I had a fun day of shopping in Soho with friends yesterday and I couldn't help but notice that every store we went to seemed to have some variation of the shirt dress. While this is a pretty classic style that seems to rear its head every few seasons, like anything in fashion you need to be mindful of proportions and fit and find a version of the trend that works for you.
Case in point, I tried on this Gap shirt dress that R&B singer Amerie is wearing below.
On Amerie it looks flattering and chic. Since I am petite with full hips, the proportion was off and it looked like I was wearing a shirt that was too big and not a chic shirt dress. I would say the rounded hem is tricky to pull off, too, since this can make the dress look too casual and pajama-like. This is definitely not a dress for everybody, so let the buyer beware.
I recently bought this black shirt dress from Ann Taylor Loft.
The full skirt masks my hips and the cinched waist gave me a nice hour-glass shape. For those of you who are curvy women, I would suggest this affordable take on the trend. If you're like me, you might find all black a little boring so punch this look up by changing the belt or adding a pair of bright shoes.
I really adore this Lia Shirt Dress from J. Crew. In addition to having a funky city meets country feel, it combines two of my favorite things (ruffles and full skirts) in a fun, plaid print. Similar to the Ann Taylor Loft dress, I think this silhouette will flatter a variety of shapes.
I've been visiting this Juicy Couture shirt dress for weeks hoping that it will go on sale to no avail! I would probably buy the black version for myself since the pink is a little girlish for a woman in her 30's, but for those of you still in your 20's this color would work well for you. Once again, it has the adorable ruffles and body skimming skirt that can flatter a variety of sizes. And the knee length makes it flirty enough to wear to a party or for date night. I would also leave open the top button to make this look less conservative.
