After falling into an outfit rut at home a few months ago, I dialed up celebrity stylist Allison Bornstein for a FaceTime makeover where she walked me through ways to restyle my wardrobe basics. I walked away with a fresh new take on easy outfit formulas and cool ways to wear the T-shirts, leggings, and jeans already sitting in my closet.
Fast forward to summer and I felt ready for a new dose of inspiration. Looking to her Instagram (@allisonbornstein6), where she has master classes in ways to style wardrobe essentials, I was interested in getting her opinion on how to wear a button-down shirt this season. So we hopped on another FaceTime consultation, where she gave me face-to-face advice on which pieces to wear and exactly how to style them. And yes, you can schedule a styling session for yourself by signing up here.
After our call, I DMed her some questions to fine-tune exactly how she’d tweak each of the looks. Would she leave the buttons undone? Would she tie the button-down at the waist? Would she tuck in a T-shirt underneath? Here, see the outfits we put together on our call and the five chic ways I’ll be wearing a button-down for the season ahead.
JEANS + HEELS
Jeans are one of the core pieces in my wardrobe that I wear on repeat, and a button-down top is a natural piece to pair with them. To elevate this look, we added my go-to gold chain necklace and puffy heels. Then, Bornstein recommended a chic French tuck and leaving the top buttons undone.
H&M Cotton Shirt ($25)
Levi’s 501 Skinny Jeans ($98)
Gia x Pernille Teisbaek Padded Leather Sandals ($365)
Monica Vinader Alta Capture Necklace ($795)
A SLIP DRESS + HEELS
While I wear slip dresses all the time, it hadn’t occurred to me to wear a button-down with one. Bornstein explained that the top is a second layer that almost acts like a jacket during the summer months when you need a light layer. To add some shape, she suggested tying it at the waist.
Réalisation The Capulet ($220)
Grayson The Hero Washed Cotton Shirt ($128)
Staud Frankie Ruched Slides ($325)
LEGGINGS + SPORTS BRA + HEELS
I’m not going to lie: I’ve practically been living in leggings recently, but there are still ways to make them feel a bit more polished than my regular workout look. Here, we added a pair of low heels and left the button-down open to highlight the waist.
Nike Swoosh Sports Bra ($38)
Good American The Icon Legging ($89)
Citizens of Humanity Kayla Shirt ($248)
Porte & Paire Croc-Effect Leather Mules ($260)
LEATHER PANTS + TEE + BLAZER + HEELS
Though summer just started, I already have fall/autumn on my mind, so I jumped at the chance to ask Bornstein how to style an outfit for the season ahead. For a transitional look, we landed on leather pants and a linen blazer with a T-shirt and button-down underneath. I love the look of all of these layers and shades of white stacked on top of one another.
Mango Linen 100{a38ddb2ded6b05e28c8ae73a8db0e271c21f7193684bd9e4e28acae292f81d99} Shirt ($40)
Mango Organic Cotton Essential T-Shirt ($20)
& Other Stories High Waisted Leather Trousers ($379)
H&M Linen-Blend Blazer ($50)
Balenciaga Knife Logo-Embellished Leather Mules ($695)
SHORT DENIM JACKET + BELT + FLATS
For our last look, we landed on a summer classic: denim shorts. Adding a denim jacket, waist-defining belt, and my favorite minimal strappy heels, this outfit is an elevated take on summer denim.
H&M Cotton Shirt ($25)
Levi’s Ex-Boyfriend Trucker Jacket ($98)
AG Jeans Caden Shorts ($148)
B-Low the Belt Milla Croc Belt ($156)
Studio Amelia 1.3 Sandal ($250)
Next, read about how Allison Bornstein helped me restyle my wardrobe basics.
This article originally appeared on Who What Wear
Read More from Who What Wear
More Stories
New Forever 21 CEO plots post-bankruptcy comeback with physical stores
The New Laws Trying to Take the Anxiety Out of Shopping
Shop Prime Day savings before Black Friday