Louis Vuitton, The Row, and Balenciaga Agree—This Is a Must-Buy Spring Basic

Recently, we’ve seen the rise of oversize silhouettes everywhere. Cozy pieces like shackets, relaxed suiting, and baggy denim have been on the rise, so it’s no surprise that looser silhouettes were everywhere on the S/S 21 runways, and the oversize button-down trend was too prominent to ignore. Part of a wave of new, reinvented basics that dominated spring fashion, designers made it clear that the upsized button-down is a wardrobe essential for the season ahead.

Already a personal fan of the loose collared shirt myself, it has become one of my Zoom call essentials. After discovering a men’s button-down I had bought in a few sizes above my regular size, the top is one of the staples I’ve worn more than any others on the regular in my work from home life. With fresh outfit ideas from the runways and the fashion set, I’m excited to continue wearing it, and will be trying out new ways of styling the piece other than my standard jeans and boots outfit formula. Ahead, see some of the inspiration I’m looking to and shop the oversize button-down trend.

On the runway:

Designers made one thing loud and clear—oversize button-down tops are the spring basic everyone needs in their closets. There are so many amazing ways to style the piece. At Valentino, a bold pink top is paired with super micro shorts. At The Row, a white button-down is layered over a tee and slouchy khakis. At Louis Vuitton, an upsized top is styled underneath a sweater vest and belted trousers. Plus, many more ideas worth repeating.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Valentino)

Pictured: Valentino S/S 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of The Row)

Pictured: The Row S/S 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Schiaparelli)

Pictured: Schiaparelli S/S 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Balenciaga)

Pictured: Balenciaga S/S 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton)

Pictured: Louis Vuitton S/S 21

On the fashion set:

It comes as no surprise that the fashion set was quick to add the designer-approved basic into their everyday wardrobes. Their cool outfit ideas prove that it can be worn during any time of the year, depending on which bottoms and layers you choose to add.

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(Image credit: @deborabrosa)

Pictured: Samoe Samsoe top; Polo Ralph Lauren sweater; Khaite boots; Lanvin bag

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(Image credit: @fakerstrom)

Pictured: Lafloid bag

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(Image credit: @champagnemani)

Pictured: The Break top

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(Image credit: @jordanrisa)

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(Image credit: @discodaydream)

Pictured: Coach bag

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(Image credit: @handinfire)

Pictured: Jacquemus shirt; Bottega Veneta heels

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(Image credit: @nycbambi)

Pictured: By Aerzu top; A Personal Uniform pants; Miista boots; The Row gloves

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Pictured: Totême top; Rebecca Minkoff bag

On the market:

When shopping for oversize button-down tops, look for pieces in solid colors or subtle prints. I gravitate towards stiffer poplin materials that hold their shape and lend a cool structural element.

Next, shop 25 cool fashion finds I'm obsessing over right now.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.