Guide

How to rock the exposed-navel look this autumn

18.9.2023

Translation: Katherine Martin

To style a blouse more casually, we usually do up the bottom buttons and leave it unbottoned at the top. Here’s why you should try it the other way around.

Last week was New York Fashion Week. Looking at the show-goers, one of the dominant looks was a particular way of wearing a blouse: done up at the top, unbuttoned at the bottom and draped loosely over the body. Worn this way, the undone buttons form a triangular shape that exposes the navel.

The half-buttoned shirt looks refreshingly informal and makes the fabric flow particularly dynamically. It adapts to your movements, flaps in the breeze and shows off the remnants of your summer suntan. As a result, it playfully switches between revealing and covering your navel.

Stiff denim shirts are hard to tuck into trousers – they look their best when worn half-buttoned over jeans.
Source: Spotlight

You can either keep the collar loose or button it up like this.
Source: Spotlight,

Shirt dresses look very stylish when worn half-buttoned over trousers. — You can either keep the collar loose or button it up like this.
Source: Spotlight,

Depending on what you prefer, you can either leave the shirt collar open (adding to the casual charm) or button it up to the top (creating an interesting mix of styles). However, to make the effect noticeable, don’t do up any more than three buttons.

A flattering silhouette

This style makes oversized blouses in particular look more flattering. The triangle-shaped opening exposes the stomach and hips, creating a more figure-hugging silhouette. It’s also a great way of wearing longer shirts that can’t be neatly tucked into your trousers.

This way of wearing shirts is also great for layering.
Source: Spotlight,

A lively mix of styles: a tie with a half-buttoned shirt. — This way of wearing shirts is also great for layering.
Source: Spotlight,

If you like wearing crop tops, leaving your shirt unbuttoned at the bottom is a great way to carry the exposed-navel look into autumn. If, however, you prefer covering up, you could also wear a vest or printed mesh top underneath to create an interesting layered look.

Whether you’re bearing all or layering up, leaving your blouse half-buttoned is an on-trend styling technique that’ll make your look dynamic and exciting. Not only that, but it brings a breath of fresh air to your wardrobe – especially now we’re in that in-between season, when we’re more likely to wear shirts.

Header image: Spotlight

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