Palmer//Harding | White collared shirts

Although a gal can never have enough rainbow dresses or crocheted sandals, it doesn't hurt to go back to the basics once in a while. No matter how strange or trendy your wardrobe is, it should be build on classic and timeless pieces such as white collared shirts and the perfect little black dresses. They are investment pieces! Unlike those giant Peter Pan-collared dresses in neon colours that you just bought! I take back the thought that little black dresses are too classy. As much as we all wish, wearing Levi's cutoffs and eyelet boots forever is not an option. Besides, wearing leopards and harem pants to a job/school interview could be highly risky unless you're the holy moly Man Repeller.

The duo behind Palmer//Harding also agree. Designers Matthew Harding and Levi Palmer are dedicated to recreate this long-neglected white collared shirt instead of designing the typical post-college garb such as party dresses and all. "There seems to be a gap in London to really focus on the garments and the wearer rather than to focus on a show," said the designers in an interview for Dazed Digital. Just because it's a classic piece doesn't mean it can't be innovative either. The designers look to couturiers from the thirties and on for inspiration, because haute couture and collared shirts are very related to each other. I mean, look at the pleating of those shirts! Don't they remind you, just a bit, of the Dior dresses from the early 20th Century?

Humorously, the shirt on the left reminds me a lot of this Gap blouse I had as a kiddo and probably still do. The sleeve length is not too long, too short or too awkward-length. For the collared shirt on the right, however, the attention is directed to the back.  The mesh-overlay material manages to hang perfectly on the body without looking clingy or uncomfortable. 

Look at this shirt on the right, then look at any of the collared shirts you owned. Look back at the shirt on the right again. What is this, you might think. This is a shirt, darling, with cutouts and a collar. Very avant-garde if you ask me.

Oh lookie, it's the mesh-overlay thingymajigy again! *waits for you to compliment me on my vast amount of vocabulary* Anyway, this shirt is just like the shirt in the first photograph, except it's at a shorter length and different sleeves. The amount of differences lengths can make! Amen to good tailoring and innovative materials!

Still the same shirt silly, just a different silhouette! This shirt in particular feels very Virgin Suicides, but I figure out a way to relate everything to Virgin Suicides so just ignore me!

"A white shirt doesn't have to be this very basic thing. It can be the star." — Levi Parmer

Check out the spring/summer 2012 collection of Palmer//Harding  here →