The Best White Button-downs Our Fashion Editors Swear By

There is something about this shirt that just makes me feel incredibly cool. For a super-oversize button-up with drop shoulders, it’s surprisingly flattering because the luxurious, 100-percent-modal fabric moves with the body instead of looking stiff and shapeless. The monogram detailing on the front pocket makes this a standout piece.

My beloved COS button-down was a thrift find from years ago, so it’s no longer available. As a loyal COS customer, though, I can definitely vouch for the quality and comfort of the brand’s designs. If you prefer tailored button-downs and think oversize ones tend to look sloppy, this shirt might change your mind. It’s fitted throughout but has wide-cut batwing sleeves, so it’s the best of both worlds.

Behold, the ultimate boxy button-down. This one from Matilda Djerf’s line is great for tall girls who like a little crop or short girls who don’t want to feel like they’re being swallowed by a long shirt. I love layering it under sweaters or rolling up the sleeves if I’m going for a casual look. Size up if you prefer an oversize fit.

Ayr has so many well-made and reasonably priced basics, including this button-down that’s available in white, denim, and oxford blue. It has over 800 five-star reviews from customers who love the quality fabric and effortlessly cool shape. One person even described it as a better-fitting version of the dress shirt you want to steal from your husband. Another plus? It requires little to no ironing.

This classic oxford is a favorite of the Cut’s fashion-market editor, Cortne Bonilla, who actually prefers menswear options when it comes to white button-downs and basic T-shirts. “Men’s shirts are crafted with a roomier, boxier fit, and this one tucks so easily into skirts and trousers,” she says.

“Naomi Nomi’s bread and butter is an oxford, and she creates them to fit perfectly: structured but still easy to wear, as a white button-down should be,” the Cut’s editorial assistant, Brooke LaMantia, says of this durable, weighted shirt. It’s crafted from supersoft 100 percent cotton and locally sourced mother-of-pearl buttons.

Bonilla also recommends this shirt from COS, which features a tailored hem, long cuff sleeves, and a buttoned-down collar that evokes a true menswear look. “There’s just something about this shirt — it fits me better than any womenswear brand I’ve tried as of late, and the cotton is just buttery soft,” she says.

The Cut’s shopping writer, Chinea Rodriguez, suggests Modern Citizen for white button-downs that are “not superthick but still nice and crisp.” This oversize option has a slit in the back that makes it feel a bit more unique (that design detail will also help with airflow during the hot summer months).

Rodriguez also loves layering this 100-percent-cotton button-down over tank tops. “It has superthick material and a boxy, oversize fit,” she says.

If you already own a basic white button-down (and you’re starting to get bored of it), try Reformation’s fitted take on the closet staple. Designed in collaboration with permanent “It” girl Camille Rowe, this shirt features thoughtfully placed seams that will create the illusion of an hourglass shape. It’s perfect for your next night out.

Everlane is my go-to for closet staples, and this oxford shirt is excellent. Not only does it have a nice drape and a classic, slouchy fit, but it’s also made of high-quality mid-weight fabric that will last you forever.

This crisp button-down touts a “not too slim, not too relaxed, just right” fit, which makes it so versatile and easy to style. You can monogram this shirt for an additional $10, plus it’s available in a range of sizes: zero to 24 and classic, petite, or tall.