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A model sitting on a wooden bench against a white wall. She wears a white short sleeved blouse with black floral embroidery and a pair of wide-leg black linen trousers. She sits with one knee bent with her foot on the bench and her arm resting over the knee.

Features

Editors Eye: Shirts and Blouses

By Emily Weatherill

The key to getting dressed with ease is to create a foundation wardrobe of adaptable separates, which all work together to build a capsule collection of go-to, go anywhere looks. Saint and Sofia’s Head of Editorial, Alexandra Fullerton, is here to reveal exactly what these essential items are in Editor’s Eye.

These are the shirts and blouses that will become the building blocks of your wardrobe.

Whether you’re looking for sharp tailored pieces that will command the boardroom or delicate embroidery for downtime days, we have a glorious array of options in our collection which will suit your personal style – the demands of your diary.

Although, if you struggle with creating outfits, you might have your ratio of separates wrong. For every bottom in your wardrobe, whether skirts or trousers, you should have at least three tops that go with them. And don’t forget to consider styling your shirts and blouses under sleeveless dresses too.

An image of the Head of Editorial at Saint and Sofia, Alexandra Fullerton. She sits on a stool in the Saint and Sofia studio wearing the Ariella Baby Tee in beige and a pair of black jeans. She sits beside a mannequin torso and in front of a plant. Her hands are clasped across her lap.

The idea of a foundation wardrobe is to allow you to build an array of casual and formal looks with every single piece you own. Beyond knitwear and T-shirts, shirts and blouses are key to making sure this process works smoothly, wherever you plan to wear your outfits. 

Once you have enough shirts and blouses to build your looks, there’s one other trick to remember: a simple solution that stylists always use to create a coherent outfit is to pick light-coloured tops teamed with darker shades below. Similarly, if you’re adding a jacket on top, ensure that your bottom layer is the lightest in your look. That’s why a crisp white blouse always looks best under a black or navy blazer, rather than the other way round. 

Everything we design from our London studios is created to style across the whole collection and to work with every other piece. If you’re in too much of a rush to think about your outfit, we’ve done the styling work for you.

A model wearing the Anneliese Shirt by Saint and Sofia, a classic white button up shirt made from Oxford Cotton Poplin. She wears it here open at the hem with a pair of indigo wide leg jeans and red ballerina flats.
A cut out image of the Anneliese Shirt by Saint and Sofia, a classic white button up shirt made from Oxford Cotton Poplin.

Anneliese Shirt – White

The fashion pack state that a crisp white shirt is a non-negotiable wardrobe foundation, and for good reason. Our Anneliese Shirt obviously is no-brainer for smartening up workwear looks, but it adds formality to more casual denim too. It also brings unexpected edge to evening-appropriate looks and does double-duty as a beach cover up – it’s chicer than any sarong.

A model wearing the Anneliese Shirt by Saint and Sofia in blue and white stripe. She wears it unbuttoned over a white ribbed cami and over a pair of indigo denim jeans with a belt at the waist.
A cut out image of the Anneliese Shirt by Saint and Sofia in blue and white stripe. A buttoned, long-sleeved design with a collared neckline.

Anneliese Shirt – Blue Stripe

The Anneliese silhouette is an essential, so we added in a range of pinstripes to bring a pop of colour to your outfit rotation. Style the blue version for the city, tucked into the waistband of our Cambridge trousers, to create a formal look that works as hard as you do. In the spirit of styling your staples across occasions, try wearing wear it open over the Nova Racer Vest in White with our Keller Wide Leg Trousers and white trainers. The result is a polished way to do down-time dressing.

A model wearing the Tabitha Blouse in Cream Floral by Saint and Sofia. A long sleeved blouse with a buttoned up fastening, crew neckline, and buttoned cuffs. It features floral embroidery with cut out detailing.
A cut out image of the Tabitha Blouse in Cream Floral by Saint and Sofia. A long-sleeved design with a button-front fastening, crew neckline, and buttoned cuffs. It features floral embroidery and cut out detail for a semi-sheer finish.

Tabitha Blouse – Cream Floral

It’s one of our favourite styles across all the seasons, but the Tabitha blouse is particularly suited to summer days. The puff sleeves add subtle elevation and our new cream cotton fabric has a lightweight embroidered detail. Ideal for adding lightness to any tailored pieces and softening tougher denim, suede or leather separates.

A model standing in front of a white background. She wears the Tabitha Short Sleeve Blouse in Black Embroidered by Saint and Sofia and a pair of the matching shorts. This cotton style features a button-up fastening with lightly puffed sleeves, a black background, and contrasting white stitching.
A cut out image of the Tabitha Short Sleeve Blouse in Black Embroidered by Saint and Sofia. This cotton style features a button-up fastening with lightly puffed sleeves, a black background, and contrasting white stitching.

Tabitha Short Sleeve Blouse

In an organic cotton mix fabric, this design updates our must-have long-sleeve Tabitha style with short sleeves for summer and an intricate embroidered finish. Choose from either a cream or black background and team with the matching shorts for an easy co-ordinated outfit. Barrel Leg Jeans are a clever choice for cooler days.

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