My Misguided Route To Wearing A T-Shirt

 

 

Carey Mulligan

T-shirts the simplest garment we generally process in our wardrobes a staple top to turn to, worn with jeans when all else fails and more recently an item that has reached iconic status after being reinvented by countless designers and celebs in the name of charity and this season you can even get your hands on a leather one.

This is where the fairy tale ends annoyingly, at least for me anyway; I discovered some time back, that the average T-shirt does very little for my body shape, so while everyone else aspires to be an hourglass, I aspire to be a totem pole in the realm of T-shirt wearing, not just because we are nearing the festival season, but because, inverted triangular shapes (most men and models) and totem gals, those that are straight up and down make a T-shirt actually look like something.

 Sadly as soon as you introduce breasts and hips into the equation this element of style vanishes and me and my hour glass femme fatales, Kelly Osbourne, Carey Muligan and Kate Winslet among our number fill out the boxy shape a little too well and we look blunt, not edgy, just shapeless, with the added bonus that the short round scoop neck helps make our neck look stumpy too.

 So do we owe the humble T-shirt a debt of gratitude? No I think not, but if you still want to wear a t-shirt in some form here are my guidelines.-

        The  Hourglass Guide To Wearing A T-Shirt

 

1. Layer a T-shirt either early Madonna style under a clashing colour vest or a vest of a darker shade, this adds some shape and curves.

2. Roll your sleeves up and belt a long T with a skinny belt over a pencil or A-line skirt or skinny jeans.

3. Use your T to add length to your body and layer with a shorter piece.

4. Wear with high waisted jeans and tie a cunning knot at the side of your T.

5.  Look for raw edged t-shirts and cut a slit through the front of the neck hole as deep as you dare go, the sides will flop out creating a nice swooping v, this helps draw the eye down, breaking up the square lines, elongating your neck and dogging designer T price tags!

6.  Along the same lines cut a slit each side of the outside of the sleeves along the shoulder line

7.  Avoid white T’s like soft scoop ice – cream, if you like that stuff, just plain avoid white Ts.

8. Look out for tailored T-shirts, this one has been a revelation but they do exist, check out quality sports labels. I found some tailored T's at M&S amongst their Limited Collection that were A-line and long, these works well for me giving me a little definition at the waist without clinging to my hips.

9.  Alternatives for me are fine cotton shirts, worn with the sleeves rolled up or a simple low scoop neck fitted vest.

10. Avoid stretchy cotton.