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I would like to propose a toast, perhaps a tribute, to what is think is the fashion-wary (or not so wary) women's best friend - the fitted shirt. Fitted shirts are absolutely useful. They are easy to find, look great in any situation (except maybe a black tie event or the Emmys), are inexpensive, accentuate the body, and are easy to take care of. What else can you ask for?

I am more of a practical kind of girl when it comes to fashion. i like to look good, and I put a little bit of effort into this, though it has nothing to do with what people think of me. Obviously, I want to be wearing something "acceptable" most of the time, but I'm not the kind of person who likes anything that is not very acceptable anyway. I like to look good, but i am too lazy to spend one minute of my day putting on makeup, for instance. But the main thing for me is that I FEEL like I look good, because if I feel like I look good then I really do feel good. This is the most valuable thing about fashion to me, and it is what motivates me to dress nicely - not to please someone else. I think that this is a very reasonable, and pretty fulfilling too, attitude to have about dressing.

That said, my favorite fashion "accessory" (although it's obviously more of a main course), is the fitted shirt. I like the way they look. They look smart when you are trying to be a little dressy, and casual at the same time. For example, if you are just going to school but you want to be slightly dressy, you can wear a fitted shirt with jeans, and they don't look mismatched at all, but rather make you look a bit sharper than the usual t-shirt or even a sweater. There is something about that row of buttons in the front that makes you look (and feel) sophisticated. But that's not all. They are comfortable too. It's so easy to put on and take off these shirts (without messing up your hair!) and you can layer them over a tank top, camisole, or even t-shirt, so that if you have a climate change, you have options. Also, you have options with the way that the sleeves look. Although with some styles it looks sloppy, I like to leave the cuffs unbuttoned, so that the cuffs hang and look big; I like big cuffs. I also like to double them back, so that they are out of the way and less floppy, but still kind of stylish. You can even roll up the sleeves if you want to seem extra snazzy-casual. Also, wear the same fitted shirt with dress pants or a skirt and you look quite sophisticated

Also, the thing about a fitted shirt is that it has a bit of the shape of your body. Regular shirts and blouses have no shape and don't look as good because of this. Also, with contoured seams that match the shape of your body, you generally can leave the shirt untucked from your dress pants or shirt, making it ultra easy to look good and to stay that way throughout the day (also allowing the options for taking off the outside layer, if you want).

Fitted shirts are also easy to find. No matter what the fashion of the year is, you always have the basics, and this is one of them. You will find varying colors and patterns from year to year, but this is just an advantage. And you have incarnations in all kinds of fabrics, some more or less dressy, some with a bit of sparkle, some warmer or cooler, some softer, thicker, or smoother to the touch. There are thousands of options in this simple world. I think it is possible to have a collection of fitted shirts and wear them every day and alwys look good, and never look boring. This is the closest thing we (women) can get to the extremely simple and yet classy fashion advantage that men have in suits. The best thing is that with "modern technology", the shirts are absolutely easy to care for. Even though you can buy "easy care" fabrics and no-iron shirts, this is generally hardly necessary. Unless you have a particularly delicate fabric, you can wash the shirts with any other (similarly colored, of course) clothes that you have, and even dry them in a dryer - the only trick is to pull the shirts out right after the dryer is finished and they are still warm, and hang them up immediately - this keeps almost all modern fabrics from wrinkling and saves you time ironing.

So as you can see, as a practical issue, fitted shirts are really the way to go. Classy, simple, elegant, and casual all at the same time, you can't go wrong if you are going to a party, a friends house, or to class at university. When you buy one, check how it fits the shape of your body - it should be fashionably loose (I'm thinking cute business attire here - not "look at my chest"! but not "I think I'm unattractive, therefore I'm avoiding showing any body shape!" either...) also, check how you like the length. I generally like shorter shirts (they make you look taller) but not so short that I'm showing any belly. Longer shirts can be okay too if the fabric doesn't make weird bunches when you sit down. The best idea is to wear your favorite pair of jeans or dress slacks when you go shopping and try on the shirts. Also, it's not a bad idea to pick up some tank tops or camisoles to wear with them, and a sweater or jacket to wear over. These items can only increase the fantastic utility of the fitted shirt. And lake sure that your dress pants and jeans collection match well with your choices at the store.

So fill up your closets, ladies! What can be easier? Like I said, I am practical, and I like taking a look in my closet in the morning when I want to look good that day and finding an easy, simple solution, without a lot of thought about what matches what, what is too much or too little, too flashy or too skimpy. It only takes a couple of relaxed trips to your favorite stores to stock up, and then you'll be set for a while. I hope you find this advice useful - for me, these shirts have always been a life saver.