by Whether you’re currently mourning the reported death of the floral dress or sticking faithfully to yours, in the shop windows of my local high street there’s been a noticeable shift away from dresses, and towards odd separates, slouchy – wide leg linen trousers, pajama-y coordinating sets, lots of baggy denim. But while I’m personally in the camp of leaning away from the printed midi dress – at least for now – this leaves a dress-shaped void in my wardrobe. What to wear for a meeting day, or an evening at a gallery, or when you meet a friend for a nice lunch that could turn into a whole evening?
Enter the shirt dress, with one crucial update: the best modern revisions are MSDs – maxi shirt dresses, ending right at the ankle bone. Riding a bike to lunch in the Hamptons recently, Jennifer Lopez was photographed wearing a green-on-white printed version by Dior. It was her 55th birthday, which perhaps explains the $3,400 price tag (though not why she’d risk being so close to a greasy bike chain). Meanwhile, on the same day but on another continent, Celine Dion (in Paris) also opted for an ankle-length Dior shirt dress. Hers was black, with a little more fabric and volume in the skirt, but they both had the same hourglass cut of the original 1950s “shirtwaist” jeans.
“I like to wear them loose and with flats,” says fashion stylist Esperanza de la Fuente, “and also over a bikini on vacation. They are very versatile, from the beach to dinner – change the accessories.”
Vintage shirtwaist dresses were often placed just below the knee, but that makes difficult shoe choices, and it feels specific during the day. But an ankle-length shirt dress looks just as good with flats and heels, and unlike a shorter style it is easy to re-accessorize for the evening, and not only on holiday, but also in the city or the office. The shape and length feel elegant – but not fussy. Both Lopez and Dion wore those with their hair pulled back sharply, and some small pieces of jewelry, emphasizing the simple beauty of the dresses themselves. With this summer’s ballet flats (like Lopez) or, slightly dressier, slingbacks (Dion), MSD is the complete wardrobe that will work the rest of the summer and then – with a few more layers – anyway. into autumn.
Add “simple black flip-flops, rolled-up sleeves and stunning rings, a large woven leather bag and some sunglasses,” says social media creator and book club host Lizzy Hadfield; “and it looks great from day to night too.”
The advantage of a button-through is that re-styling a block dress code is simply putting the button up a little more, or a lot less. Back in May, Anne Hathaway showed this in a white cotton shirt dress, floor-length and darted at the waist – with only one button, creating thigh-high and off-the-shoulder slit possibilities. Hathaway’s dress was not Dior, but Gap – £120 (although it sold out very quickly). So unbuttoned, with her hair down and some jewels on, her MSD was wearing a red carpet for an event in Rome. So, a belt at the waist and no button on the collar and with your own stonking jewels (dresses, in my case) and a satin or velvet bag, your own shirt dress will definitely meet the cocktail dress code.
And for those of us who are not in Paris, the Hamptons or Rome, but are trying to navigate this sticky British summer; “At the moment I like to let it hang – no belting,” says stylist Monikh Dale. “Featuring a large stone necklace as a focal point, simple flip-flops that look like the best sandal in it, and a suede bag.”
That vintage will not be inspired, filled in by the silhouette of the waist, to everyone’s taste. If that’s true for you, there is still an MSD for you. Swap the full skirt for straighter lines, like a tailored men’s shirt that goes straight to the floor, and you have a more relaxed shape with just as much flexibility. Or maybe more: Katie Holmes wore her Banana Republic MSD black long sleeve fully open, layered over a white tank and pale pink trousers – a sort of duster coat for days that are too hot for heavier layers.
So to find the right one for you. Tighter fabrics such as cotton will retain their structure, so may look a little more architectural. That can work really well for more angular or taller body types: I’m all curvy, so find that the tightness of cotton floats on me and you prefer a fabric with a bit more drape. The right length at the ankle is important, and it will take a little more shopping around if you’re tall (start with Scandinavian brands like Arket and Cos on the high street, which usually cut long), but it may be necessary with hemming at your local dry. cleaner either way. Cropped enough to show boot and ankle bone, to get the most mileage out of this smart casual shapeshifter.
Five of the best
The classic neutral
Organic cotton, £140, The White Company (the sand color as all sizes are available)
The cinched waist
Recycled polyester blend, £155.35, Karen Millen
The bright heavy
Linen combination, £159 now £75, Whistles
The summer streak
Cotton, £750, Borgo de Nor at Net-A-Porter
The graphic font
Cotton, £125, Boden
