Some mornings I wake up and throw on a soft, slightly oversized white button-up shirt. Hair wild, I walk barefoot to the kitchen and get the espresso started. Is the shirt mine, or my lover’s? It’s hard to say, but one thing’s for sure: I feel damn sexy.
Why is the oversized white button-up shirt so sexy on women? A few reasons.
For one, we’ve been told/shown how sexy it is for decades in movie after movie. It’s a trope called the “sexy shirt switch” and was a way for directors (usually male) to say that the woman just had sex without saying she just had sex. A tasty delight for the male gaze.
But it wasn’t just about sex. For women, it was also about power and sexual freedom.
And to me, the slightly oversized white button-up acts as a blank canvas – the wearer brings to it her own personality, power, and gendered expression to satisfy the male or female gaze. It’s all about how she feels in it!
It’s one of my favorite wardrobe staples, especially for a boudoir photo shoot.
So what makes the perfect white button-up?
I’ve got years of experience here. The perfect white button-up has to be soft, easy to move around in, and thin enough to be just a little bit see-through. We’re going for slightly oversized so that it flows around your body and is super comfortable.
So far, the best one I’ve ever found is this one on Amazon. I’ve purchased many over the years, either gifting them away or wearing them out myself.
The women who schedule shoots with me at the Silk & Lace Boudoir studio get 3-4 outfit changes, and when asked I always recommend this white button-up as a great option.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the expensive pieces of lingerie too – sexy lace gowns, sequin bodysuits, you name it. They definitely deserve their place in the line-up.
But don’t underestimate the power of the white button-up. Even if you’re not scheduled for a boudoir shoot, this deserves to be in your wardrobe.
xo,
Cynthia
