I’m a firm believer that any shirt can be turned into a shirt dress if you try hard enough — vests, button-downs, waistcoat, vintage band tees, cardigans, plaid shirts, oversized knits, etc. But Merriam-Webster defines shirt dress as “a tailored dress patterned after a shirt and having buttons down the front.” Either way, it’s important to know how to style a shirt dress.
Approach it too sparingly, and you could end up looking like you forgot to wear trousers (and not in a chic kind of way). Pair it with tailored trousers and, well, then it just looks like you’re wearing a really big button-up shirt. Knowing how to style a shirt dress, for the most part, really comes down to choosing the right pair of statement shoes and accessories.
It’s the finer details that will set your shirt dress outfit up for success—the difference between wearing a shirt dress and styling it. Accessorise with luxe textures (croc skin, suede, leather) for a polished feel, for example, or get an editorial effect by choosing a summer dress with a dramatic silhouette. Just follow these tips, and you’ll never have to Google 'how to style a shirt dress' again. Keep reading for all the styling tips and outfit ideas you should keep in mind this season.
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Layered with Lace
Workwear wardrobe staples, like the humble white button-up, can always benefit from a little dose of the unexpected — and the shirt dress falls squarely under this rule. If wearing a bra outside of your clothes feels like a bit much, as seen above, just take another page from this street style star’s book and layer a button-up dress over a delicate lace midi skirt for instant cool girl vibes.
Short Dress, Tall Boots
Embrace the retro style of a minidress with a pair of luxe, knee-high boots (like these beauties). They’ll give your closet staples a catwalk-inspired feel while balancing out the super-short hemline.
Denim and Trainers
A denim dress is a lesson in versatility. In shirt form, it can be worn everywhere from the rodeo to the office — even over a swimsuit as a cover-up. One of our favourite ways to style it, however, is with classic white sneakers. All you have to do is add an luxe cross-body bag to dress things up, and you have a posh but comfortable look.
With an Oversized Jacket
You can’t go wrong with the combo of a long-sleeve shirt dress and oversized blazer, but I recommend introducing a barn jacket or a cropped trench to your rotation, too. It will make your fit feel casual and laid-back in a really chic way.
All-white Everything
White-on-white looks are a sartorial signature for some of the most stylish women in Hollywood. They may have been dressed by a professional stylist, but you can absolutely build out a similar look on your own. Just pair up a white shirt dress with matching boots, then top with a sprinkling of gold statement jewellery. Voilà! An easy office look that still feels dressy.
Rugby Dress
A striped favourite of Rihanna's, the classic rugby shirt can be sized up and worn as a dress. Throw on this oversized style with some tube socks and loafers or pumps for a preppy-inspired vibe.
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Florals and Suede
There are few pieces as timeless as a floral dress or a suede jacket — as such, the two pair perfectly together. Look for dresses that subtly cinch at the waist to break up an otherwise boxy silhouette. Whether you go for a maxi shirt dress or a midi length, suede knee-length boots will balance out the look. In the summer simply ditch the jacket and swap the boots for flat sandals.
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Sleek Black & White
A white midi-dress is going to look upscale no matter how you style it, but you can really take things to the next level by jumping on the office sire trend with a black-and-white color scheme. If layering your maxi shirt dress over a pair of black trousers, as seen above, feels too out there for you, consider adopting this styling tip in other way. A black leather jacket on top or a black slip dress underneath instead. Whatever you do, just don’t forget your structured black or white leather tote.
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A version of this article originally appeared on GLAMOUR (US).
