Fashionable images. What is the difference between a blouse and a shirt? Blouse and shirt difference
Summer is approaching faster and faster, things are getting easier. Today we will learn about what a blouse, blouse and top are.
Each of us has definitely worn or at least seen in stores blouses. The history of the appearance of this wardrobe item is very old; the first blouses appeared already in Ancient Egypt. But they entered women's wardrobes as an element of clothing only in the 19th century. A blouse is usually called outerwear in the form of a short, fitted shirt made of thin fabric. A blouse is often confused with a shirt, but their main difference is the fabric. Blouses are made from light, weightless fabrics, but shirts are made from denser ones. A blouse always has sleeves, cuffs and a collar.
Top originally appeared as a type of blouse, but with thin straps. It was often decorated with guipure and lace, as it was the top part of the slip. The tops, which appeared in the 80s of the 20th century, have been popular for decades. Now tops are sleeveless blouses that are small in size. Moreover, unlike a blouse, they can be sewn from a variety of materials. Tops are a great alternative to blouses in a classic suit.
The term " blouson» may confuse many. In fact, it is an elongated blouse that is worn untucked. A blouse is very similar to a tunic, but it must be tied with a wide elastic band or have a drawstring at the bottom of the product. Also, blouses taper at the bottom, while tunics have a straight cut. A blouse can have sleeves and necklines of different styles. Blousons came into fashion in the 1950s and have not gone out of fashion. The fabric of the blouson may vary.
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Not all fashionistas understand the difference between a blouse and a shirt. But knowledge of fashionable features allows any woman to look beautiful and stylish in any situation. A blouse and a shirt are very similar to each other, but there are significant differences between them. Which ones exactly? Let's figure it out.
What is the difference between a blouse and a shirt? The most important difference between these two wardrobe items is the fabric. To make blouses, delicate, delicate fabrics are used, and for shirts, denser and coarser fabrics are used. The blouse fits perfectly into a romantic style; it makes the image feminine and sophisticated. A shirt is a formal item that is most often used to create business, classic looks. There are other differences between a blouse and a shirt.
Cut. The blouse is not limited to any one cut. It can be made with a collar, ruffles, frills, flounces, etc. But the shirt has a certain, formal cut. It must be equipped with fasteners, a stand-up collar, cuffs, and pockets (in most cases).
Colors. Blouses can have different colors: bright or, on the contrary, calm and discreet. Many models are decorated with prints: polka dots, stripes, flowers, geometric shapes, etc. Shirts can be decorated with a limited number of prints: stripes or checks.
Decoration. Another significant difference between a blouse and a shirt is the presence of decorative elements. Most blouses are decorated with bows, lace, ruffles, and flounces. Recently, decor in the form of embroidery and appliqué has become very popular. The shirt does not involve the use of decorative elements. Only in rare cases can it be decorated with lace or decorative buttons.
Where to wear a blouse and shirt?
To the office. If you work in a job where there is a strict dress code, then dress shirts and blouses are a must-have. Choose clothes without additional decor, in the most restrained shade. You can combine a classic shirt and blouse with jackets, classic trousers and skirts.
Vacation with friends. For going out, you can choose models with prints and decor. If you prefer a checkered or striped shirt, combine it with jeans, flared skirts, shorts, etc. The image will look stylish and relaxed. To meet friends, you can also wear a blouse with leggings or cropped trousers.
Date. A blouse and shirt are a great option for a date. Feel free to combine them with skirts or tight-fitting trousers. The look will be not only fashionable, but also feminine.
What to wear with a blouse?
Office looks:
- A bright blue blouse made of fine silk, decorated with a large bow on the collar, dark green trousers of a classic cut, high-heeled shoes. The bow looks both discreet and feminine. It is suitable for the office only if there is no strict dress code.
- Dark blue blouse with high cuffs, black pencil skirt, red thin strap, red bag, black heels.
- Black banana pants, dark green collarless blouse with teardrop neckline, black business bag, black suede high heels.
- Bright yellow fine silk blouse with high cuffs, white culottes, nude handbag with a long strap, black and white high heels. The image visually elongates the image, so it is suitable for girls who want to appear taller.
- Long sleeveless round neck blouse in light gray, string of gold beads, skinny jeans, beige high heels, beige tote.
- Black blouse with white polka dots, light blue skinny jeans, beige wedge shoes, small handbag on a long chain.
On holiday with friends:
- A light gray blouse decorated with golden stars, black tight tights, black shorts, a watch with a golden strap, black pumps, a small black handbag.
- Blue ripped jeans, lemon chiffon blouse tucked in at the back, black tote, high heels.
- White blouse with black polka dots with ¾ sleeves, red flared skirt, red high heels, red clutch.
Blouse (from the French “blouson” - jacket) – This is women's outerwear made of thin fabric in the form of a short, fitted, light jacket. Traditional blouses have sleeves, a collar and cuffs. Often fastened with buttons, but there are models in the form of tunics. Decorations in the form of frills, ruffles, and beaded appliqués are common.
History of the blouse
The progenitor of the modern blouse can be boldly count "chiton", which is a kind of shirt that was worn on a naked body. In Ancient Greece and Rome, the chiton served as outerwear. Such clothing existed in the period from the 14th to the 13th centuries BC. e.
Also, shirts, which in appearance resembled tunics, were worn by the ancient Germans and other northern peoples. In their case, they no longer served as outerwear, but as underwear and were designed to warm the body in cold weather. Such a shirt was already in use in the 3rd century BC. e.
A shirt woven from wool or linen served as home clothing for many ancient peoples. But such clothing was no longer a simple piece of cloth that was wrapped around the body. Made from two panels, the shirt covered both shoulders and was worn over the head. At first it had only side armholes; then she had short, elbow-length sleeves, which were not sewn in, but formed by folds of fabric.
Over the centuries, the shirt has been developed and modernized, and only in the 14th century it became an adornment for a person. At that time, shirts were made from the finest cambric, which means that not everyone could afford to wear such a thing. To create the effect of a blouse on the body, many resorted to a trick: they decorated the suit with lace collars and cuffs, which were supposedly part of the shirt.
Until the end of the 18th century, the blouse, as an element of a woman’s wardrobe, was practically not in demand. From time to time she appeared in one or another style of clothing, but did not stay anywhere for long.
In the 19th century, the bodice became an independent part of European women's clothing. A the final division of clothing into blouses and blouses occurs already in the mid-1840s, but only at the end of the century did this fashion spread throughout Europe, as well as in North America.
Initially, the blouse was called a “vest” with lacing, and the name “blouse” itself was fixed later.
At the end of the Biedermeier period, in the 40s of the 19th century, in Europe, women wore tightly fitted blouses, richly decorated with ruffles, frills and lace with very wide balloon sleeves.
During the late Victorian era (1837-1901), blouses were common as informal, loungewear for women.
Blouses with high stand-up collars, the front of which is trimmed with lace, flounces and other decorative elements, began to appear with the advent of the Art Nouveau era, around 1870.
In the 1900-1910s, blouses were considered an element of lingerie, because they had very complex decorations in the form of embroidery or lacing, and these elements were characteristic of underwear. Even a special style was formed - the Gibson style, blouses in this style had folds and were pleated; they quickly became very popular both for daytime receptions and as informal wear for the evening.
In the 1920s, a woman with a boyish figure was considered fashionable, so skirts were shortened and blouses lengthened, they began to be worn over skirts, they resembled modern 
e blousons.
In the 1930s, the reverse process was observed: skirts lengthened, blouses shortened and became similar to men's shirts.
ⓅThe basic wardrobe of a modern woman contains a certain set of things. These necessarily include blouses and shirts. Some representatives of the fair sex prefer one option, others use both, depending on the occasion and mood.
Blouse VS shirt: what's the difference
A blouse differs from a shirt in several ways. Chief among them is the cut. Almost all shirts are characterized by conciseness, minimalism and simplicity. They are often complemented by patch pockets, a collar and buttons. The color palette here is limited to predominantly pastel shades. Popular prints are checks and stripes.
Blouses are more democratic. They are not tied to a single style. Such products can be fitted and loose, formal and festive, with short and long sleeves. Various fabrics are used to sew them - from cotton and linen to silk, lace and chiffon.
Making looks based on blouses and shirts
Today, women prefer to create looks that differ in style for walks, everyday wear, and festive occasions. In this regard, blouses are universal. In the collections of manufacturers you can find feminine models with ruffles, transparent inserts and decorative elements for romantic dates, strict options for the office, light and cheerful ones for walking. Classic plain shirts are ideal for creating business looks. Checked and striped models can be used for everyday wear.
Strict models look great with trousers, both straight and flared. They can be combined with a pencil skirt. If necessary, such products can be complemented with a tie or scarf. Accessories in the form of beads and bracelets in such looks will be overkill. The checkered and striped options do not require any additions at all. They are completely self-sufficient.
You can combine blouses with almost any item of clothing. Strict silhouettes that have a single color and are characterized by the absence of decorative details can be worn with trousers, classic skirts and shorts. Products with a stand-up collar would be appropriate here. For less formal looks, options with frills, flounces on the sleeves, peplum, lace inserts and other elements are suitable.
Selection by body type
With the help of different models it is easier to adjust your figure. Thus, options with a peplum will help both emphasize a thin waist and hide a slightly protruding tummy. Products with a loose fit and an accent under the bust will make folds on the sides less noticeable. Options with a plunging neckline are sure to distract attention from imperfections in the lower body.
Shirts will not hide your fatness. But, using straight-cut models, you can make the image more harmonious and feminine. For these purposes, you need to use products made from light and flowing fabrics. Elongated options with a rounded bottom will help to slightly reduce the volume of the buttocks. Ordinary strict models are the prerogative of slender women who do not have any complexes about their figure.
You can purchase any model both offline and online stores. There are now many offers of women's blouses available wholesale and retail. Choose your option and look 100%.
*Comment: the editors are not responsible for the content and opinions expressed in articles with the Ⓟ sign.
If we talk about office style, then such an image is unthinkable without a blouse or a formal shirt. Depending on the style, these items can be combined with trousers, jeans, overalls or skirts. At the same time, every girl has a blouse or shirt in her wardrobe. But not everyone knows the differences between them. But these are completely different clothes, suitable for a certain image. To help you create appropriate and successful looks, we suggest you find out what is the difference between a blouse and a shirt?
Basic moments
The first thing that distinguishes a blouse from a shirt is the cut. If you look at several models, it will immediately become clear that the shirt is made in a laconic style. Especially male models. Women's products are fitted and short, in various shades. Men's shirts are often plain, with a chest pocket and a stand-up collar. They are always fastened with buttons. Blouses are not tied to a single style. There are spacious models, fitted, strict, with sleeves of different lengths.
What else is different between a blouse and a shirt?
1. Type of fabric. To make shirts, simple, natural and durable fabric is used. Most often it is cotton. Blouses are loose, spacious and light. Therefore, designers use chiffon, silk, satin or synthetic materials as materials.
2. Color scheme. Classic shirts come in standard shades. These are black, white, striped products. The print is rarely present. Checked or striped shirts are made for every day. The blouse is full of bright colors. Among them you can find scarlet, orange, yellow, emerald blouses.
3. Availability of decor. The shirt must be fastened with buttons. You will see the same type of fastening on the pocket and sleeves. Another essential element of a shirt is the cuffs. Some models focus on the collar. For example, they perform it in a different shade, which creates an interesting contrast. Blouses delight with a variety of decorative elements. These are appliques, ruffles, flounces, sewn elements, rhinestones, sequins, beads.
Once you understand the differences between a blouse and a shirt, it will be easier for you to combine things with each other. The main thing is not to go to extremes. It doesn’t mean that only a shirt is suitable for the office or under jeans, but a blouse can be worn on a date. Thanks to the bottom and accessories, you can create unexpected and striking looks.
