Nevertheless, we can distinguish three basic silhouettes of a SHIRT DRESS:
- The mini-length classical straight shirt – reminds the classical men’s shirt long to cover the hips and give the impression of wearing a mini dress. Usually, it is paired with leggings, jeans, or bike shirts.
Do you remember Jessica Parker in “Sex and the City”, coming home from a night at Mr. Big? - She was wearing his shirt belted, which on her miniature figure looked just like a mini-length shirt dress. At the same time, she looked sexy and easygoing. It is a gifted power in the hands of a bold type personality!
- The knee-length– a silhouette that looks great with a belt for an easygoing casual style. It is indeed considered particularly stylish the ability to wear masculine garments, like a belt, with feminine looks, like a short dress and high heels. To elevate your appeal, you can roll up your sleeves to uncover the slimmest part of your arm and showing more skin, which combined with slender legs on high heels, will bring your sex appeal to the next level. In colder periods, this silhouette will look interesting with a safari jacket the same length or a little lower than the dress, with a bomber jacket or blazer for a sport-chic look.
- The midi- and long-length – has an A-shaped silhouette that is always belted. The most important factor is accentuating the waistline by wearing a belt, a band, or a ribbon, tied in a particular knot. It carries the appeal of the Fifties but with a fresh modernistic breeze. Perfect for casual and business occasions.
Researching various resources on the net and outside, seems like it was the legendary Coco Chanel that introduced the SHIRT DRESS in fashion in 1916. She was a stylist in the early years of her career, wanting to empower women and give them freedom of movement. Among other things, she was against corsets – an accessory that was mandatory until that time. That is why she used to “borrow” different garments from a man’s closet and wear them, promoting comfortability. According to her, wearing a man’s clothing gives a bit of spiciness and sexual appeal to a feminine look.
To many males, there is nothing on earth as sexy and exciting, as seeing his beloved lady dressed in the morning in his shirt drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
In the Fifties, this dress style became very popular and symbolized the important role of a woman as a mother and housekeeper. In the Seventies, when the women’s role in society changed, the famous designer Yves Saint Laurent proposed his own version of a shirt dress: with wide shoulders, tight waistline, and a must-have wide leather belt. Today, the shirt dress is proposed every season by most fashion houses, exploring in the making different fabrics, buttons, and belts, adapting it to new trends.
Since the SHIRT DRESS is always made with a shaped masculine collar left open at least on the first two buttons, it is uncovering a V-line deep enough to make it possible to wear a bold necklace or a piece of statement jewelry, tighten up an interesting scarf or wear some catchy earrings. Deciding the dept of your V-neckline and how much you wish to roll up your sleeves, you can decide how many accessories to wear: the more you uncover, the more you can add in accessories. If, on the contrary, you desire to cover up more, you can decide to wear underneath a body top or a turtleneck.
The length of a SHIRT DRESS can be from mini to maxi. Nevertheless, the shorter the dress, the lower the heel can be; but remember, that our days, nothing is forbidden and all is fashionable, so wear the length and the heels that pleases you.
The SHIRT DRESS can be belted with any kind of belt, band, or ribbon. Just keep in mind, that wearing a ribbon belt made from the same fabric as the dress, will probably look boring. That is why, I would suggest you experiment with contrasting colors, different textures, and particularly, find unusual ways to tie belts. This will make you look stylish and memorable.
With a SHIRT DRESS, you may wear a big, shaped bag, such as a tote or a shopper, or a smaller but soft-padded cross-body or envelope. Both types will look great. A hat may add uniqueness.
Enjoy fashion and dress with style! Wish you a great week ahead and see you soon with the next blog post.
Best wishes,
Nadiya
MetropolitanMe Blogger