Days in White Cotton

Happy Fourth of July!

Much has been written about the white shirt but not by me. It's charms fell on deaf ears— until I realized I had just bought my third chemise blanc in as many months.

I could declare this The Summer of the White Shirt, but that's like saying The Summer of the Straw Handbag. A crisp white shirt has always looked cool and refreshing— until it is no longer crisp but soggy and sooty. I'm not a perfectionist but hate feeling yucky.

So why now? Am I just ready to simplify? Sleek Zara is one of my favorites; I'm chomping at the bit to visit COS when it opens in New York (mail order already and finally available in the US). I have a new admiration for Eileen Fisher now that my figger can use some skimming in the cloth department.

But a white shirt? With my boy-short hair and flat chest, shirts have never been a favorite. You can only wear a white shirt once. Me, iron? Nevah. Full disclosure: my new white shirts are what the French call chemisiers (shirt blouses). I've now a soft crepe, a cropped mandarin collared and a high-low button down with long tails. More interesting than the usual, the twists are what make 2014's Summer of the White Shirt so appealing.

While not my white shirts (nor on me) the following give you an idea:

Shirt as blouse

Cropped (just love her)

Woman-tailored
(on Olivia Palermo) 

Never say never, right? But here's a white look that will never happen chez moi:

Probably hot but so cool...