By Michelle Crowe
Jaime Tisch shows off modern shirtdress style at a Vanity Fair Best Dressed List soiree.
The neat, pulled-together nature of the shirtdress is having a moment. For the sort of day when anything can happen, it’s a wonderful option.
A cheerful green dress at Zara.
With the belt serving as a built-in method for creating the illusion of a cinched waist and a timeless, vintage-inspired silhouette, the combination has proven itself to be a universally flattering fit that flatters.
And it never tries too hard, which of course is the secret to style, which may be why this silhouette always makes a comeback. When it does it often reflects what’s happening in the world.
Elizabeth Taylor disembarks a flight in a shirtdress, accompanied by Grace Kelly.
The 1940s shirtwaist was a practical, utilitarian piece fit for wartime. These dresses could be worn for nearly any activity and transcended ages, appealing to teenagers and busy ladies alike.
Dior’s New Look brought a very full skirt, three-quarter sleeves and an emphasis on the waist. It trickled down to become the uniform of the 1950s suburban set. Looking back we can see all sorts of stifling conformity and forced domesticity, but the ladies did look wonderful.
This 1950s shirtdress shows the style can go anywhere.
The social changes of the late 1960s found their way into shirtdresses by way of slimmer shapes and shorter hemlines. Somehow, this now iconic style managed to be a bit mod and still appropriate.
A 1990s revival came courtesy of the subversive styles at Prada and Isaac Mizrahi’s love of Mary Tyler Moore.
The best spring 2018 shirtdress styles are influenced by all of these decades, are fun to wear and feel like a breath of fresh air after such a long winter.
Perfectly dotty MDS Stripes Dress available on Moda Opernandi.
