Over the past few years, many of us have had to learn how to adjust our schedules to work from home or attend virtual meetings. This often means combining laidback clothing pieces with items you’d normally wear to the office. If you’re looking to use some of your casual pieces in your work wardrobe, you can start with your graphic t-shirts. There are plenty of ways to style and wear graphic tees that display your favorite band, vintage TV show, or cartoon character. You can also use your graphic tee to bring more awareness to a social or political cause that you want to spread the word about.
Here are some tips for wearing your favorite graphic t-shirt while getting ready for a gathering with loved ones or a professional meeting.
1. Style with a Blazer
One of the best ways to wear your activist t-shirts and other graphic tees is underneath a blazer. You can bring attention to a cause you believe in while still adhering to your office’s business casual dress code. The more fitted your t-shirt is, the more oversized your blazer can be. This trick adds more contrast to your outfit and makes it easier for you to maintain a modest yet trendy look that is work-appropriate. It’s also a good idea to contrast colors by pairing a brightly colored shirt with a neutral-hued blazer, or vice versa. You can finish off the outfit with your favorite pair of chinos or dress pants, or wear dark-wash tailored jeans for stunning business casual style.
2. “Cropped” with Straight-Legged Denim
You can make your graphic tee look like a crop top by folding it under and tucking it into your sports bra or undershirt. You can wear the newly cropped t-shirt with your favorite straight-legged high-waisted jeans to give you an elongated silhouette and bring more attention to your torso and hips. Layers of demure metallic jewelry add just the right amount of texture to this outfit. You can wear this look during the warmer months of the year. To dress the look up slightly, pair the graphic tee and denim with your favorite pair of patent leather pumps.
3. Tucked In with Wide-Legged Denim
To make your overall look a little more sophisticated, tuck your graphic t-shirt into your trousers. You can even tuck the front section of your shirt into your pants for a slightly edgier look. Add accessories to bring out the designs in your graphic t-shirts, such as a large shoulder bag in a neutral color and mules or loafers in leather or animal print. This outfit can be worn in warm or cool weather and shows a beautiful mixture of refined and casual pieces for a style that will truly show off your personality.
4. With Distressed Shorts
If you’re heading to the beach with friends, need to make a grocery store run, or you’re rushing to get to log into class or a meeting on time, you can pair your graphic t-shirt with a pair of distressed shorts. Keep in mind that the shorts can be thigh or knee-length and shouldn’t have too many rips or holes in them. Light-wash denim or distressed khaki will give you the vintage style you’re going for, and you can wear your favorite sneakers or sandals to finish off this casual look.
5. As part of a Power Suit
If you have a suit in your closet that makes you feel especially polished and powerful, you can add the graphic t-shirt to the outfit for a slightly quirky, carefree style. Displaying logos for your company or a cause you believe in can serve as the main feature of your outfit, and a tailored suit in your favorite color allows you to show off more of your style. You can pair your power suit with anything from heels that make you feel like you can conquer anything to tennis shoes that make it easy to run errands throughout the day.
You can try one or more of these stylish ideas the next time you want to wear your favorite graphic t-shirt in a new way. These fashionable variations may even inspire you to purchase a few more graphic tees to add to your wardrobe.
