Anyone else find they can no longer wear a crisp white shirt as they get older?

[JessiCake]

Obviously I still CAN, in the sense of the fact I can put one on and do up the buttons etc... but these days it just makes me look and therefore feel shit!

A lovely crisp white shirt, usually man's-style, was the absolute staple of my wardrobe in my late 20s and 30s. I love minimalist style and it just worked with everything else I used to wear.

It's only now that I've realised I have 4 or 5 of them languishing in the wardrobe that I haven't worn for a good 5 years. I've put them on occasionally and then had a rapid re-think when I looked in the mirror!

They just drain me, whereas in the olden days (!) they used to frame my face really well.

I'm only bloody 41! Is there hope on the white shirt front? Anyone have any ways to get around this? I did try putting one with a lovely chunky turquoise necklace but that just looked like I knew the shirt made me look shit and was trying to brighten it up with a lovely chunky turquoise necklace.

I'm 43 and I still wear them, I wear fitted ones and always have bright red lipstick on too.

Always feel like I'm wearing a uniform. And I look terrible with pale colours near my skin.

I'm using this thread as a good excuse to do a tiny makeup splurge!

Just some cheapie Boots bits, but I think experimenting more with slightly bolder makeup might be a good thing now, and not just for when I want to wear white shirts! I do ALWAYS feel better on the days I've taken the time to bung on some eyeliner.

Until now I think I've got away with not needing much makeup as my skin is good but I do think I'm less washed-out-looking whenever I wear it. It's also possible, I guess, that although my slightly darker hair does genuinely suit me more than my mousey tone ( people haven't noticed I've had colour done but they have said I've looked 'well', so I think it's made a big difference) it may be that I need a bit more clever makeup to make it work best.

Thanks MN, big help on here as always.

Maybe you need something a bit more fitted?

I also think it looks better if your nails are painted a brighter colour with a white shirt, but that may be just my colouring. Today mine are red, and white shirt, blue jeans and blue blazer, I think it looks good

I always think they look better on older women.

I've never worn one, absolutely not my style but I think they look great on older skin with a simple chic style.

What about a different colour or fake tan if that's the issue.

You could try a limp white shirt.

Is it the shirts? If you've worn them a lot and they've been languishing for 5 years, maybe they aren't as crisp or as white as they once were? Try on a new one and see if that looks better...
If it does, you might be able to get some brightening agent to freshen them up.

Fafoutis

Try light blue , I'm fair and have quite a few light blue shirts . They are very flattering !

You say you’ve just changed your hair colour OP? That is probably why it doesn’t look quite right. You just need to adjust your make up and experiment or go for an off white

Maybe white was never really your colour but you could get away with it when you were younger. Or maybe you wore it so much that now you are comparing the look to your younger self.

I don't think your age is the issue.

I have never worn a crisp white shirt, what's a crisp shirt anyway?
If I was to wear one what would I wear it with and is it tucked in or loose?

It's something out of Jilly Cooper. Worn with Fracas perfume and no pants.

I've never been able to wear them. I like the classic/preppy look but on me the "crisp white shirt" looks staid and mumsy rather than cool and understated. Don't know why.

It's not that no older woman can white but your skin tone normally changes with age, just like your hair colour, so some women may find they don't suit it any more.

I look even worse in white than I do in black and I don't find make up or fake tan helps. I'd rather just wear other colours that suit me.

.... can wear white

I've looked sh*t in white for ages! Every time I try it on - I just think 'nope!'. I've never been able to wear crisp shirts at all - only ever soft drapey ones ... Don't know why but they just look wrong on me. Like scarves, annoyingly. I think 'a scarf will look chic and French', but no. I look like I've been in the dressing up box ...

Crisp white shirts are the work of the devil (or more realistically the fashion industry). I'm with fishonabike, never suited them or 'a nice scarf'. My Mum has hundreds, I can cope with a thick woollen one in winter to keep me warm but as a style statement? Nope. A lovely drapy silk shirt on the other hand? Perfection.

The most beautiful, fitted, gorgeous shirts ever are by Claudio Lugli.

www.claudioluglishirts.com/claudio-lugli-womenswear-collection-c3/shirts-c5

I never have looked good in a crisp white shirt. My features and bone structure are very soft, and it wears me.

I also don't think it's about age, it's about colouring and style. I love shirts and wear them but never looked good in white and I'm not pale at all.

I am short with a tiny frame and enormous boobs. The supposed wardrobe essentials of 'crisp white shirt' and 'classic trench coat' have always looked hideous on me.

I love shirts and am dazzlingly beautiful perhaps that bit is not true but anyway I love shirts and wear them at every opportunity but I could NEVER EVER EVER wear a white shirt- I'd look ghastly in it
White with other fcolours on it, fine - white on its own no. I like them a bit looser and tucked in to things and love blue shirts of varying shades, black shirts, patterned shirts, checked shirts, silk shirts, whatever - but white shirts, no. Try another type of shirt.