White T-Shirts Are The New Going Out Tops

In the age of micro trends and going out tops, there are moments when the humble white t-shirt may begin to feel like a relic of the past. But here’s the thing about a wardrobe staple: sometimes they just need to be seen through a different lens to seem shiny again. Personally, a drawer full of blanks is all I really need in life, and a good white t-shirt can be the sexiest thing a person can wear (the same rule applies for the perfect pair of jeans). But for those who aren’t interested in relegating their basic tees to their most casual days, the past few seasons on the runway have made a case for a refreshed way to style our favorite staple: with eveningwear.

Emerging first at the Spring/Summer 2026 debuts of both Matthieu Blazy at Chanel and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga respectively, both designers styled their own version of a blank with a ballgown skirt. At Chanel, a silk white t-shirt acted as the clothing look alongside a multicoloured textured skirt, while at Balenciaga, Piccioli offered a cropped, leather version paired with a satin emerald skirt.

Over in New York, Khaite’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection featured a backwards style gathered white tee, paired with a sleek black pencil skirt with oversized pockets, while at Marc Jacobs, his version of a white t-shirt was interpreted in neoprene, with raised shoulders and a cream pencil skirt featuring pale pink floral embroidery. The verdict, is that if you happen to own a dressed-up skirt, pare it back with a slightly off beat white t-shirt for the perfect understated look.

For those who are not into skirts, the sentiment of eveningwear still holds up. At Chanel’s Metiers d’Art 2026 show in New York late last year, Blazy once again reinterpreted the classic with a pair of light wash blue jeans and an intricately embellished sequin vest. Over at Demna’s Gucci Fall/Winter 2026 show in Milan earlier this year, the designer offered a few different takes on the white tee. There was a skin-tight baby tee worn with black leggings, a nylon v neck, and a viscosy lounge set, with a white t-shirt that was only half on, the rest was hiked up on the models shoulder to create a dramatic drape across the body. White t-shirt many ways!