How to Style a Silk Blouse in Thailand

In today’s article, we are going to focus on one often overlooked staple of many women’s wardrobe: the blouse. We shall discuss what a blouse is, how to choose the best type of silk blouse in Thailand and to style it properly.

First and foremost, let’s clear up any confusion and detail exactly what a blouse is. A blouse is a loose-fitting upper-body garment (like a shirt, but more on that later) that was traditionally worn by peasants, artists, workers, and young children. It is typically not form-fitting but instead gathered at the waist/hips so that it hangs loosely over the upper body. Nowadays, the word blouse is commonly used to refer to a woman’s dress shirt.

 Blouse Vs. Shirts in Thailand

In this section, we want to explain precisely what the difference between a blouse and a shirt is, as this is one common area of fashion confusion.

Blouses:

The three most important differences between a blouse and a shirt are as follows: 1] it doesn’t button down at the front, 2] it doesn’t have a collar 3] and is made of softer, more draped fabrics. Blouses are hugely versatile – sleeves and hems can be any length, fits can be fluid or oversized, materials can be anything (silk, cotton, satin, velvet, linen, chiffon, etc.). As an added bonus, as blouses are made from a more forgiving range of fabrics, they more easily fit on a broader range of body types.

Although women of any shape or size can wear blouses, they often look best on those females who can fill them out in the bust and across the shoulders. The good news for curvy women is that blouses are great for hiding an unsightly muffin top and give a more feminine silhouette than a shirt (which can often look masculine).

Shirts:

A classic shirt is easy to picture: a unisex button-down or button-through upper-body garment with a collar. Often, formal dress shirts are crisp, stiff and masculine-looking. Nowadays, more and more brands are coming out with shirts made of cotton, silk and plaid, for a casual look and feel. From there, the variations are endless… sleeves and hems can be any length; fits can be tailored, fluid or oversized; and details like flounces, frills and ruffles abound.

Unfortunately for curvaceous women, shirts are easier to fit on a straighter body type, one with a long neck, small bust and regular shoulder width. A curvy body type will only look flattering in a more fluid or oversized shirt, akin to a tunic. Gaping at the bust and straining at the shoulders is a common challenge with shirts. That is one reason why shirts are so often tailored so that wearers can get a bespoke fit.

Styling Tips

A blouse is one of the most sought-after and useful basics of any wardrobe. Whether you wear it with a skirt, shorts or pants, a blouse is a versatile item for women of any age or body shape.

Every year, a great many blouse styles will be trending, particularly in the summertime. You can either wear the latest look in an ‘on-trend’ ensemble or go for something more classical; either way, you’ll always look put-together and chic.

If you’re not sure how to go about selecting or styling a blouse, check out the following styling tips:

• White blouse with white shorts
• Lace blouse with denim trousers
• Sleeveless blouse with capri pants
• Peplum blouse with denim
• Black and white striped shirt with flared trousers
• Embroidered blouse with denim skirt
• Tie-front blouse with shorts
• Sweetheart neckline blouse with diamante detailing
• Off-the-shoulder blouse with skinny jeans
• Floral blouse with a pencil skirt
• Sassy sheer blouse with fitted black pants
• Bold coloured blouse with cut-off jeans
• Oversized ruffled blouse with slim pants
• Button-down blouse with cigarette pants
• Strappy shoulders blouse and mini shorts
• Denim frilled blouse with comfy pants
• Peter Pan blouse with denim shorts
• Wrap blouse with destroyed denim
• White sleeveless blouse with a maxi skirt
• Bell-sleeved blouse with cropped jeans