Your next wardrobe investment might just be hanging inside your beau’s closet. Cue the boyfriend shirt, which is the perfect blank canvas that can be adjusted to fit any style need. Unlike the ever-popular boyfriend jeans, which we’ve jettisoned temporarily in this hot weather, the ease of a billowy boyfriend shirt makes for comfort while its ability to be layered makes for a seamless transitional piece.
When styling, “undone” might be the only watchword you’ll need. Undo the first few buttons of the shirt. Roll up your sleeves (the more creases, the more laissez-faire), and throw on your statement neckpiece of choice. Rihanna tucked in her Bengal-striped shirt lightly in her ripped jeans, while Vanessa Hudgens in a grid pattern and Miley Cyrus in a plaid version chose to wear theirs as is with a metal cuff and black chain boots, respectively.
So if you don’t have an actual boyfriend (with an unspoken return and exchange policy) to borrow a shirt from, the solution’s pretty simple: buy one. These five boyfriend shirts from British menswear brands are guaranteed to look better on you than on them.
Thomas Pink
Pinstripe puts a business spin to Boyfriend Shirt Dressing 101. Go for a crisp and tailored shirt from Thomas Pink. Available at Rustan’s Makati.
J.W. Anderson
It’s casual but it can also be designer. J.W. Anderson lends the classic boyfriend shirt choice, the crisp white shirt, a modern nod. Available at mrporter.com.
Burton Menswear
It’s not a one-night-stand look. It’s “undone chic.” Keep your look in check with a checkered piece from Burton Menswear. Available at SM Mega Fashion Hall.
Paul Smith
A Bengal-striped shirt makes for a great wear-anywhere look. Pair with gladiator sandals for of-this-season style points! Available at Greenbelt 5.
Art by Dorothy Guya