Let a classic white shirt lift your mood

Desperately seeking enthusiasm? You’re not alone. As a January that wholly deserves an accolade for being the most depressing on record nears its end, even the most zealous among us are struggling for energy. It seems month number 9077 of endless lockdown is a truly tiresome beast. Thankfully, relief is available in the form of a mood-enhancing white shirt which might be just the thing to lift your spirits.

Admittedly, this quick-fix solution is without the capacity to home school your kids or deal with the anxiety generated by ten months of virtual disagreements with your boss, but the perfect white shirt could still be just the thing to bring some good vibrations. Think of one as wearable Vitamin D – or a double espresso, if coffee is your survival essential – and you’ll quickly get the idea. 

If you’ve ever reached for a white shirt in order to lift a tired complexion or to inject an outfit with a much needed jolt of professionalism, you’ve already got a firm understanding of the joy of this wardrobe essential. 

What you may not have considered is its relevance to your stay-at-home look. Yes, while track pants and Lycra remain ever-relevant, the athleisure-fatigued among us are looking for ways to polish up our acts. A crisp cotton shirt which projects fresh, spring vibes is a sure-fire way to add a much-needed boost to tired skin. And the best thing is it’s versatile too. 

For that important company Zoom call you’ve been dreading, an oversized shirt in dazzling white could provide the extra hit of confidence you need – try teaming it with a pair of hoop earrings or a statement necklace. As a lockdown essential, the white shirt also looks ideal layered over cashmere. Feeling the need to jazz up your track pants? Tuck in an Oxford shirt and wear with the sleeves rolled up. There’s also a case for pairing a smock-style shirt with a basic pair of black leggings for a look loaded with Nineties nostalgia (what could be more reinvigorating?).  

To find a shirt that is as easy to wear as it is on the eye, you’ll need to pay close attention to fabric: cotton or poplin are the most comfortable options. It’s also a good idea to avoid anything too fitted – or indeed structured. Create a mental mood board loaded with pictures of French film stars (see Brigitte Bardot for starters). 

The obvious drawback to all of this is that most white shirts will need to spend some quality time with an iron in order to reach their full potential. But just imagine, after a year of pyjamas, how good it will feel to shift your look up a gear. It’s the little things…