“I know that spring is some way off, but a few bright, crisp mornings have given me the taste for it”, Acting Fashion Editor of The Times, Charlie Gowans-Eglinton says.
Keen to emerge from the gloomy clouds of a January in lockdown, many of us are also pining for brighter days and the chance to shake off our woolen cocoons. As she quite rightly points out however, the bevy of bralets and corsets to have come forth from the Spring/Summer 2021 catwalk, don’t quite bear the practicalities of our inevitably prolonged lockdown in mind.

The solution to our wardrobe woes? The boyfriend shirt. More specifically Gowans-Eglinton instructs, “the street-stylers’ preference is for blue” and – this is important, “the only must is the fit: if it does, then you’re doing it wrong. Size up”. With this in mind, she spotlights our Chambray Side Panel Shirt in her pick of boyfriend shirts.

 
“White shirts outsell blue at ME+EM, but the new blue collared shirt may change that – it doesn’t have front pockets, which can look fussy on bigger busts, and cuts up at the side to elongate legs”, says Gowans-Eglinton.
Our signature side slit also allows one to comfortably demi-tuck. The fashion set tend to “tuck their oversized shirts into tailored trousers or wear them loose over blue jeans”, she explains.

“And if you’re not ready to give up the knitwear entirely, these shirts look great layered underneath knitted tank tops too”, informs Gowans-Eglinton. 

“Yes, it will need pressing”, but on a positive note, this is certainly one way to feel sharper during lockdown.