Summer Tunics and When to Tuck In Your Shirt: A Primer

Okay, y'all.  I have a shirt for you.  THE SUMMER TUNIC.  It is a gift.  I received two long tunic cotton shirts in white and chambray for Mother's Day from J. Crew (because fancy) and they are terrific.  I couldn't find the exact match, but this is close:

White Endless Shirt (I know the picture is tee-tiny, but I could only get a thumbnail)



Old Navy Linen Tunic
(If I was buying this with my own money, this is the route I'd go-- only $24!)


If I may extol the virtues of this tunic:

1. You can wear it with the sleeves down or rolled up the three-quarter as they are something called "pique" sleeves, with that little piece of fabric sewn on the inside to secure the rolled-up cuff.

2.  You can wear this with some capris or capri leggings even.

3.  No mid-section/ bottom half drama.  This is the winner here.  If you don't have those problems, you could tuck in or even do the side knot.  Perhaps your milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.

4. It breathes!  I worn the chambray shirt yesterday with white capris and didn't need a full-length camisole, so even though it is a longer shirt, I was very comfortable in the 84 degree weather.

5. This would seamlessly transition to Fall with jeans.

I mentioned in the blog title that sometimes you need to tuck in your shirt.  This is not something I have done in good conscience since entering motherhood. However, if you like to wear jersey skirts and not necessarily discuss your long-range family planning, here's my trial-and-error tutorial.

1. Spanx.

2. Tuck in shirt.

3.  Lightweight shrug if needed to peel on and off when in public (on) and private (off).

4. Stand up straight, do the "arm pop and shift weight" trick, and bam!  You have a waist again.

Here's photographic evidence of how I wore the same outfit after my trial-and-error lesson.

Now, go friends, and do likewise.