Did you know that shirts were first worn as early as the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt (c. 1539–1292 BCE)? Made of a rectangular folded piece of linen and sewn across the sides, it had openings left for the arms and a hole slit at the fold for the head.

Modest, to say the least.

In the West, the practice of popping a piece of clothing over your head to cover the top of your body dates back to before the Middle Ages.

While not coined “shirt” just yet, the purpose of these garments was as underwear for men or as a nightgown. They had an adjustable hem that could be buttoned, but no collar or cuffs. The garment was often made out of linen or silk, so you can imagine how luxurious these pieces felt on the body.

From the end of the Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century, shirts became quite formal and acted as a display of wealth and rank. During this time, embellished shirts made of a variety of luxurious fabrics were reserved by law only for those of high rank.

Yet, at the end of World War I, the shirt went through a major transformation. This is when the modern shirt with buttons along the front became popular. A vest worn underneath the suit jacket started to appear less often in the 1960s, which led to the introduction of the chest pocket.

And voilà!

This evolution has led to the classic variation of the button-up shirt we know today.

The 18th century marked the first time white shirt-like attire attracted attention in women's fashion.

Marie Antoinette sported a ruffled cotton robe de gaulle (an unstructured gown made of layered white cotton muslin) in a 1783 portrait. This made waves at the time, as her outfit was considered made up of only undergarments.

Scandalous!

That said, the white shirt as we know it now was still only worn by men until the 20th century.

Come the 1920s, notable designers such as Jean Patou and Paul Poiret started to challenge traditional gender and class boundaries in fashion. These designers helped to break down rigid social divides of the time and paved the way for a more non-traditional and fluid approach to fashion, which helped transition the white shirt into the world of women’s dress.

Also working to normalize menswear in women’s wardrobes was war and politics.

Women were forced to play a bigger part in the workforce during World War I. To accommodate the needs of these working women, designers began to create more practical, functional clothing that could be worn on the job. This included clothing that was typically associated with men's workwear, such as coveralls, overalls, and pantsuits.

In the early years of the fight for equality and women's rights, clothing played an important part in challenging traditional gender roles and norms. For example, women who advocated for the right to vote often wore clothing that was more practical and functional than the restrictive, corseted styles that were the norm at the time.

In order to compel society to reevaluate the role of women, clothing was worn as a political statement. One that echoed the principles of liberty, equality, and freedom of expression.

Overall, this shift in clothing helped in giving women a more visible platform to advocate for their rights. This made traditional men's-only pieces like the button-up day-to-day garments for women.

For the next few decades, women incorporated traditional men’s styles into their own wardrobes while adding personal twists. This take on a masculine style paved the way for the shirt to become quite androgynous – morphing into a classic piece anybody could make their own.

Today, we see basics like the white shirt made personal with accessories like belts, rolled or cuffed sleeves, buttoned or unbuttoned looks, and the exploration of varying lengths and fits.