Laws of Couture: How to Wear Your Graphic Tee

Thursday, June 6

How to Wear Your Graphic Tee

The forecast for Summer is graphic tees worn all over the world. Worn in and witty, the graphic tee has tons of character. In the past, graphic tees basically epitomized casual style–throw a relaxed band tee over a pair of jeans, add flip flops, and you were good to go. The reincarnation of this style, however, is one that is a bit more elevated and fashion-forward. Gone are gigantic logos and A&F-style “humor tees” and in their place are shirts with more abstract designs, animals, photographs, and minimalistic typography. Also hot: designer offerings from 3.1 Phillip Lim, YSL, and Céline. And of course, it’s always a fashion-do to rep your hood–locally or nationally speaking. Since the fit of the graphic tee hasn’t been updated, this crop of graphic tees still tends to lean casual. How did designers challenge this on the runway? By pairing printed t-shirts with formal wear of course!

Mixing and matching graphic tees with fitted blazers, feminine maxi-skirts, cigarette pants, high-end accessories, and a fabulous pair of shoes is really all it takes to transform this casual staple into a less casual option. If you’re looking to add some new t-shirts to your wardrobe, check out Wildfox Couture, Express, and Bloomingdales. Each of these brands makes great graphic tees, tanks, and sweatshirts...basically anything you can print on. Although some of them can be a bit pricey, they're light and feminine while maintaining just the right amount of sass.

The relaxed fit on this tee balances out the super short hemline on the skirt and the lady like shoes temper the fierce print. The resulting look is mixed up, but in the best possible way.

The new way to wear graphic tees is "dressed up dressed down." Teaming your tee with tailored pieces and unexpected accessories yield an effortlessly stylish and edgy vibe.