Blouses – a style staple!

Unlike athleisure, for example, which has only been top of the fashion charts for a few years, the blouse is a wardrobe classic. The blouse as we know it today has existed since the 14th century when buttons first became commonplace in Europe. Originally a short piece of clothing with a practical button placket, the blouse is combined with trousers, suits, two-piece suits and skirts and is an indispensable part of conservative business fashion. Often referred to as plain and boring, this style of top is experiencing a renaissance, reinventing itself in the 21st century. We love delicate silk blouses printed with mille-fleur florals or Asian-inspired florals. Playful off-shoulder blouses redefine the décolleté and classy bow-tie blouses replace the old-fashioned 'shirt blouse'. Want to get to know the blouse from a new perspective? Read our short guide, where we introduce you to the most important blouse types and answer your questions in our blouse FAQ.

Model trägt Seidenbluse und Kunstfellmantel

Here are the most fashionable blouses at a glance:

There is not merely one type of blouse... Today there are many different styles and cuts of the versatile top, which can be dressed up and down for the occasion and season. Here are our eight most popular blouse types.

Shirt blouse – The business classic

The shirt blouse for women is the feminine counterpart to the men's shirt. The top is now mostly popular in business fashion and is rarely part of a dressed-down look, although it does appear in more traditional sports such as horse riding or sailing.

Features the classic shirt blouse:

● Length to just above the hips
● Darts at the waist for tailoring
● Full button placket
● Long-sleeved with cuffs
● Business: white, blue, pink, subtle vertical stripes
● Off-duty: coloured checks or stripes, polka dots
● Collar: Classic Kent collar, rarely stand-up collar

Watch out for the button placket: women with a fuller chest should choose one size larger for the shirt blouse to avoid annoying creases and to prevent that unwanted gapping between the buttons. To get around this problem, specialty shops often offer extra shirt blouse designs with the buttons fixed more tightly to the placket.

Bow-tie blouse – The romantic one

Instead of a collar, this blouse features a long and flowing piece of fabric like a tie or scarf. Instead of a pointed, short Kent collar like the shirt blouse, two long lengths of fabric – in varying widths – hang from the sides of the collar. These can be tied as a bow or knot, but can also hang open on the chest or be used as a scarf.

Features of the bow-tie blouse:

● Long bow instead of collar
● Romantic and playful
● Extremely fashionable with culottes or midi skirt
● In business, elegant with wide-leg trousers
● Creates volume on the upper body
● Perfect look for women with a small bust

Since the bow is eye-catching in itself, the bow-tie blouse usually doesn't have a button placket, it can be a hidden placket or a slip blouse. The blouse is a more fashionable variant of the shirt blouse in business style, especially in trendy pastel tones, paired with a suit.

Wrap blouse – figure-flattering and fabulous

The wrap blouse is truly figure-flattering. Similar to a wrap dress, the gathering at the hips conjures up a gorgeous silhouette and emphasises the waist. This creates the optical hourglass effect, slimming on everybody. Wrap blouses are available in the classic, open-front style which ties closed at the hips with a bow, or in the modern slip-on design, where the wrap effect is pre-tied to always sit perfectly.

Features of the wrap blouse:

● Figure-flattering, emphasises the hips
● Ruffles and volume hide any problem zones
● Perfect as business look with slim-fit trousers
● Great off-duty with casual jeans
● THE blouse trend 2020/21

The wrap blouse is experiencing a true revival. Decorative ribbons, cross-cut button strips or voluminous gathered fabrics create a bold look in combination with modern striped fabrics and balloon sleeves. The wrap blouse always looks very feminine and fashionable, even when it's emulating sporty style. It's the focal point of the outfit, so there's no need to over-complicate with accessories. Just keep it simple.

Off-shoulder blouse – Hola, Señorita!

The off-shoulder blouse, sometimes called the Carmen blouse, has its fashionable origins in southern Spain, in traditional Andalusian clothing. In the mid-1970s, designers brought the Spanish blouse to the international catwalks, and since then it has been an indespensible part of the fashionistas wardrobe.

Features of the off-shoulder blouse:

● Romantic and playful
● Off-shoulder cut
● Falls loosely over the hips
● Often with delicate embroidery or broderie in the chest area
● Casual blouse, not a business piece
● Women with a larger bust can try the cold-shoulder variant

Combined with a wide belt, maxi skirt and espadrilles, the off-shoulder blouse is the perfect summer look for romantic ladies (with exposed shoulders – it's not a business staple). Ladies with larger busts who don't want to wear a strapless bra can try the cold-shoulder blouse instead, for a bit extra coverage and support with a normal bra, but still a cute open-shoulder look. Our top tip to stop the blouse from slipping: Simply attach a hair elastic to each of the sleeves with two safety pins and slip your arms into the "hole" created. Now the hair tie always sits under the armpits and no matter how far you raise your arms, the off-shoulder design never slips over your shoulders again. Give it a try!

Ruffled blouse – the exuberant one

Artfully draped fabrics with different textures make the ruffled blouse a firm favourite. The ruffled blouse is a generic term for any blouse featuring pleats, frills and ruffles. This top is certainly not one for minimalists with its extremely opulent and over-the-top look. The key to success is pairing it right.

Features of the ruffled blouse:

● Opulent & voluminous
● Ruffles, frills, pleats and piping
● Frills on the collar, shoulder, sleeves or asymmetrically
● Perfect for pairing with understated pieces
● Elegant look for cocktails, creates a 'modern-dandy' look

As a rule of thumb, the larger and more voluminous, the more noticeable. Women with a larger bust should therefore avoid front frills altogether and go for designs with asymmetric ruffles, perhaps on the shoulder area. Ruffled blouses work best with simple items like wide-leg trousers in muted neutrals or a chic pencil skirt. The ruffled blouse looks particularly modern and a tad masculine with straight-cut tuxedo trousers, casual loafers or moccasins and a sleek hairstyle. It's pure old-fashioned dandy – reworked!

Long blouse – the layering queen

The long blouse reaches at least to mid-thigh and is almost a short dress or tunic. The long blouse has a variety of different styles, from a long version of the shirt blouse with a continuous buttoned placket and Kent collar, to a geometric-print slip-on style or floral patterns.

Features of the long blouse:

● Length from mid-hip to mid-thigh
● Light and airy to wear
● Uncomplicated for business trips worn over trousers
● Perfect for layering

The long blouse is ideal for weekend-wear and office life. This type of blouse is particularly popular on long working days or on a business trip, because compared to the short blouse, which usually needs to be tucked into the skirt or trousers, the long blouse is always worn untucked for maximum comfort. The wide-cut long blouses are best combined with narrow ankle-grazers or comfortable leggings. In winter, layer your long blouse with a scarf, cardigan and waistcoat.

Blouse top – the blouse hybrid

The blouse top, often also referred to as a slip blouse, is a simple affair with no buttons or wrapping. It is a one-piece top that you slip-on. It's a modern, business-fashion staple, especially made from silk or satin and paired with a blazer and skirt.

Features of the blouse top:

● No button placket, slip-on
● No sleeves
● Many styles: casual, elegant, trendy
● More elevated that a regular top, more modern than shirt blouses
● Perfect for a suit

The blouse top is a versatile pieces with many different styles. The casual cotton version, combined with denim shorts, makes the perfect festival outfit, while cleverly gathered or bejewelled blouse tops pair perfectly with a pencil skirt for cocktails at happy hour. The slip blouse is the perfect alternative to the classic blouse – never overdressed, but still sophisticated.

Blouse body – the practical companion

The blouse body, often also referred to as a body blouse, is the practical sister of the shirt blouse. The blouse body stops fabric from sliding out of low-waisted bottoms – so there's no fiddly re-tucking between meetings.

Features of the blouse body:

● Buttoned at the crotch
● Prevents annoying slipping
● Perfect with low-rise skirts and trousers
● Better silhouette thanks to better fit

The body blouse covers all the bases, from shirt blouse to wrap look and even off-shoulder. What they all have in common is the elongated piece of fabric in the crotch, like a swimsuit but with a popper closure. Note: Even if the blouse body is buttoned like a lingerie body, you should always wear underwear underneath for hygienic reasons.

Quick blouse FAQ

Up to date on blouse trends? Browse the questions we keep getting asked about blouses and styling.

1. Why do you button blouses differently to shirts?

Perhaps you noticed? Men's shirts have the button placket on the right side while the button holes are on the left, while women's blouses have the opposite arrangement. But why?
What is certain is that the buttoning on the right for men's shirts has its origin in warfare. In the past, when men carried swords, rapiers or daggers with them and everyday life was a lot rougher than it is today, drawing a weapon was a matter of life and death. The weapon was normally attached to the left (for right-handed people). Since you wanted to avoid getting your sword of choice stuck on the button placket, thus losing valuable seconds in a fight, the buttons were placed on the right.
So, why the left buttoning for women? There still isn't been a definitive answer. We know of two possible options. Perhaps it's because women have always traditionally been responsible for the house and hearth. Right-handed women carried their child in their right arm, leaving only their left hand free to open their robes for breastfeeding. This is easier to do with the button placket on the left than with the buttons on the right. Another theory says that the left button was purely a status symbol for high-society women. Those who could afford a maid to dress them did not have to button their clothes themselves. The maids, in turn, found it easier to button the women with their right, that is, on the left from the point of view of their ladies.

2. How can you keep blouses wrinkle-free?

Wrinkle-free blouses, especially on a business trip, can seem like a pipe dream. Often, you end up standing in the hotel room shortly before your appointment ironing your shirt blouses with the travel iron or steam iron. We have three simple tips to easily combat or avoid wrinkles in your blouses:

► Pack properly: Take a hard case for your trip and pack the crease-prone blouses as the last item, right on top of the case. You can also place light tissue paper around the blouse to prevent most of the wrinkles.

► Shower with your blouse: Use the steam during a hot shower to un-crease your blouse. Simply hang the blouse on a hanger in the bathroom and take a long shower. Just 10 minutes and the blouse is as smooth as it was before packing.

► Straighteners for ruffles and frills: Packed a blouse with elaborate frills or ruffles? With your straightening iron, you can quickly bring them back to their usual voluminous state. Your hair tool also works very well with collars or trumpet sleeves. Careful: Check first whether there is any hair-product residue on the straightening iron and carefully remove it to avoid stains.

3. How can you keep your blouse tucked into your trousers or skirt ?

We've already introduced you to one of the best methods of keeping blouses tucked into your trousers or skirt: the blouse body. However, many women don't like the buttoning of the body. If that's you, why not try these alternatives?

► An effective method is to sew a silicone tape into the hem of your pants or skirt. You can get the tape cheaply in any haberdashery store, the sticky silicone ensures that the blouse “grips” to the material.

► Another possibility is to sew two long ribbons on the two inner sides of the blouse. Then, simply pull your slip over the long straps, fixing it in place.

► Similarly, you can also attach two safety pins to the lower edge of the blouse and also to your underwear. Unfortunately, this makes going to the toilet a lot more effort.

Careful: We don't recommend tucking a blouse into your tights, as this can often cause your tights to peek out of the top of your trousers or skirt, which doesn't look very professional.

Modern, edgy, perfectly shaped - blouses at Ana Alcazar.

Enough theory, now let's put it into practice! Explore our wide selection of unique blouse cuts to take your business wardrobe to the next level. From elegant silk blouses with a subtle print, extravagant blouse bodies and bow-tie designs or classy off-shoulder styles with the right pinch of je ne sais quoi, the latest collection by Ana Alcazar is packed with great tops, designed in Germany, made in Europe. If you have any questions about our blouse selection or if you are not sure about the fit or order process, we're always here to help you.

Ana Alcazar

Designed in Munich ❤ Made in Europe

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