For the Love of Shirt Dresses

Shirt dresses are one of my all-time favorite wardrobe staples for easy one-and-done outfits. They’re a classic style that works from the beach to a board room, and I always feel effortlessly put together and comfortable when I wear them.

I found this gingham shirt dress on a Dillards clearance rack, and couldn’t pass up the front wrap design. Anything that defines the waist is a petite lady’s best friend: it helps to balance our proportions and gives the illusion of longer stems. (Yes please.) This is why I love jeans with a higher rise, and tuck in the front of every top I wear, including sweaters. Sidebar: I just learned this is called a ‘French tuck’ from Tan on Queer Eye; if you haven’t binge-watched the series on Netflix yet, get yourself a box of Kleenex and get to work.

My dress isn’t available online — this is the struggle of being a style blogger who loves to shop end-of-season clearance racks — but Target has a similar style for $35 in their Who What Wear collection that you can find here.

Everlane has a lovely collection of shirt dresses; I love this striped collarless style with a belt and this black linen shirt dress. Fun fact: when you shop at Everlane and refer your friends (through social media or a personalized link) you get a $25 store credit when they place their first order! Here’s my referral link.

You can remix a good shirt dress in dozens of ways with different shoes, jackets and accessories, so if you start a collection of them in your closet — maybe something in denim, a neutral short-sleeve/sleeveless, a long-sleeve black or navy, and one wildcard in a fun print — you’ll always have something appropriate to wear for any occasion. (This especially applies if you have a super-casual weekday dress code and find yourself in a what-to-wear panic for the occasional meeting, business casual event, or dressier weekend celebration, like a shower or birthday dinner.)

My nude block heel sandals get a ton of wear in the spring and summer. I found this pair at TJ Maxx last year, but I have a few versions of the style in my closet. For cost-per-wear purposes, I think this is a shoe that’s worth a splurge: look for something in leather with a durable heel — I prefer stacked wood heels because they seem to last forever — in a heel height you’re comfortable with (for me, that’s no higher than 3″ for everyday wear). Now is a great time to stalk your favorite stores and snag a pair or two on sale before the season change; you’ll thank yourself next spring.

P.S. I always have great luck with shoes on Hautelook!

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