The 18 Best Button-Up Shirts for Women to Transition Your Wardrobe into Fall

• What We Love: flattering neckline and drape
• What We Don’t Love: limited color options
• Material: 53 percent cotton, 47 percent Tencel, real coconut buttons
• Size Range: XXS to XL

Summer isn’t just a season, it’s a state of mind, and you can seamlessly keep a piece of it in your wardrobe all year with Faherty’s Getaway Shirt. It boasts a relaxed fit that drapes perfectly and flatters all body types, while maintaining a chic slouch. The casual shape is offset by the sleek V-neck, meaning your minimalist layered necklaces will be elegantly framed. The super soft cotton/Tencel blend makes this the perfect button-up to tuck into your jeans or leave loose and flowing.

• What We Love: forgiving and versatile knit
• What We Don’t Love: more heavyweight than expected
• Material: 100 percent cotton
• Size Range: XXS to 3X

We’re suckers for an easy-wearing gauze item in our closets, and as we move from summer to fall, we’ll be turning to this J. Crew button-up over and over. Reviewers say it’s slightly weightier than expected for the fabric—not great if you want a breezy top to tie up on those surprise late-September scorchers, but definitely a plus for when the temps do start to cool come October. Bonus: The soft, relaxed cotton will suit any frame, whether you’re wearing it on its own or layering.

• What We Love: classy, modern look
• What We Don’t Love: the boxy look can overwhelm very small frames
• Material: 100 percent cotton
• Size Range: XXS to L

If you’re looking for a fall wardrobe staple that’ll check the comfort and style boxes, Banana Republic’s Boxy Cropped Shirt is a no-brainer. The boxy silhouette gives it a modern and relaxed fit, while the pinstripes boss it up just a bit. The cropped length adds a touch of playfulness and versatility, making it easy to pair with high-waisted jeans or skirts, and with heels or sneakers. While the shirt is offered in petite sizes, some reviewers say the boxy shape is just too much for very small frames; many agree, however, that it’s great dressed up or down.

• What We Love: doesn’t wrinkle easily
• What We Don’t Love: reviewers say the “white” isn’t a true white
• Material: 100 percent grade 6A mulberry silk
• Size Range: XS to XXL

It’s mind boggling to think you can have something *this* nice without it requiring a lot of care to keep it looking good, but Lilysilk will make you a believer. The Basic Silk Shirt should be hand- or machine-washed (with detergent gentle enough for silk) then hung to dry, but won’t need ironing before wearing. The shirt is quite sheer — common for silk garments — but still sophisticated, with the slightly longer length giving it just a hint of tailored polish. The shirt only comes in two colors (we love the black and are going to be rocking it this fall for sure), and some customers say that the white one is more of an off-white than pure white, which might be better for moving into colder seasons anyway.

• What We Love: affordable
• What We Don’t Love: quite sheer
• Material: 95 percent polyester, 5 percent spandex
• Size Range: S to XXL

This Amazon gem blends fashion and functionality at a super affordable price. The polyester/spandex blend make it soft, lightweight and stretchy, while the V-neck gives it just a hint of sexiness. The Diosun comes in short *or* long sleeve, and in a wide variety of colors, so you could easily add a few into your fall closet rotation. Reviewers rave about the shirt’s comfort, fit and versatility, and say it runs true to size—and you know Amazon reviewers don’t play around.

• What We Love: drapey, flattering fit
• What We Don’t Love: thin material
• Material: 100 percent cotton
• Size Range: 00 to 16

Everlane’s Silky Cotton Relaxed Shirt will be a go-to piece for that elusive effortless look all season. Its comfy softness and laid-back appeal are matched only by this piece’s versatility—wear it buttoned up and untucked over your fave wide-leg jeans or trousers. Wear it open over a bodycon athleisure top or bralette, or tie it up and push it off the shoulders for cocktail hour. Reviewers say the light fabric keeps it from looking too boxy, despite the slightly oversized cut, so it truly sounds like the best of all worlds.

• What We Love: timeless look
• What We Don’t Love: Oxford cotton tends to be stiffer
• Material: 100 percent Oxford cotton
• Size Range: XS to XL

Some button-up shirts are merely part of an outfit, but this super simple Ayr beauty feels like an outfit in itself (although we do recommend wearing bottoms with it, less the no-pants trend of 2019 returns). This modern, feminine Oxford exudes understated sophistication while oozing style and versatility. Ayr has even given the shirt a whole main character personality, describing it as “a banker on Wall Street until she cashed out and started a new career as a florist on Nantucket. [She] spends her days lounging on weather-worn furniture, drinking expensive wine and smelling like fresh peonies.” Only our bestie could live with such elegance and ease.

• What We Love: wool warmth without the itch
• What We Don’t Love: pricey
• Material: 50 percent wool, 30 percent viscose, 20 percent polyester
• Size Range: XS to XXL

This Jenni Kayne plaid is a bit of a splurge, but so worth it—then again, when *isn’t* a JK piece worth it?! This soft and cozy overshirt fits true to size; we recommend sizing up for ultra-comfiness. Its relaxed charm makes it easy to layer over your favorite tops or dresses. It’s a great shirt on its own, but it’s also nice and heavy, making it an ideal transitional piece for chilly nights.

• What We Love: high-end look at an affordable price
• What We Don’t Love: more oversized than expected
• Material: 52 percent linen, 48 percent cotton
• Size Range: XS to XXL

We’re not saying you need to give up your coastal grandmother dreams just because it’s getting cooler and the leaves are changing colors. H&M’s budget-friendly Linen Blend Striped Shirt’s silhouette is perfect for a windswept beach day, covered up all cozy while reading a great book. It’s super lightweight, so simple and cute, and it is quite oversized — some commenters suggest sizing down depending just how oversized you want to get.

• What We Love: cropped fit keeps the cut from overwhelming
• What We Don’t Love: thick Oxford cotton makes it a little stiff
• Material: 100 percent organic cotton
• Size Range: XXS to XL

Everlane has done it again with another wardrobe staple. Premium organic cotton gives this boxy Oxford a silky, luxurious feel that will still keep its shape (it is a little on the thick/stiff side, so depending on your preferences, keep that in mind). The classic point collar, dropped shoulders and oversized patch pockets complement the fit. It’s such a versatile piece that we could see it styled any of the ways Conroy suggested. 

• What We Love: edgy look
• What We Don’t Love: the short crop isn’t always flattering
• Material: 100 percent cotton
• Size Range: XS to XL

Zara’s so good at giving basics that designer edge, and this cropped button-up shirt is no exception. The subtle jewel-finished buttons and workwear pin stripes give it a conservative look that can be styled as such, but the short crop keeps the look relaxed (and won’t require any kind of front tuck). It also has a bit of that Y2K vibe, but made minimalist—perfect for the current moment.

• What We Love: polished look
• What We Don’t Love: poplin tends to be stiffer
• Material: cotton
• Size Range: XXS to XXL

The timeless elegance of Ralph Lauren combines with the silhouette du jour to make for one of our fashion expert Cindy Conroy’s favourite picks of the season. This poplin shirt comes in a crisp cotton reminiscent of menswear (definitely not a texture for everyone), but is still lightweight and soft enough to drape nicely and make it a versatile closet item. The pearl buttons and signature RL embroidered pony give this top a polished perfection that we can’t get enough of.

• What We Love: double chest panel for opacity
• What We Don’t Love: narrow sleeves
• Material: silk
• Size Range: XS to 3X

If you have a large chest, this shirt’s for you. Spanx’s stunning silk button-up has a double-layered panel at the chest for opacity. It comes in five colorways, ranges in sizes from XS to 3X and fits longer in the back for coverage (making that front-tuck all the more streamlined). And did we mention its machine washable?

• What We Love: super soft
• What We Don’t Love: material can pill
• Material: 100 percent rayon
• Size Range: XXS to XXL

We couldn’t make a list of the best button-up shirts for fall without including Rails, could we? Especially one in a quintessential fall red hunter plaid?! It’s one of the softest button-ups you’ll ever own and can be worn on its own, as an overshirt, or layered under a light fall coat or cardi (buttoned to the top for extra preppiness). The only downside is that the rayon can tend to pill over time, but it’s nothing a clothing shaver won’t fix. These tend to run a little small, so size up if you’re looking for a looser fit.

• What We Love: versatile and relaxed
• What We Don’t Love: tulip hems make a front-tuck awkward
• Material: 100 percent cotton
• Size Range: XS to XL

A perfectly distressed denim shirt never goes out of style—and is especially paramount to have in your closet with all the western and cowboy trends going strong. The tulip-style side hems add a touch of flair to the otherwise simplistic shirt, softening its rugged charm. One downside to this style of cut is that it can make a front-tuck look a bit bunchy, so we’d recommend doing a full tuck (denim on denim, let’s go!), or simply wearing it a size or two up, leaving it untucked.

• What We Love: bold stripes
• What We Don’t Love: Not machine washable
• Material: 100 percent Mulberry silk
• Size Range: XS to XXL

We wish this shirt came in more color options—the fact that it doesn’t is really one of our only criticisms. This Lilysilk striped button-up will instantly elevate your wardrobe; you’ll be pulling it out over and over to dress up just about anything you already own. The high-quality pure mulberry silk is strong but breathable, and it’s so soft you won’t want to take it off. While this brand is known for machine-washable silk options, this unfortunately isn’t one of them—spot-treat this delicate beauty only, or otherwise have it professionally dry cleaned.

• What We Love: light and airy
• What We Don’t Love: very sheer
• Material: 100 percent linen
• Size Range: XS to L

This casual, cute and sexy sheer linen top from Vitamin A will keep those summer dreams alive until parka season is firmly here. You may not need it as a beach cover-up anymore, but you can certainly wear it with trousers and your favorite accessories to brunch (or just about anywhere—this top is a workhorse). It’s extremely lightweight—great for layering and keeping things flowy—but very sheer, which might not be ideal once bathing suit season is over. This top comes in so many colors that it’s hard to choose, but we’re fond of the ecolinen gauze celeste; it's giving Oxford vibes without the sheen.

• What We Love: lightweight, quality fabric
• What We Don’t Love: narrow fit isn’t great for all shapes
• Material: 100 percent Italian cotton
• Size Range: XXS to XL

PureWow’s own Rachel Bowie styled this Frank & Eileen classic with dark, wide-leg denim and a strappy-heeled sandal for summer, and there’s no stopping you from taking that look right into fall. This is definitely one of the most tailored shirts on our list—it’s right there in the name!—it’s meant to come in at the waist and back, so it might not be the look everyone is going for, but it will certainly look put together. These shirts are renowned for their quality and versatility, and you’ll make many outfits out of this one. It’s worth the price tag, so treat yourself.