Versatile, light and effortlessly stylish, make a shirt dress your staple this summer
It’s official – summer is here! And along with lighter evenings, days out and eating al fresco, the warmer weather calls for a different wardrobe. If your usual hot weather wardrobe includes swapping your jacket for a light cardigan and boots for trainers then we’re here to guide you towards a new, stylish and surprisingly flattering trend: shirt dresses.
However you choose to wear it, the shirt dress is a great purchase because it suits every body shape. They look great worn loose if you’re athletically built, belt them up if you have an hourglass figure, or throw it on unbuttoned over your jeans if you’re pear shaped (actually, do this anyway for a cool, unique take on the trend).
The best part is the sleeves and cut, they’re comfortable and add coverage in all the right places, so you can adjust that belt, and push up those sleeves without any bulges!
Basically, the shirt dress is everything we love about spring/summer dressing – light enough to keep you cool, comfortable enough to wear all day and flattering enough to make you feel fabulous! In a range of colours and textures, it’s the hit of the season. You’ll find new styles in almost every high street shop, but for ease we’ve picked our favourites so you can shop from your sofa.
Floral and gingham are here to stay for summer and this shirt dress from Zara covers all the trends. Wear it with flat sandals or summer heels, you could even wear it with your jeans! Perfect for summer dressing whatever the weather.
Click through the gallery to see our pick of the very best shirt dresses on the high street right now – plus discover the stylish shirt dresses you can currently shop in the sale! Whether you need a new work style, something you can dress up in the evenings or just a simple weekend update, we’ve got you covered…
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Orange dress, £66, French Connection
A pop of colour is just what you need during the summer months and this lovely warm orange with certainly get you some compliments. With a handy drawstring waist you can also cinch yourself in as much or as little as you want.
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Mercury Shirt Dress, £69.95, Anthropologie
Metallics are still in style this season and this chic shiny number from Anthropologie is a great way to give a nod to the trend. Belted at the waist for the ultimate flattering silhouette, wear with trainers or sandals for a casual day time look, or dress up with heels and a light jacket at night.
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Pink dress, £125, Reiss
If you prefer a more relaxed loose fitting style this shirt dress from Reiss will suit you. The effortless shape looks great unbuttoned with all white separates or style it done up as a dress with a pair of summer flats.
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Denim dress, £17, New Look
Update your Denim for summer with a relaxed shirt dress. Dress it down with a pair of trainers for a weekend exploring or pair it with some sparkly flats for holiday. we love this soft light shade and it's so easy to wear.
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Khaki dress, £60, Lands End at Debenhams
This super soft khaki dress hints at the military trend perfectly. The 3/4 length sleeves are super flattering and can be folded up or down depending on your preferred style. We love this style of dress with a wooden block heel and some great gold earrings.
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Cotton Shirt Dress, £69, & Other Stories
Coming in two colours, a plain light blue and a white with cute anchor print (pictured) this shirt dress by & Other Stories just screams summer office attire that will take you stylishly from day to night without any need for an outfit change. It?s midi in length so perfect for not flashing too much flesh, and the long sleeves mean you have the choice to completely cover up or roll them up for warm weather days.
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Tie dress, £200, Modern Rarity at John Lewis
Now this is the shirt dress of whole SS17 season! If you only buy one style this is the dress to go for. The soft blue and white stripes give a bright fresh summer feel and the long tie around the front slims down your middle. We love this style with a pair of white denim jeans underneath too.
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Floral dress, £39.99, Zara
Add a bit of colour to your summer look with this red stripe and floral dress from Zara. Red is a big colour for the summer season so this is a great subtle nod to the trend. We love the wrap detailing at the front and you could roll up the sleeves for a more relaxed look.
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Spot dress, £275, LK Bennett
Looking for a more classic style? This silk shirt dress is simple and elegant. A summer update to the little black dress we love the spots and the midi length is perfect. Dress is down for the day with a big shopper and sandals or dress it up for an evening out.
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Utility dress, £69, Hobbs
Safari style dressing is a great summer trend and this camel coloured dress from Hobbs can be worn in a variety of ways. Style it with a blouse underneath or wear on it's own with a pair of wedges or chunky sandals. The pockets are cleverly placed to distract from any worry areas and the tie accentuates your slim waist.
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Stripe dress, £129, Jigsaw
Linen is the perfect material for summer and we love this stripe dress from Jigsaw. The sleeves are slightly structured and the low v gives a flattering shape. We think this one looks great cinched in with a belt or left to hang loosely.
