When a portrait was first put up in a French salon in 1793 of a woman wearing a white shirt, it created one of the greatest scandals of the time. The reason was pretty simple. The white shirt that the lady was sporting was far away from the royal etiquette which was to be followed by the ladies of that time.
With the fading sands of time, the gossip too subdued. Then came the . Everything was changing and it was changing fast. The Industrial revolution brought about a change in the lives of the people. Apparatuses replaced manual labour in the factories and soon clothes were being manufactured using the fine finish of a machine. The wholesale clothing distributors of that time designed and manufactured white shirts that quickly climbed up the social structure of the complicated fashion ladder and reached the top, only to be recognised as a symbol of status and power over the society.
This quick integration of the dress shirt in the fashion circuits as well as the society was however limited to the male masses. Women were still expected to cover themselves in ladylike garments. Shirts were symbolic of being masculine. Thus, the exception remained levied on the ladies. Those few who dared to wear the distinctively classy white shirt were considered to be an outcast. The lady etiquette you see!
But with the world-changing at a rapid pace and two world wars changing the course of history, women started accepting their roles in the society with more poise and composure. Women started participating in manly business with an undefeatable zeal. They were set to conquer the world! Coco Chanel turned the fashion world upside down by introducing pants, white shirt and cardigans to the .
The 30's and the 40's thus became the transformation period with a number of actress from Hollywood changing the trend and breaking the shackles. Katherine Hepburn wore a white shirt in the classic movie ‘Holiday’. Another actress Ava Gardner defied all restrictions when she sported a white shirt with a pair of shorts and lipstick. A perfect amalgamation of masculinity with feminine traits, she managed to raise some eyebrows all around the world.
Cut to the 50s, when Audrey Hepburn made rolled up sleeves and elevated collars on the white shirt iconic. Well she is constantly noted as one of the best dressed actress to ever have lived, the humble fashion piece could not have asked for more. They soon were upgraded to the ranks of being a hermaphrodite fashion piece unaware of the entire feminist manifesto that was rising quickly.
The disco period of the 70s saw the continuation of the genderless trend from its predeceasing era with women giving their personal touch and impression to the white cotton garment. Long, flowy and flared shirts dominated the scene and echoed the ladylike couture.
With , the shirts were architectured with a variety of collars and cuffs, different fabrics yet holding on to the rich historic tradition at large. When men were dressing dramatically to show off power and stature, career women were dressing the white shirt with narrow skirts and pant suits. It would also scream of the roughness at a club when they were being paired with leather jackets and bomber jackets of the same. Frances “Baby” Houseman from ‘Dirty Dancing’ only added to the content of the ladies by giving them some serious white shirt panache.
The exaggerated reflection of the white shirt in the previous decade was toned by the biggies in by helping it to return to its simplified version. The minimalistic approach to the white button down provided a vast contrast to the bold colours that was raging the casual wardrobe of women everywhere. Pencil pants and ballerina flats portrayed by Julia Roberts and Uma Thurman became progressively anarchic in nature. The association with formal dressing, in fact, strengthened its base to such an extent that it became permanent in the pragmatic clothing section.
The early 2000's saw the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow in oversized white shirts created a mysterious aura in and around them. Sharon Stone’s appearance in the Academy Awards wearing an oxford button down in white helped women take a notch higher by combining them with short shorts and denims.
The millennial period of late 2000s is all about combining the masculine features with a feminine approach to break all traditions. Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lawrence have been spotted on various occasions making stellar appearances in this immortal fashion piece.
The eras might be different, but the feel of the classic white shirt has remained unaltered. Their sophistication and elegance has gracefully been maintained over the centuries. And given their versatile and timeless quality, they will continue being a staple wardrobe piece for women.
With a number of manufacturers having gathered white shirt for women and men alike, the range is wide and immense. Retailers can buy wholesale mens clothing and women’s clothing in bulk with striking discounts available on them.