AD | Styling an oversized shirt, with Ralph Lauren

[This post is sponsored by Ralph Lauren]

You know that movie trope where the woman wakes up in the morning, throws on her husband/boyfriend’s shirt, and looks effortlessly gorgeous and delightfully tousled in it?

We all know that’s lies, right?

Didn’t happen. Or, not to me, anyway.

I mean, it takes a small truckload of makeup just for me to look alive first thing in the morning, and anything oversized has a tendency to make me look like a pile of laundry that got up and walked. Truth.

Nevertheless, here I am wearing a white shirt which was very kindly sent to me by the people at Ralph Lauren, and which, being from the men’s casual shirts department, is obviously very over-sized on me. Now, that over-sized look is everywhere right now, but if, like me, you’re somewhat vertically challenged, it can be a difficult one to get right. Trust one who’s tried.

Here’s how I’d do it…

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The Shirt:

[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]My shirt is the slim-fit Oxford shirt, which comes in a gorgeous, thick cotton, with a button-down collar and Ralph Lauren’s signature pony logo on the pocket. For this look, I’ve rolled up the sleeves to elbow-length, and unbuttoned the collar, for a more relaxed feel. [/su_column][/su_row]

Ralph Lauren, of course, are famous for the quality of their shirts, and there’s a huge range to choose from, which you can filter by color on the website, I’m a big fan of white shirts, because I’m all about the classics, but there’s a ton of other colour options available, if you fancy something a little bit brighter.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]On me, oversized can very easily equal sloppy, so, in order to make the look a little more intentional, I’ve added a few pieces of jewellery, plus a touch of red lipstick, which has the magical ability to make everything you wear it with look a little more “glam”, somehow,

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Accessories

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One over-sized item at a time…

My general rule of thumb with anything oversized is that you have to stick to one over-sized piece per outfit. If I tried to wear this shirt with baggy or wide-leg trousers, for instance, the whole look would just completely swamp me, and I’d end up looking like there had been some kind of accident that had resulted in me having to borrow someone else’s clothes.

Instead, then, I’ve layered it over a bodysuit:

This is the kind of top I wouldn’t get a huge amount of use out of on its own: it’s got a bit of an “evening” vibe which makes it too dressy – and, well, too booby, really – for the type of lifestyle I normally live. The shirt over the top, though, helps dress it down, without totally covering it up, so you get the look of a form-fitting top, but in a way that’s just a little bit more wearable.

Other ways to wear it…

If the shirt still feels too loose, my favourite trick is to knot it at the waist:

This look works really well over dresses, or with high-waisted skirts or shorts, for a retro look. Or, for something more causal, I’ll just wear it loose over leggings: comfortable, but a tiny bit smarter than my usual sloppy sweatshirt!

Are you a fan of the classic white shirt? And how do you style yours, if so?