First off, I have to say that I LOVE this shirtdress… but am a little confused by it.  If you check it out in ivory at retailers here or here, you’ll see why I thought I was getting a midi/knee-length dress.  The length looks to be correctly depicted in black, but in ivory and green, it’s much longer on the model than in real life.  As you can see in the pictures today, it’s not quite that long.  I mean, I’m tall (5’10”), but I’m not THAT tall.  I’d have to be Yao Ming to make it look this short, and Yao Ming doesn’t wear a lot of shirtdresses.
So this dress isn’t quite long enough on me for the office, but for all of my petite friends out there, you might just be able to make it work.  If you’re tall like me, you could definitely wear it as a tunic over trousers (like the shirtdress I styled here).  Regardless of the length though, I fell in love with the dress anyway, and in true shirtdress fashion, it’s been one of my most-worn staples of late.  I’ve extolled the virtues of shirtdresses many times before, and won’t wax on about this favorite wardrobe staple again, but if you’re looking for a seasonless dress that can take you from desk to drinks without a hitch, I’d recommend investing in a silk shirtdress.  Like now.  I can almost guarantee it will be one of the top ten—no, top FIVE most worn items in your closet.  And, the good news is that this one also comes in black, army green, and two different stripes.  Yahtzee.
I wore this outfit last weekend and love the contrast between the light ivory silk shirtdress  and the heavy grey chunky knit sweater.  San Francisco’s mercurial climate demands lots of layering, so this combo kept me comfy everywhere from running errands and shopping  during the day to dinner and drinks at night.  I’ve also been keeping this sweater at my desk lately because it’s the coziest thing to throw on during chilly afternoons.  It’s like a big, blankety hug.  Sometimes I nap under my desk in it.
Kidding, Mom. Â Kidding. Â That happened ONEÂ time.
I actually like these pieces separately better than together. The shirtdress is classic but the side slits might be a little high for a conservative office. I wonder if a tailor could lower the slits without losing the “walkability” of the dress?
Hah—-see-there are advantages to being short—that shirt dress would be below my knees—no problem!! I love it with a chunky knit sweater…great idea…thanks!! jodie http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
ps…I have a print shirt dress that is a tad too short, so I wore it over a straight skirt!
For tall ladies, I think you could pair this with leggings or, if you have the right body shape, a pair of trousers as a tunic and it could still work for the office. Then rock it as a mini on the weekend!
Great outfit, Mary. Shirtdresses are the best. I have one that has been on major repeat ever since I purchased it. I love how you styled this look with the OTK boots and oversized sweater.
Great question! I was actually shocked at how totally opaque the fabric is. I had anticipated wearing a slip underneath, but didn’t need one. If you’re wearing it to the office, depending on your height, you might want to layer an ivory slip underneath just to help with the side slits, but in terms of sheerness, no need! : )
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