The shapeshifting power of the great white shirt

Who among us can deny the power of the white shirt? Not just its ubiquity, but its ability to shapeshift – business-like one moment, subtly sexy the next.

Effortless, with a devil-may-care demeanour from one angle and primly put together from another. It’s in the fit and construction – whether adorned with ruffles or classically crisp and clean – but also the attitude of its wearer.

There is nothing quite like it. Whether in crisp white poplin with a sharp collar, emanating a timeless chic or in soft, breezy linen, carrying with it the faintest whiff of sun cream and the distant chirrups of cicadas; the white shirt remains one of the ultimate fashion staples. Originally a mainstay of men's tailoring, it has become a lifeblood of the feminine aesthetic – an instant shortcut to modish insouciance.

Related: The 17 best white shirts by Scandinavian brands to buy now

It is little wonder, then, that the spring/summer 2023 collections are awash with various imaginative iterations on this foundational garment, with stunning examples seen at myriad shows, from Dior to Peter Do, Dries Van Noten and Jil Sander.

The influence of the white shirt draws its origins from the 19th century. It was originally seen as a marker of class and wealth — after all, how else could you afford to maintain such a spotless garment? Soon it became an indispensable item of a gentleman’s wardrobe, and increasingly of womenswear as the 20th century wore on.

The white shirt as a modish essential for all women was later confirmed by the influence of classic Hollywood icons Katherine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall and Audrey Hepburn. All of these style leaders, both on screen and off, cemented the eternal appeal of the gamine aesthetic epitomised by the classic item.

The white shirt has never quite shirked its workwear associations. It is, after all, where we get the phrase ‘white collar worker.’ This adds a playful dimension to any piece. These strait-laced expectations can either be dutifully adhered to or inventively disrupted.

Related: The white shirt gets an update for 2023, and these are the Vogue-approved ones to buy now

Opt for classic and work appropriate in Dior’s timeless poplin or Issey Miyake’s equally ageless number. Wear them buttoned up for clean lines and sleek minimalism, or open a few buttons for a more relaxed feel.

Atelier Sara Paris makes an equally gorgeous option, with an ever-so-slightly oversized collar for a little extra flair. Yohji Yamamoto’s double collared shirt and the slightly boxy crop of Jacquemus’s Le Papier version show that subtle tweaks to a signature piece give an extra level to its crisp professionalism. This business-like appeal can, of course, be gorgeously deconstructed. There is the irreverence of wearing Atelier Sara Paris’s prototype shirts or the beauty of Loewe’s oversized pieces.

The ultimate example of disassembled shirting is, of course, Dzhus’ transformable shirt. It is gloriously never quite one thing or the other. It shares this beautiful messiness with Ann Demeulemeester’s deconstructed two-piece — a stunning example of intrepid and avant-garde tailoring. There is also, of course, the simple tweak of the short-sleeved dress shirt; as shown with stunning effect by Sacai.

If the shirt was once an archetypal piece of menswear, it has long evolved through female appropriation. In fact, it is in these joyful subversions of this supposed piece of male iconography, that the joy of white shirting in womenswear is found. This season was another example of this, with epic shirt dresses dominating the catwalk at Max Mara and playful shirt-and-short combos gracing the runway at Etro and Philosophy di Lorenzo Seraphini.

Related: White as snow: The icy cool potential of fashion’s purest hue

Just look at the purposefully misshapen angles of MM6 Maison Margiela’s cotton top and matching skirt, with quaint broderie anglaise detailing on the hem and quilt-details in its dimensions. The office essential is reinvented with the trimmings of polite domesticity, and upgraded with modern, surprising tailoring.

Chloé’s Ramie voile shirt dress is a sterling example of this more feminine approach to shirting, while the theatrics are ramped up in the voluminous folds of Patou’s extraordinary shirt dress and Momento Mori’s show-stopping ruffle dress, with its Van Gogh swirls.

Through deft use of fabrics, shirting can also be used to cannily expose what lies beneath. The subtle sexuality of white shirting is often, of course, the allure of that oversized shirt worn flirtatiously the morning after, the mere hint of what that buttoned up poplin may conceal.

Oh Carla’s ingenious interpretation of this; through cotton tulle and wool underwear made from deadstock, is worn wrapped around Dior’s clean cut shirt and Chloé’s near-diaphanous shirt dress, just as Acne Studio’s dynamic lace dress screams the intricate underpinnings of Victoriana. It is all a superb way of nodding to the boudoir trend which strutted down the catwalks at Nensi Dojaka, Versace, Tom Ford and Christopher Kane this season.

Layering is key to wearing white shirting and keeping it fresh and directional. Wear with monotonal trenches, like those from Atelier Sara Paris, for a full look which echoes the runway’s obsession with a full white out, seen at Ermanno Scervino, Tibi and Vaquera. Lean in to the trend with Rory WD’s silk and wool sleeveless jacket and MM6 Maison Margiela’s tailored white trousers, or layer your Issey Miyake shirt under Alexander McQueen’s luxurious corseted asymmetric dress.

Related: Elementary: whatever the weather, here is the best suiting of the season

You can, of course, contrast with black for maximum monochrome. Botter’s black trench is an instant classic, especially when worn with bold tomato-red leather gloves and just a hint of snow-white cotton beneath. Solid’s black quilted sleeveless jacket is a wonderful way to balance your hues, or you could simply add a pop of noir with the buttons on Ximon Lee’s shirt or peekaboo painted tabi boots from Maison Margiela. The perfect blend? Surely Prada’s inspired white cotton poplin with black trench sleeves.

Layering can, of course, not just be a sartorial choice but a seasonal necessity, and winter whites, like MM6 Maison Margiela’s creamy puffers, Dzhus’s transformable coat or Moncler’s white down jackets can add a sporty utility to the white shirt. Rory W.D’s ruffle cloud skirt takes a heightened approach, feeling as much like a parachute as a fluffy Cumulus confection.

Fully embrace the utility trend that stomped down the runway at Fendi, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton, with Moncler’s inspired leather boots or Izzy Du’s puffer trousers, or opt for the no-frills sporty appeal of Balenciaga’s maxi jersey dress.

So, whether sporty or lacey, deconstructed or perfectly starched; the white shirt is a guaranteed winner. The timeless appeal of this classic piece is rooted in its enviable versatility and its enduring ability to be — however you style it — pure, unadulterated chic.