We've been told that
buttoning your shirt up all the way
is a fool-proof method for telling whether someone is a grade-A Square, but the more we look at the fall runways, the more we realize that all the way is the only way when it comes to buttoning. The trick to pull off this Steve Urkel favorite is to balance out the nerdiness with sleek and sexy touches. Pair a sleeveless shirt with a leather bustier dress like at Proenza Schouler, or choose a shirt in a sheer fabric, like Elizabeth and James' spotted version or American Apparel's cheap, mesh thrill! Look out for interesting colors, eye-grabbing prints, and wild textures to keep things interesting. And don't forget to accent the look with a short, girlish necklace, some vertiginous shoes, and a bright lipstick to prove that you're a girl who gets out of the library every once in awhile!
![buttoned-up-shirt-proenza-schouler-1](/static/bin/entry/e59/x/20143/buttoned-up-shirt-proenza-schouler-1.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-cynthia-rowley-dots-2](/static/bin/entry/7b9/x/20150/buttoned-up-shirt-cynthia-rowley-dots-2.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-timo-weiland-3](/static/bin/entry/460/x/20159/buttoned-up-shirt-timo-weiland-3.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-preen-4](/static/bin/entry/5e6/x/20164/buttoned-up-shirt-preen-4.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-charlotte-ronson-5](/static/bin/entry/4bb/x/20174/buttoned-up-shirt-charlotte-ronson-5.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-miu-miu-6](/static/bin/entry/863/x/20184/buttoned-up-shirt-miu-miu-6.jpg)
![buttoned-up-shirt-jason-wu-7](/static/bin/entry/f13/x/20194/buttoned-up-shirt-jason-wu-7.jpg)