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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
A white button-down shirt is a wardrobe staple—an item that’s both versatile and timeless. Like a great pair of jeans, a classic sneaker, or a neutral T-shirt, a white button-down is easy to mix and match with other items to pull together a fresh look in a snap.
Paired with virtually any bottom and shoes, it can make any outfit, be it for the office, running errands, or a night out, feel cohesive and polished. For the days you can’t manage to balance a look, consider one of these trusty white shirts, as well as advice on exactly how to wear (and care for) them by celebrity stylist Mickey Freeman and stylist and former Global Style Director for Yoox NET-A-PORTER Group, Emily Barnes.
Read on for the best white shirts on the market right now, based on our research and expert advice.
Best Overall
Anine Bing Mika Shirt
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anine-bing
You can never have too many white shirts, as a good basic is always a good thing, but if we were to just choose one to cover all of our bases, we’d pick Anine Bing’s Mika shirt. The crisp white shirt has a higher front length and longer backside—great to wear over form-fitting bottoms like faux leather leggings—fan oversized fit that’s just right, and thick cotton material to keep its tailored structure. Perhaps these are just a few reasons why many reviewers have coined it “the perfect white shirt.”
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XXS-XL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Classic
Kule The Hutton Oversized Shirt
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kule
Search and find Lauren Hutton on the cover of American Vogue in 1973, and tell us you’re not left wanting to wear a breezy white button-down shirt, especially when paired with some linen trousers for a stylishly easy summer outfit. This 100 percent cotton version by Kule was inspired by that exact feeling and can be easily dressed up or down, and features the iconic Kule red-and-blue brand taping on the side seam.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Machine wash
Best Value
Madewell Shrunken Button-Down Oxford Shirt
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madewell
We can always rely on Madewell for a great value, and this one rivals more expensive, designer versions in terms of shape, which is slightly oversized. Because it’s somewhat sheer, we wouldn’t recommend it for the office on its own. Rather, we love it as a layering piece, like under a fall sweater vest or on its own (for running errands or attending a dinner with friends).
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XXS-4X | Care: Machine wash
Best Designer
Valentino Camicia Oversize Button-Down Cotton Shirt
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Neimanmarcus
If you’re looking for a well-tailored style by a heritage designer label, we’d suggest Valentino’s Camicia shirt—one that “brings sublime comfort and head-turning style,” according to Freeman. It’s one of his top picks of white shirts because it’s “the perfect balance of feminine and masculine.” We agree. Style this with a sassy mini skirt or some tailored slacks and loafers, and the confidence will follow.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: 36-48 IT | Care: Dry clean only
Best Fitted
Mango Essential Cotton-Blend Shirt
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Shop mango
For a fitted look, Mango has you covered. The brand’s Essential Cotton-Blend style is one you’ll wear again and again, as its design is pared down to complement, rather than distract, from anything you wear with it—from a flowing skirt to a power suit. Another plus: it's part of Committed, the brand’s sustainable garment collection, meaning it's been produced using more sustainable fibers and/or processes.
Material: 60% cotton, 37% lyocell, 3% elastane | Size Range: 0-22 | Care: Machine washable; hang dry
Best Oversized
Nili Lotan Yorke Shirt
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Revolve
When it comes to designer Nili Lotan’s wardrobe, the Yorke shirt—an oversized silhouette with clean lines—is a staple. The style is slightly longer in the back and has no topstitching for a tailored yet minimalist approach to white shirting. The fabric is lightweight to keep you cool despite the extra amount of fabric that makes it oversized. It looks great tucked into jeans or untucked over a slip dress, so anything goes, really.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Silk
L’Agence Dani Blouse
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lagence
L’Agence makes a classic button-down blouse softer and slicker than any other number on this list because it’s crafted from charmeuse silk. The three-quarter length sleeves and relaxed open collar make the style fuss-free. Pair it with jeans, trousers, or a midi skirt of your choosing, and prepare for instant elevation.
Material: 100% silk | Size Range: XXS-XXL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Blouse
CO Back Pleat Blouse
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Net a Porter
CO’s white shirts are having a moment, so it’s only fitting that we include this billowy V-front version. We love its shell buttons, extra-wide cuffs, and inverted pleat detail at the back body—all of which make this blouse unique. While it costs a pretty penny, you'll find endless ways to style this piece—making it a staple worthy of your wardrobe for, well, a very long time.
Material: 63% cotton, 37% nylon | Size Range: XS-XXL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Linen
Asceno Milan Shirt
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Asceno easily makes the best linen shirts, says Barnes, because it perfects a relaxed yet effortless silhouette. The brand’s Milan Shirt is loose-fitting enough to be a great piece of loungewear (especially when paired with the matching linen bottoms) but refined enough to style with jeans or trousers. It doesn't hurt that it's crafted from organic and sustainable lightweight linen. In the cooler months, wear it under a cashmere sweater so you can benefit from this breathable shirt any month out of the year.
Material: 100% organic linen | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Hand wash cold
Best Sleeveless
Lafayette 148 New York Frances Sleeveless Eyelet Blouse
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Neimanmarcus
Lafayette 148 has a talent for capturing East Coast sensibility—that’s clear if not only based on this tailored sleeveless eyelet-detailed style called Frances. Made from cotton with a breezy yet defined silhouette and details like a back yoke, smart collar, and patchwork-inspired eyelets that remind us of something Jacqueline Kennedy would wear while sailing during the New England summer. Style it with a pair of long shorts for an effortlessly fashionable look.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XXS-XL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Short Sleeve
Tekla Poplin Short Sleeve Shirt
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For a perfect spread collar and loose silhouette, Barnes recommends Tekla’s pajama styles. This short-sleeve version is a unisex fit in crisp poplin, or cotton, weave. Wear it to lounge at home or over a favorite tank top for casual dress outdoors. It's been lightly stonewashed for added softness, so you won't need to wear it in.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XXS-XL | Care: Wash warm with like colors; hang dry
Best Budget
Uniqlo Premium Linen Long-Sleeve Shirt
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uniqlo
When it comes to shirting, Uniqlo offers the best bang for your buck at just under $40—with a wide array of sizing available. Our team loves its simple design, slight sheen, versatility, and breathability—wear it tucked into with a pleated skirt in the spring and layer it under a cozy sweater in the fall. It's machine washable, too, so consider all the money you'll save not having to take it to the dry cleaners.
Material: 100% European linen | Size Range: XXS-3XL | Care: Machine wash cold on gentle cycle or dry clean
Best Splurge
Bottega Veneta Cutout Cotton-Poplin Top
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For a white shirt that’s extra indulgent, look no further than Bottega Veneta’s Cutout Cotton-Poplin style. It’s rich with innovative details to transform conventional white shirting—the cap sleeve is architectural and dramatic, while the cutout at the back is subtle but unexpected. And from a material perspective, its stiff cotton-blend poplin sculpts the silhouette, making the nips at the waist that much more noticeable, and the silver-tone buttons are distinctive, or different from what you’d find on most other white shirts, and elegant.
Material: 100% cotton; 100% polyurethanic resin coating | Size Range: 38-46 IT | Care: Hand wash
Best Buttonless
Cinq à Sept Mckenna Top
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saksfifthavenue
For a shirt with structure, definition, and detail and without buttons, try Cinq à Sept’s Mckenna, which comes in both a long and short sleeve version. It's a top pick for Freeman for its elegant shape and versatility, which pairs equally well with trousers as with slip skirts. "This style, like all great white shirts, demonstrates that good design and tailoring ultimately determine what looks good," he says. "The shape and proportions create a feminine silhouette perfect for both work or a night out.”
Material: 93% polyester, 7% polyurethane | Size Range: XXS-XL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Oxford
Thakoon Classic Oxford Shirt
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Like a great pair of black work pants, Thakoon’s classic oxford shirt makes it easy to get office-ready. Crafted entirely from cotton, this wardrobe staple style is best known for its stiff structure made from basketweave fabric. But perhaps what we love most about it is its small but significant design elements, like its slightly oversized silhouette, curved hem, and left chest pocket.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Machine wash cold on delicate and tumble dry low; or dry clean
Best Tunic
CO Button Down Shirt Tunic
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FWRD
Fan of three-quarter sleeves? So are we, especially on CO’s tunic style in cotton. The blousy three-quarter sleeve button-down is full of unique details, like a hidden placket, side slits, and a fishtail hem. It’s also oversized, so if you’re looking for such a silhouette but don’t want to fuss with a full sleeve, this style could be for you. It is a bit sheer, however, so keep this in mind if you are looking for an option more office-friendly.
Material: 63% cotton, 37% nylon | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Dry clean only
Best Mandarin Collar
Pangaia Women’s Oversized Shirt
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pangaia
If you’re not much into collared shirts but like the look and versatility of a button-down, Pangaia has a relaxed fit with a mandarin collar that might just be made for you. In terms of material, we love this one because it’s made with sustainability in mind, entirely made from organic cotton, and treated with anti-odor properties to keep it fresher for longer, which saves water, energy, and time.
Material: 100% organic cotton | Size Range: US 2-10 | Care: Machine wash cold, inside out; hang dry
Best Stretch Cotton
LAUREN Ralph Lauren Easy Care Stretch Cotton Shirt
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Ralphlauren
Per the name, this style is a crisp classic with a little bit of give in the material, since it’s made partly with elastane. It’s easy to tuck in and looks good with virtually anything, from jeans and flats to trousers, heels, and a blazer for a polished look, when necessary. The modest price tag enables you to invest in a few as well, so you can always count on having a clean one on hand.
Material: 95% cotton, 5% elastane | Size Range: XS-XL | Care: Machine wash
Best A-line
CO A-line Button Down Shirt
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Amazon
CO takes a unique approach to shirting with this A-line style—a silhouette that’s naturally dramatic thanks to its volume—in crisp cotton-blend poplin. But what we love about this style is that the shirt becomes the focus, particularly when it’s paired with a simple pair of trousers and sandals. It’s also nice that it’s versatile and wearable throughout life’s stages; the A-line style can be worn for several months during pregnancy—pair it with some fashionably comfortable maternity jeans.
Material: 100% cotton | Size Range: XS-L | Care: Dry clean only
Meet the Expert
- Mickey Freeman is a celebrity stylist and designer based in New York. He's worked with Keke Palmer, Azealia Banks, Dylan Sprouse, and more.
- Emily Barnes is a stylist, contributing fashion editor, and former Global Style Director for Yoox NET-A-PORTER Group.
What to Look for When Buying a White Shirt
Material
White shirts are generally made from some form of cotton, rayon, linen, or silk. Different materials cater to different needs, so keep this in mind as you shop for the perfect white shirt—whatever that means to you. If you want something breathable, perhaps look at linen options. For something stiff or structural, cotton blends are best. Or if you’d like something very soft, to lounge or be comfortable throughout the day, check out linen, stonewashed cotton, or silk—the first of which softens with each additional wash and the third with which we associate luxurious comfort above all else.
Cut
White shirts aren’t created equal, and by that, we mean that you should consider the structure and the lines of each shirt in question to be sure that it suits your needs and body type. Are you more comfortable in a fitted shirt or an oversized one? If you plan to wear the shirt mainly with leggings, then perhaps a roomier style that’s longer in the back would suit you best. With anything high-waisted, you’ll want a cropped white shirt. At the very least you should know, do you like a standard collar, a V-neck, or a mandarin collar? No matter your preference, there are options out there.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie?
This shopping guide was written by Byrdie contributor Hayley Prokos. A seasoned commerce writer and editor, she’s constantly on the hunt for classic and versatile pieces. Her work has appeared in SELF Magazine, Newsweek, and the daily Greek newspaper Ekathimerini, and she holds a Master of Arts in Journalism from Northwestern University.
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