’80s Style: Ways to Wear an Edwardian Style Blouse

by Sammy in 3 Comments — Updated November 22, 2019

vintage secretary blouse main

To help show you how to wear vintage fashion, I invited Anne of The Satirical Stylist to share four unique ways she’d wear her favorite piece of vintage clothing: An Edwardian style white button-down blouse, a 1980s fashion staple from her favorite style era!

Anne’s guest post is the first of many style contributors I’ll be curating for the site moving forward. My hopes are for vintage lovers old and new to share how they wear vintage clothing in a modern way here so that we’re inspired to feel more comfortable integrating vintage fashion into our contemporary wardrobes.

Keep reading after the jump to see how Anne styled her ’80s Edwardian style blouse in four unique ways! Thank you so much to Anne of The Satirical Stylist for sharing her vintage style a la her favorite ’80s Edwardian blouse!

Check out her blog for more style photos, fashion blogger interviews and even a shopping haul or two! Please say hi to her on Facebook & Twitter, too.

Which of Anne’s looks are your favorite? Let us know by leaving a comment below the post! 

xx, SD

EDWARDIAN BLOUSE WITH SKINNY JEANS

vintage secretary blouse 1

vintage secretary blouse 1

vintage secretary blouse 1

vintage secretary blouse 1

Outfit: Skinny Jeans – Cheap Monday / Cardigan – Acne B / Boots – Clarks

THE SATIRICAL STYLIST Says: This white blouse is one of my favorite vintage tops. It’s from the 1980s, which is my favorite fashion era.

I bought this gorge number from Beacon’s Closet in Brooklyn, NYC a few of years ago. It’s served as the perfect go-to for an instant injection of glamour. The top’s high-collar makes it quite Edwardian chic!

My first look wearing the top is a shirt and jeans combo that’s super simple and easy to replicate. It’s a day look that can be worn anywhere, from the office to shopping or like I was for my shoot, outdoors for a winter’s walk.

To repeat this look throughout your wardrobe, swap the jeans for leggings. Or, try high-waisted jeans and tuck the shirt in to create a new silhouette.

SAMMY DAVIS Says: I’m loving the chic crispness of Anne’s vintage blouse! You have to respect a girl who can pull off jeans and a frilly top like this. It suits Anne’s aesthetic perfectly.

I don’t personally own an Edwardian style blouse, so I checked out Etsy and found some great examples here. I think this is my favorite Edwardian blouse from the list, especially because the seller calls it a “poet’s” blouse!

EDWARDIAN BLOUSE WITH ROMPER

vintage secretary blouse 2

vintage secretary blouse 2

vintage secretary blouse 2

vintage secretary blouse 2

Outfit: Romper – Topshop / Tights – Topshop / Boots – Clarks

THE SATIRICAL STYLIST Says: This eclectic look was created by layering my blouse below a romper and adding a splash of color a la orange tights!

I layered this shirt with a romper to acquire a brand new shape whilst accentuating the gorgeous structure of its shoulders and neckline. It’s a romantic and playful ensemble stylish enough for a fall music festival while also comfortable for strolling the city streets.

A vintage blouse like this has great layering potential. Wear it under a sleeveless dress, top or gilet. Just make sure whatever you layer with a piece that’s sleeveless and without a high neckline, so you won’t cover the top’s detail.

SAMMY DAVIS Says: Anne is clearly a girl after my own stylish heart with this romper and orange tights!!

My eyes gravitated immediately to the orange because they’re so playful. Still, they’re not so bright that you’d attract everyone’s eyeballs on the street (which I’ve been known to do with a look or two!)

This is such a great example of wearing vintage in unexpected, eye-catching outfits.

EDWARDIAN BLOUSE WITH LEOPARD PRINT

vintage secretary blouse 3

vintage secretary blouse 3

vintage secretary blouse 3

vintage secretary blouse 3

Outfit: Skirt – Urban Outfitters / Vintage Cardigan – Beyond Retro / Boots – Bertie

THE SATIRICAL STYLIST Says: Tucking the blouse into my mini skirt completely changes the shape of this versatile piece.

I paired the top with a double dose of leopard for daring drama that’s perfect to wear for a stylish occasion or while enjoying evening drinks. Remove the cardigan to show off the top’s elegance.

To achieve a ’50s-inspired hourglass silhouette, tuck a vintage blouse like this one into whatever you own that’s high-waisted; be it shorts, skirts, leggings or jeans. Or, keep un-tucked for a relaxed feel!

SAMMY DAVIS Says: I think that print-on-print is such a creative way to be fashionably bold without overdoing it. Anne  followed the formula of pairing a big print with a smaller one so that she doesn’t look all-over-leopard.

As shown on the fanpage, I pulled off leopard-on-leopard in my own unique way, too!

EDWARDIAN BLOUSE WITH HIGH-WAISTED DENIM

vintage secretary blouse 4

vintage secretary blouse 4

vintage secretary blouse 4

vintage secretary blouse 4

Outfit: High-Waisted Denim – Topshop / T-shirt – H&M / Boots – Clarks / Headband – Dainty Roses

THE SATIRICAL STYLIST Says: For my fourth and final outfit, I’ve transformed my blouse into a cardigan/light jacket and paired it with some dark wash high-waisted jeans.

I styled a unique vintage twist into this simple day-look of jeans by wearing the shirt open and with the sleeves rolled up. My headband is designed like a half-turban for a touch of ’40s housewife. It’s casual yet effortlessly stylish — and if you so choose, perfect for housecleaning!

Keep in mind that you can wear a white blouse like this one in unconventional ways. You may have bought it with the buttons done up, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be worn undone as I’m showing here. Then, wear your unbuttoned blouse as a cardigan over jeans or dresses for a comfortably creative look!

SAMMY DAVIS Says: Anne proves a valid point about not having to wear a piece in its expected manner. Playing with fashion exercises our creative juices and sets our stylish spirits free!

Now that the top is unbuttoned, it looks like a simple white button-up blouse. Anne could probably tie it at her naval to create a crop top that she could wear with high-waisted shorts come summer weather, too!

About the Contributor

Anne is a fashion blogger who lives in England and loves all things cities, cardigans and tres chic French-inspired style (because she’s half French!)

You can learn more about the style musings of this 30-year-old Leo by visiting her blog The Satirical Stylist, saying hello on Facebook or sending her a tweet on Twitter! 

All photos were shot & styled by The Satirical Stylist

 

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3 thoughts on “’80s Style: Ways to Wear an Edwardian Style Blouse”

  1. Look #1.

    Reply
  2. what a treasure! Can’t believe I am 50% responsible for this! Nicole (Anne’s mum) x

    Reply
    • Hi Nicole! Yes you are! I smiled so much when I saw your comment! :-) XO

      Reply

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