Summer white has always been different things to different people. With navy stripes, it’s nautical. With vintage cowboy boots, it’s a little bit country. With suits, it’s all business. And with ill-fitting undergarments, it’s altogether hoochie. But this season, white is something else, something we haven’t seen in a long time: white is edgy! And the more, the merrier.

In fact, not since Bianca Jagger rocked all those fab androgynous suits in the ’70s has white on white been so hot. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Alex Ebert (white-clad lead singer of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros). Or better yet, check out what some of our very own western Canadian fashion designers are doing to give the once-virginal colour some much needed indie cred.

Leading the pack is Lindsay Walsh. She’s the owner and designer of standing armed, a Vancouver-produced (ergo, ecofriendly and socially conscious) label that focuses on timeless, quality pieces. The creative vision for her stunning spring-summer 2013 collection, which she sells online (standingarmed.com/) or in person by appointment, all started with a trip to Dubai.

“My brother actually lives there, so I went to visit him,” says Walsh, who recently sat down with the Straight at an East Van café. “You have all these barren sand dunes and then you have the crazy opulence of the city, and so when I came back, I was just very inspired.”

The result is a lot of simple, elegant, and versatile desert-white pieces. Standouts include the fully lined, slubby raw-silk Sojourn pencil skirt ($350), the Sojourn tunic dress with charmeuse armholes ($240), and the slightly slouchy silk-crepe Haven peg pants ($520), which Walsh says are easier to pull off than you’d think (pro tip: nude boy-cut underwear). But perhaps the pièce de résistance in this series is the Sojourn vest ($365), the perfect layering piece. Throw it over a stark white tank, pair it with the pants or the skirt, and then belt it for a polished look or leave it hanging open for a more casual vibe.

When it comes to the dos and don’ts of putting an all-white outfit together, according to Broken Doll Clothing designer Leah Bohnet, the key is thinking outside the denim box.

“If you’re going with the white look, try not to do the white-shirt-on-white-jeans thing,” says the Calgary-based fashionista, whose label is sold online (www.brokendollclothing.com/) and at Jules & Eve (2009 West 41st Avenue). “Just try adding some other texture to break it up, so it doesn’t look so ’80s.”

With that in mind, Bohnet worked a lot of lace features into her ivory pieces—most notably the ultrafeminine Laura dress with a crossover lace overlay ($128), the boxy Chai T-shirt with lace panels ($89), and the Cayla cardigan with lace inserts ($92).

And, yes, you can mix these ivory pieces with other shades of white. But there are a couple of fashion rules to keep in mind. For more on that, we spoke to Kathryn Lees, who is the Canadian PR and marketing manager for B.C.’s Gentle Fawn and its sister label, Left on Houston.

“If you’re going to go with one that’s a slightly off-white, wear it as a layering piece over a stark white that’s closer to your body, so it looks like you’re doing it on purpose,” says Lees, who spoke with the Straight at GF’s Vancouver headquarters. “If the off-white or eggshell piece is the one closer to your body,” she explains, “it might look like your natural skin tone.”

In Gentle Fawn’s current collection—which is carried at several local boutiques, including Plenty (2803 West Broadway), Spank (856 Granville Street), and BeautyMark (1268 Pacific Boulevard)—there are many white highlights. Among some of our faves are the super beachy, slightly A-line Fragment dress with pretty appliqué detailing ($98), as well as the open lace-trimmed Wire Kimono cardigan ($61). But the top versatile pick has to be the fully mesh, knitted Terrain tank ($65). This beautifully textured layering piece has endless possibilities—perhaps a lace bra and a chiffon skirt, or ribbed undershirt with silk shorts. Now, what about footwear? Is that where our aptitude for white on white ends? Lee says yes… And no.

“With a white shoe, you’re definitely looking very fashion-forward, very off-the-runway couture, and if you can pull it off, you’ll look hot,” says Lee, before adding: “But I think most of us probably need to base ourselves with a great metallic sandal, and then we can simply tie that gold back to our jewellery.”

Then again, as Walsh points out, until things start really heating up around here, all these fashion tips are on hold: “We just need the sun to come out,” she says with a laugh. “Then we can start wearing whites like crazy!”