Essentiel Antwerp Kacao Tied Collar Shirt in Off White

A white shirt that’s clearly had no intention of being sensible. Thank goodness.

The Essentiel Antwerp Kacao Tied Collar Shirt in Off White is an oversized women’s cotton shirt with black stripes, dropped shoulders and elongated collar points that can be worn loose or tied into a knot. Add Essentiel’s jewel buttons and suddenly the dependable white shirt has considerably more personality. It’s made from 100% organic cotton in a midweight, non-stretch fabric.

This was an easy yes for BWD. It gives you all the usefulness of a classic striped shirt but with enough going on to make jeans and trousers feel new again. Exactly what we want from a new purchase.

Why it made the cut

• Properly oversized – relaxed, roomy and very Essentiel Antwerp.
• The elongated collar points can be left loose or tied, so you’ve essentially got two shirts for the price of one. We’ll take that.
• Dropped shoulders exaggerate that easy, slouchy silhouette.
• The off-white and black stripe works brilliantly with denim, black, grey and brown.
• Jewel buttons add the slightly unexpected detail Essentiel does so well.
• 100% organic cotton makes it a natural wardrobe workhorse rather than a one-outfit wonder.

How we’d wear the Kacao Shirt

Blue denim first. Leave the collar untied, roll the sleeves, add a black belt and loafers and you’re done.

For a smarter look, tuck the front loosely into black or charcoal wide-leg trousers and tie the collar. Or wear it open over a simple black vest with relaxed trousers and trainers.

How do you style an oversized striped shirt? Keep the rest of the outfit relatively straightforward and let the proportions do the work. Slimmer denim gives you contrast; wide-leg trousers create a more directional, deliberately oversized look. A front tuck is your friend if you want a little more shape.

And don’t feel obliged to tie the collar just because you can.

Options. We like options.

Fit & actual product measurements

This is specifically designed for an oversized fit, with dropped shoulders and a generous cut. The model used by Essentiel Antwerp is 178cm/5’10” and wears size 36.

Even better, we’ve found Essentiel Antwerp’s actual garment measurements for this exact Kacao style:

Size 36 / S / UK 8

• Chest: 119cm / 47″
• Front length: 70cm / 28″

That 47-inch chest measurement tells you rather more about the fit than the size label does: this is a genuinely oversized shirt.

Essentiel Antwerp UK size conversion

A BWD note on Essentiel sizing: Essentiel Antwerp is known for its oversized silhouettes, so the number on the label doesn’t always tell the whole story. A nominal UK 4 can often work beautifully on someone who normally wears a UK 8 when the garment is deliberately oversized. The Kacao is a particularly generous style, so don’t be afraid to size down if you’d prefer less volume.

For exact size advice please give us a call on 01625 528454.

Details

• Women’s oversized striped shirt by Essentiel Antwerp
• Off-white and black
• 100% organic cotton
• Midweight, non-stretch fabric
• Oversized fit
• Dropped shoulders
• Elongated collar points that can be tied
• Jewel button fastening
• Machine washable

Care

Machine washable according to Essentiel Antwerp. We’d wash it cool with similar colours, reshape while damp and air dry rather than tumble drying to keep the cotton and oversized shape looking their best.

A white shirt should be useful. Nobody said it had to behave.