Retail Therapist The trick to finding the perfect shirt dress
Ilove the idea of a shirt dress – the crispness of a shirt, the one-and-done ease of a dress – but I’ve never found anything with which I’ve fallen so in love, I’ve wanted to buy it in every colour.
I can’t be the only one who’s been seduced into ordering a white, buttondown poplin dress by an effortless looking online model, only to find that even on my not particularly awkward 5ft 4in, size 10-12 frame, I look like I’ve left the house without my trousers. And I wear a striped shirt to the office at least once a week, but that doesn’t work as a dress, either – instead, it looks like nightwear.
I hate to think how much I’ve spent on the wrong dresses over the past decade, only for them to hang in my wardrobe until I finally donate them to charity.
There was the khaki Zara midi that I thought would end up in my regular work rotation, but every time I put it on, I felt more frumpy than fabulous. There was a black silk sleeveless minidress I was rather fond of, although the bottom couple of buttons would always come undone – less than ideal if you want to maintain any sense of propriety.
I’ve come to realise that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to the shirt dress. Instead, you need to figure out what kind of cut and style suits your body shape. Those with hips and a small waist would look sensational in Jasper Conran’s full-skirted Blythe dress, which will flatter their best assets. Those who have a fuller top half and slim legs would look incredible in a mini. Lean, slender types can carry off a more classic shirt dress with a tie waist. If you’re more of an hourglass, like me, I find fabric makes the difference; something fluid and drapey, such as this viscose Massimo Dutti dress, suits my shape better than cotton, while the all-important side slits save it from looking frumpy. It works both with and without a belt, with and without layers (which can be worn over and under). In fact, I think I’ve found my shirt dress holy grail.