Many of the styling tips for button-up blouses apply to other styles. For example, contrasting a high neck or tie neck (pussy bow) blouse with edgy bottoms could work really well. Additionally, many blouses will look good tucked into high-waisted pants, though it depends on the blouse’s hem.

Some other great blouse style ideas are:

With cosy outer layers:

A button-up collar blouse, high-neck blouse, or pussy bow collar blouse worn beneath a slim jumper or cardigan, or even beneath a tunic or pinafore dress, not only looks cute, but can keep you super warm in autumn and winter.

In addition, a blouse worn beneath a feminine pea coat or bold trench coat can look great. The clean lines of the structured coat complement the loose fit of most blouses.

With a turtleneck beneath:

For a layering option, consider pairing your blouse with a thin turtleneck. Leave some buttons of your blouse undone to create an intriguing layered look. Alternatively, layer a colourful turtleneck under a sheer or lace blouse for a playful twist on traditional layering.

With a skirt:

Blouses pair perfectly with skirts to create versatile outfits suitable for various occasions. Here's how to style blouses with different skirt styles:

Short skirt:

A button-up or round neck blouse can look great tucked into a mini skirt, especially an A-line mini.

Pencil skirt: 

A silky blouse neatly tucked into a pencil skirt offers a classic look for work settings. Wear with ballet flats or closed-toe heels.

Midi Skirt:

A blouse tucked into a midi length skirt that falls below the knee can exude elegance. Complete the look with a waist belt and ballet flats.

With a Matching Set:

For a coordinated look, try pairing your blouse with a matching skirt and jacket set. An ensemble like this creates a cohesive and polished appearance that's ideal for professional and formal settings.

Let’s cover some more general blouse styling tips, and how to deal with some blouse conundrums.

Gaping around buttons:

Sometimes button-up blouses can gape around the buttons as the fabric stretches over the bust. For starters, it’s important to buy the right size blouse, as buttons are more likely to pop open if your blouse is too small.

If your blouse is the appropriate fit and you still experience gaping, consider sewing snaps or hooks between the buttons for extra reinforcement. Alternatively, you can wear a camisole beneath the blouse, preferably in the same colour, to ensure you have reliable coverage.

Too much volume at bust:

Women with a larger bust will sometimes avoid wearing tie neck or pussy bow blouses, as these blouses are fitted at the collar and expansive around the chest, which can result in the appearance of too much volume around the chest, especially when the blouse is tucked into pants or a skirt. 

If this volume isn’t appreciated, look for tie neck collars with a tie that draws the gaze downwards and away from the chest area. It might be that the tie is longer, and is in a contrasting colour to the blouse fabric. 

For smaller busts, opt for tie-neck blouses that draw attention to the neckline rather than to the chest. They might have a higher bow, or detail around the neck.

What colour to choose:

Blouses in neutral colours offer a classic look, and you’ll see them appearing in most capsule wardrobes. This is because neutral colours work well with most skin tones. In saying that, there are boundless blouses in gorgeous prints out there, so there’s no obligation to stick to neutral hues.

If you’re wearing a neutral blouse, try to be consistent with the colours in your accessories. For example, with a white shirt, nude coloured shoes and a brown belt or bag will all complement each other. Alternatively, you could opt for a black purse with black heels.

Another way of matching accessories with your blouse is to try the 3-colour rule, which is where you limit the number of colours in your outfit to three or less. This makes for a tied-together and visually appealing ensemble. An example would be a white blouse, blue jeans, and brown accessories and footwear.

If you’re working with a multi-coloured blouse, you could still adopt the 3-colour rule, and choose accessories that match one colour from the print. For instance, if the print includes red, white and navy, you could choose either a red, white or navy handbag or shoes.

There are no strict rules though, so try your items together and see what works for you.

Sometimes it can be confusing to know whether or not you should tuck your blouse. Here are some tips on tucking.

For work:

When wearing a blouse to work, tucking your blouse fully into your bottoms generally offers a more neat and professional look, however tucking in doesn’t necessarily flatter all body types. Tucking in accentuates the waist, but those who prefer not to draw attention to the waist area might prefer blouses that don’t require tucking.

Blouses you never need to tuck in:

• Peplum blouses (tucking in would interfere with the peplum shape)
• Tunic blouses (these are designed to hang below the hips, and have too much fabric to tuck in. They are also often A-line shaped, which would result in bagginess at the hips if you tucked them)
• Blouses with detailed hems (interesting hemlines are meant to be seen, so don’t tuck these)
• Blouses with very flowy hems (again, too much fabric to tuck)

Waist-length blouses (these are designed to hit the waistline, so you’ll have trouble tucking them into standard length pants or a skirt).