It’s easy to fall head over heels for the new-in summer dresses and raffia accessories, but never forget that basics are an essential part of any wardrobe. Without them, you wouldn’t have the staple building blocks to build your outfits around and a plain T-shirt is a must-have for me.
They work with smart tailoring and casual denim, though Emilia Fox just wore a simple black Tee with a rather stunning skirt. She attended Henley Festival as a guest of Audi and put her classic top to good use as it balanced out her voluminous ME+EM maxi skirt.
Crafted from tulle with embroidered pink flowers running all over, this cream skirt is a showstopper and it’s now only available in one size online. The waistband is black which blended seamlessly into her T-shirt, like they were made for each other.
Recreate Emilia's Outfit
Emilia looks to have worn this ME+EM tuxedo blazer with her T-shirt and maxi skirt and it's a luxurious but very versatile investment for your wardrobe. It's got padding at the shoulders to give a crisp, structured edge and darted seems subtly cinch in the waist.
A plain black T-shirt is a wardrobe must-have and this one is very affordable and made from soft cotton jersey. It's got a fitted shape which works well when you want to tuck it into the waistband of a maxi skirt or trousers.
This stunning floral-print skirt is selling fast and it's one of those stand-out pieces that you can easily make more casual with flats and a T-shirt - or dress up with espadrilles or heels. It's high-waisted and has concealed zip and a hook-and-eye fastener.
You can currently save yourself some money on this fabulously timeless tuxedo-style blazer from Phase Eight. Like Emilia Fox's jacket, it has satin lapels and this design is single-breasted with gold button detailing.
Made from stretchy cotton-blend jersey, this crewneck T-shirt has short sleeves and a fitted shape. You can get this design in multiple colours, though the black one would easily slot into so many outfits, including one like Emilia's.
The Silent Witness star's exact ME+EM skirt from Henley is only available in one size right now, but she's also worn this one recently and it's equally pretty. The peach hue and bold orange waistband and stripes make this a stand-out piece. Crafted from tulle, it has additional lining.
If the Silent Witness star had opted for a white T-shirt instead the band would have been more obvious and waist-defining. However, there would also have been quite a stark contrast between the lighter top and the rest of the skirt, and this waistband.
Her black T-shirt worked much better in my opinion to soften the final look. It had a crew-neckline and short sleeves, with a fitted silhouette that lent itself to being tucked in. Leaving a T-shirt loose and draped over a waistband is an easy way to make an ensemble more low-key, though Emilia went more polished for Henley.
The T-shirt and voluminous skirt combination came together to create a smart-casual outfit and this is why a top like this is so useful. Emilia Fox’s skirt naturally felt quite elevated thanks to its length, tulle fabric and intricate embroidery and the top balanced this.
Long skirt outfits can be tricky to put together but this is a good formula to follow in summer and you can mix up your T-shirts and choose a pattern if your skirt is plain. Another way to wear maxi skirts is with a blazer and Emilia also did this at Henley.
I suspect she was wearing the Sharp Shoulder Tux Blazer, also by ME+EM. As the weather has been so warm, she didn’t need to wear it all the time and held it draped over her shoulder for some photographs.The lapels were satin and it was single-breasted and longline.
If you want to wear a blazer with a high-waisted skirt or trousers I would suggest going for a jacket that’s either long like hers, or intentionally cropped. This way it will either hit below the waistband or line up with it.
Something in the middle can sometimes cut off your silhouette and feel quite traditional instead of contemporary. Emilia Fox’s blazer brought structure to her look and she accessorised with a dainty chain necklace and sparkly hoop earrings.
It showed how to wear a basic T-shirt in a more elevated way and in June she also styled another blazer and maxi skirt together. The actor appeared on Good Morning Britain and this time she went for a shirt with a striped ME+EM skirt and orange Holland Cooper blazer.
I think a white T-shirt would have been great with these pieces and when the weather is really hot, you can swap Tees for neutral vest tops.
