The Madison Shirt

The perfect button down shirt is a wardrobe must-have and a shopping damn-near-impossible-to-find.

The trick is finding something that provides shape, fit and structure without gaping at the boobs.  Most button down shirts, in my experience, either gape at the boobs or hang straight down from your arm pits.

The Madison Shirt from New York & Company does neither.  It is, in my opinion, the perfect button down shirt – which is why I was completely justified in buying it in multiple neutral colors when I discovered it at the outlet mall last weekend.

Here’s what I’m looking for (and what I love about The Madison Shirt):

A side seam – if a button-down shirt doesn’t have a side seam, you’re not going to have any kind of “fit”.  In other words, you have no chance of appearing to have a waist.

A waist - that being said, a side seam doesn’t guarantee that the shirt is cut to go in at the waist.  Try the shirt on (or unfold it, lay it flat, and look at the actual shape of the shirt).  This slim cut also means the shirt can easily be tucked in to a skirt and won’t look bulky.

Structure in the front and shoulders - see those lines right below the model’s boobs?  These help make you look leaner and less blob-like.  Blob-like, to be clear, is not a good look on anyone.  I also think a buttoned down shirt should have some tailoring in the shoulders, but I think that’s because I have wide hips and a structure shoulder kind of helps balance me out.  If you have that same problem, I’d advise you to look for the same.

Crisp, quality fabric – it shouldn’t be see-through.  It shouldn’t wrinkle easily.  The Madison shirt is actually 60% cotton, 35% polyester and 5% spandex, which I’m sure some cotton purists would sneer at, but it’s comfortable and easy to care for, which is nice for those of us who live in the real world.

So, yeah.  The Madison shirt is my current favorite (and what I’m wearing today, actually, untucked with a black skinny belt over top of it).  You can get it at any New York & Company, and a few shades are on sale right now on their website.

Posted by missbritt for Buy-Her.com.

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