I Tested 14 White Button-Up Shirts to End My Search for Good
I compared 14 tops to find the white button-up shirts that are comfortable, flattering, and worth buying.
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I’ve recently hit a sort of white button-up wall—not to be confused with a white button-down wall (They’re actually different. Button-downs have small buttons on the collar that attach it to the shirt. More casual, less common in women’s tops). Anyway, I’ve spent a lot of time, money, and energy searching for the perfect white button-up and repeatedly felt let down. Why was it so hard to find a shirt that’s not too sheer but not too thick, not too boxy but not too formfitting, not too crisp but not too flowy?
As a Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab analyst who has a background in fashion, I decided to put them to the test to find the ultimate white button-up of all white button-ups. I researched more than 50 styles from popular brands and settled on 14 to test. In addition to trying them all on for fit and wearing them out and about, I also tested them for opacity in the Lab and laundered them all to evaluate wrinkle-resistance and shrinkage (because no one wants a top that looks totally different after being washed). The winner is The Jet Set Boyfriend Shirt from The Shirt—it’s wrinkle-resistant so there’s never a need to pull out the iron.
Our top picks:
- Best overall: The Shirt The Jet Set Boyfriend Shirt
- Best value: Old Navy Oversized Button-Down Boyfriend Shirt
- Laid-back look: Frank & Eileen Relaxed Button-Up Shirt
- Pop of color: Abercrombie & Fitch Oversized Poplin Shirt
Best Deal
If you were to ask me to draw a white button-up shirt from memory, it would be this one from The Shirt. The brand literally only carries shirts (and shirt dresses), so it has nailed the category. I tried both The Boyfriend Shirt and The Jet Set Boyfriend shirt, and the Jet Set style stood out for a few reasons. To start, the shirt is wrinkle-resistant, and it’s 100% cotton. The wrinkle-resistant finish that means you’re less likely to have to pull out the iron or steamer to keep it looking fresh. Grab it from your carry-on or pull it straight out of the dryer, and it’s ready to wear.
The cut is not too boxy or too fitted, but just right. The side seam isn’t split at the hem, which is a personal design preference of mine, and the shirt is just a couple of inches longer in the back than the front, so it looks great when worn untucked.
The shirt didn’t feel tight, but I also wasn’t swimming in it. It even had two additional buttons hidden at the chest to prevent the top from gapping open (a huge bonus for my DD-cup chest). When I laundered it according to its care label, it looked virtually new with no shrinkage. I’ve styled it with jeans, skirts, and even a casual pair of boxing shorts with tennis shoes, and it fits in effortlessly with each outfit.
| Sizes | XXS–XXL |
| Material | 100% cotton |
I used to work at the Old Navy flagship store in NYC, so the brand’s basics have a soft spot in my heart, but I honestly wasn’t expecting to love this top as much as I did. My team and I were pleasantly surprised when I tried this shirt on for the first time, and no one believed it was under $40. The fabric is fairly sheer, which was a little misleading because it looks more opaque on the models online. It feels lightweight and breathable, while at the same time offering the heavier look of a boyfriend-style Oxford with a lightly brushed surface (it feels fuzzy and cozy!)—it’s a unique blend of design that I’m into, especially as the seasons begin to change.
When I laundered this one in the Textiles Lab, it shrunk just a quarter of an inch in length, which wasn’t noticeable when I tried it back on. And the brushed material has some texture that didn’t look too wrinkled after a cycle in the dryer.
| Sizes | XS–4X with tall and petite options |
| Material | 100% cotton |
The most expensive shirt in my test, this white button-up from Frank & Eileen is quite luxurious. I picture Ina Garten at her Hamptons house tending to the garden in this shirt, and I feel posh with it on. Though the shirt is described as “relaxed,” it looked relatively structured in the images online, so I wasn’t expecting it to feel so lived-in right out of the package.
The shirt is made with extra-long staple cotton fibers, which are longer and higher quality than most standard cottons, and it’s woven in Italy with a more open design. The yarns have a slubby look to them with lots of texture, almost like linen, but it’s 100% cotton.
It’s inherently feminine with a flowy silhouette, complete with rounded shoulders and no back pleat. The brand recommends washing it inside out, which can help preserve the buttons and pocket, but you can still throw it in the dryer on low.
| Sizes | XXS–XL |
| Material | 100% cotton |
How someone can wear a button-up shirt all day long without rolling the sleeves up is a mystery to me. I immediately shove the cuffs up past my elbows. If your approach to white button-up wearing is anything like mine, you might just like this pick from Abercrombie & Fitch. The cuffs are lined with blue for an added pop of color when you roll up your sleeves.
It was one of the more opaque shirts in my tests, so my bra didn’t show through the fabric. The material felt structured and crisp and washed well without shrinking, but it was pretty wrinkly. The wrinkles aren’t very deep-set or large, but they’re noticeable, so it could benefit from a nice iron post-wash.
My team loved the look of this one on me and shared that the fit was “flattering” on my shape. It’s easy to pull off a half- or French-tuck with this top too because of the dolphin hem on the sides, which creates separation between the front and back of the shirt.
| Sizes | XXS–XL |
| Material | 100% cotton |
For a true “boyfriend” style white button-up, look for an Oxford shirt. Oxfords have a distinct basket weave design, where two yarns act as one when they’re woven, resulting in a fabric that looks like a basketweave up close. This top from Quince doesn’t have the traditional Oxford button-down collar, but I’m okay with that. It feels more approachable this way.
The fabric is the heaviest out of any of the shirts I tested, making it feel inherently more masculine, but like the name of the shirt implies, it’s still relaxed and not overly stiff or bulky. The cut is roomy but not boxy, so it fits similarly to my husband’s button-up shirts. I’ll definitely be saving this top to layer with my favorite sweaters this fall and winter. A note: The brand claims this shirt is 100% organic cotton without offering the proper certification to substantiate the claim.
| Sizes | XS–XL |
| Material | 100% cotton |
This is a quintessential warm weather white button-up shirt. The cotton fabric is airy and breathable, making it tolerable to wear long sleeves in 85° F weather. With a slim fit and a tailored look, it’s ideal for wearing on its own. It is pretty sheer, though. The button-up earned one of the lowest opacity scores in my evaluations, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just know your bra may peek through the fabric.
I typically prefer something looser or oversized, but I felt confident in this traditionally tailored top. I like it tucked in due to its more streamlined look, and because it lacks bulk, it tucks nicely.
| Sizes | XS–XXL |
| Material | 100% cotton |
J.Crew is synonymous with preppy fashion, and a white button-up is a prep mainstay. This boxy, oversized button-up from J.Crew was the longest of any in my evaluations. There is a sharp contrast between the length of the front of the shirt and the back, with the back measuring several inches longer for a high-low style.
The added volume is less ideal for tucking but makes it perfect for wearing unbuttoned over a tank or bra. The style isn’t as tailored, so I particularly love wearing this with a pair of casual shorts for weekend errands. It also looks incredible when you lean into the volume and pair it with a wide-legged pant or trouser.
When it comes to opacity and structure, this top is middle-of-the-road. Plus, it didn’t shrink at all in the wash and barely wrinkled too.
| Sizes | XXS–3X with petite options |
| Material | 100% cotton |
My team and I agreed that this top somehow manages to be slim, opaque, and comfy without reading, “I’m a waitress at a nice restaurant.” It’s the only button-up on this list that isn’t 100% cotton. Instead, it’s made with a blend of cotton and polyester with a touch of spandex, which allows for a snug fit without feeling restrictive or stiff.
The fabric is lightweight but not see-through, so my bra looked seamless underneath. And despite the more fitted cut, it didn’t cling to my curves. With a DD-chest, I often deal with the dreaded button gap, but that wasn’t the case with this top. I know the name says “oversized” but in the grand scheme of boxy, oversized shirts, it was one of the most fitted pieces I wore.
| Sizes | XS–XL |
| Material | 60% cotton, 35% polyester, 5% spandex |
How we test white button-ups
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I am always evaluating apparel and accessories, including undergarments and intimate apparel, T-shirts, and denim. For white button-ups specifically, I used a combination of research, standardized testing, and real-world feedback when choosing which styles to include. I first researched more than 50 white button-ups online to get a grasp of the market and decided on 14 styles from a variety of brands to test.
I reviewed product details online, including sizing, fiber content, and style notes before reviewing each button-up’s construction in person. I took note of details like back pleats, cuffs, the cut of the shoulders, and additional buttons hidden inside the placket (the long strip of fabric where the buttons lie), which help prevent gapping at the bust. I also tried on each shirt in a consistent size to determine how they looked and fit comparatively.
In addition to evaluating construction, I also washed each button-up according to its care label to assess shrinkage and wrinkle resistance. I measured the shirts pre- and post-wash to determine if the tops shrunk and to see if they wrinkled drastically in the wash. I also considered opacity, or how sheer the material is. I placed each button-up on a black mannequin before rating how well the fabric concealed the black coloring beneath it.
White button-up shopping guide
White button-ups do look inherently similar, but there are tons of small differences that can hugely impact how the white button-up looks, fits, and performs when you’re wearing it. To make sure you’re picking a top that you’re actually going to want to wear, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Fiber: The majority of white button-ups are made with woven 100% cotton fabrics because cotton is a natural fiber that’s inherently very breathable and lightweight. There are some styles like the Express top included in this roundup that are made with a blend which includes synthetic fibers for some added stretch and durability or to cut costs. Other white button-ups use linen, which is another breathable natural fiber that’s ideal for hot weather. I specifically tested cotton-based button-ups because linen has a distinctly casual look, while cotton tends to appear more polished.
- Fabric: There are also a few different basic fabrications you’ll find in your white button-up search. Poplin is a plain woven fabric that’s commonly used for button-ups because it’s light and crisp. Another fabric is Oxford, which has a basketweave design. It tends to be heavier weight and is often brushed on the surface for a textured look and feel. Other shirts use a twill fabric, which is comparable to poplin but with a subtle diagonal woven design.
- Hemline: Most women’s button-ups have a hem that rounds or dips lower in the back for additional coverage. There’s also typically a split at the hem in the side seam that disconnects the front panel of the shirt from the back. This split allows for easier tucking and less restricted movement. Some brands have a more dramatic split—a few inches or more. I prefer the look of a smaller or non-existent split at the hem, but it’s really up to personal preference.
- Bust buttons: If you have a larger chest or ribcage, you might be familiar with the annoying gap created between the buttons that meet at your chest. Some shirts come with an extra button hidden inside the placket (the strip of fabric that runs down the front of the shirt, where buttons are sewn on). This hidden button is used to provide additional coverage and prevent the gap without throwing off the appearance of the evenly spaced buttons.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Amanda Constantine is a home & apparel reviews analyst in the Textiles Lab. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, she worked as a lecturer, teaching fashion history and textiles courses, and she has degrees in apparel product development, marketing communications, and consumer sciences. Constantine regularly tests clothing in the Textiles Lab, including white T-shirts, denim, rain gear, winter jackets, and more. She combined her general passion for fashion, love for the versatile white button-up, and Lab testing data to make decisions for the best white button-ups.
![jennifer garner at peacocks the five star weekend premiere held at the hammer museum on july 08, 2026 in los angeles, california photo by christopher polkdeadline via getty images](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/e417e56d-f9fc-4b35-9e34-5853ed84cf23.jpeg?crop=0.666727075027xw:1xh;center,top&resize=360:* "Peacock's "The Five Star Weekend" Premiere")
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