If you’re looking for a new way to style your work wardrobe, the shirt dress is a great place to start.
This classic look has been around for decades, and it’s still going strong. It’s one of those pieces that can be dressed up with accessories or down with your favorite pair of sneakers. The best part is that it’s totally versatile—you can wear it in the summer with sandals or in the winter with boots and tights!
The possibilities are endless when it comes to styling this staple piece, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
10 Tips for Styling a Shirt Dress For Work
1. Make sure it’s long enough to cover your butt
Shirt dresses are a great way to dress up for work, but there’s one thing you need to make sure of: that your dress is long enough to cover your butt. If it isn’t, you’ll end up looking like a schoolgirl, which is not the look you want at work.
Fortunately, it’s easy enough to fix this problem before you buy the dress: just make sure that when you’re standing up straight and in heels, there’s no skin showing below the hemline of the dress.
2. Choose a pattern or color that matches your business environment
If you work in an office or other professional environment, it’s important to choose a pattern or color that doesn’t look out of place. If you’re going for a traditional look, solid colors are always safe bets. But if you’re feeling adventurous, try adding a floral print to your shirt dress for a bit of personality without going overboard.
3. Get the right fit for your body type
When it comes to styling a shirt dress for work, you want to make sure that you get the fit just right. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually a lot harder than you might think.
If you have an apple shape, for example, try a shirt dress with a high waistline and ruched detailing on the top half of the dress. This will help to draw attention away from your bottom half and add some curves where there are none!
For those with more hourglass figures, try pairing your shirt dress with heels or platform pumps. The extra height should help balance out your proportions—and who doesn’t want that?
4. Go for a classic style with a little detail
If you’re looking to make your shirt dress work-appropriate, opt for something that’s got a little extra detail. But don’t go too over the top—you still want to keep it professional!
A great way to do this is by choosing a dress with an accent color or pattern in an unexpected place like the collar or sleeve cuff.
You can also add a belt or loose tie around the waist of your shirt dress if you want it to feel more tailored and polished.
5. Wear a blazer over top if you need more coverage
If you’re feeling self-conscious about your shoulders or chest, a blazer is definitely the way to go.
A button-up blouse or shirt will work just as well as a blazer in this case, but if you have one that matches your dress and feels like it could be part of the same outfit, why not use it?
You can also just wear a simple cardigan in place of a blazer—it’s going to give you the same effect!
6. Pair it with heels or flats, but not both at the same time
Shirt dresses are great because they’re so versatile—you can wear them to work, to a party, or anywhere in between. But there’s one thing you should never do with a shirt dress: wear it with heels and flats at the same time.
You might think that if you had two different pairs of shoes, then you could just switch them out as you moved from day to night.
But when your outfit is made up entirely of different pieces, like this one is, it’s better to stick with one shoe style or color scheme throughout.
Your look will be more cohesive that way—and less likely to give people whiplash!
7. Wear it over skinny jeans if you’re feeling extra sassy
If you’ve got an important meeting with your boss (or just a big presentation), you might want to lean into the sassy side of the dress code.
A shirt dress paired with some skinny jeans is an easy way to do this. Just make sure you’re not wearing sneakers—you want to look like someone who’s ready to take on the world, not someone who’s going to kick it back at home.
8. Don’t skimp on jewelry—you can never have too much sparkle!
You’ve got the dress, now it’s time to add some sparkle.
The best way to do this is with a statement necklace and earrings that compliment your outfit in style and color.
You can also try adding a bracelet or two, but don’t overdo it—you want to make sure your outfit still looks polished and professional.
9. Don’t forget about accessories: scarves and bags are great ways to add some flair!
You might be wondering what you can do to make your shirt dress stand out from the crowd.
The answer is simple: accessories!
A scarf or bag can be a great way to add some flair to your outfit, especially if you’re feeling tired of the same old look.
10. When in doubt, don’t go there
If all else fails, you can always go with a classic! The shirt dress is a staple of the modern woman’s wardrobe, and it’s easy to see why: it’s comfortable, easy to wear at work (or out on the town), and looks great with just about anything. But there is one cardinal sin that we recommend avoiding at all costs when wearing a shirt dress: over-accessorizing.
If you’re going for an ensemble that’s simple but stylish, keep your accessories to a minimum: one or two pieces only. Anything more than that takes away from the clean lines of this versatile piece, and makes it look like you’re trying too hard.
Final words:
So if you’re looking for a way to take your office style up a notch, consider donning a shirt dress. You’ll be able to express your personality while still keeping things professional. Just make sure you’ve got the right accessories and colors, and you’ll be ready to go!
Hi, I’m Isabella! I’m a fashion-obsessed writer who loves everything about it: the clothes, the accessories, and especially the people. I’ve been writing about fashion for nearly 8 years now—and during that time, I’ve learned a few things. First of all, there’s no such thing as bad style. It’s just a matter of what works for you. Second of all, fashion is more than just clothes—it can be a way to express yourself or your personality. And finally: Fashion is fun!