend on climate - living in a warmer climate means that sleeveless tops with detail on the back or shoulders will get more exposure - if you live in, say, New England, a sleeveless top may only get to show off its details a few times a year (due to jackets, sweaters, etc.) So even though you might find a really great piece, think about how you'll be wearing it - if most of the details are on the back or shoulders, and you usually wear a jacket or cardigan, is it really worth investing in the blouse? That being said, sometimes just knowing the fun little details about a blouse, even if no one else can see them, can make you feel good.