The all-purpose ‘must-have’ dress style made for work and play this summer
IF you’re going to invest in some new summer staples this season, put the shirt dress at the top of your list.
It’s incredibly versatile – smart, stylish and perfect for so many occasions, whether you’re heading to the office on a warm summer’s day or dressing for a day trip to the coast.
A shirt dress truly is a wardrobe hero that will never go out of fashion – think of it as your summer sidekick.
Plus, the high street is currently full of options, from fitted silhouettes to looser, boxier styles, so there’s something to suit everyone.
Here are the Fabulous Fashion Team’s top picks and how to style them.
Clemmie Fieldsend, 34, Fashion Editor
- Trousers, £39.50, M&S Collection at Marks & Spencer – BROWSE NOW
- Dress, £95, Arket – BUY NOW
- Sunglasses, £4, Primark – BROWSE HERE
- Belt, £15.99, Stradivarius – BUY NOW
- Bag, £139.99, Mango – BUY NOW
- Shoes, £22.99, New Look – BUY NOW
Making the most out of an item and being a style chameleon is easiest when you have a shirt dress, and this oversized beige one from Arket has the versatility for endless summer outfits.
Worn on its own with sandals, like this stunning pair from New Look with gold detailing for just £22.99, it’s perfect for holidays or when things hot up in the UK.
For a more defined silhouette, you can also belt it with a tonal brown colour, and this one from Stradivarius with stud detailing is a nod to designer Khaite’s £530 version.
Or, you can unbutton it to the waist with a vest top underneath, and slip on a pair of black linen trousers, which makes the perfect flight outfit – then you can just whip off the bottoms and be ready for that holiday heat when you land.
Wherever you’re going or whatever you’re doing, this is my must-have for summer.
Emily Regan, 25, Fashion Assistant
- Necklace, £15.99, Parfois – BUY NOW
- Shirt dress, £49.99, Zara – BUY NOW
- Sunglasses, £12.99, H&M – BUY NOW
- Sun hat, £45, John Lewis & Partners – BUY NOW
- Bag, £75, The Jacksons X Harrods – BUY NOW
- Sandals, £34, River Island – BUY NOW
I love the cinched waist detail of this shirt dress as it adds some structure, and I’m also really into the poplin-style skirt as it gives such a lovely shape.
It’s also incredibly versatile – I’ve styled mine for the beach with raffia sandals, a matching sun hat and a gorgeous hand-made bag from The Jacksons.
But you could easily dress it for work with a pair of loafers and a structured tote bag.
It’s even perfect for a relaxed day at the races.
The blue and white stripe is a classic that’ll stand the test of time in your wardrobe.
Tracey Lea Sayer, 53, Fashion Director
- Trousers, £160, Mint Velvet – BUY NOW
- Mismatched earrings, £35, COS – BUY NOW
- Dress, £115, COS – BUY NOW
- Bag, £220, Jigsaw – BUY NOW
- Sandals, £99.95, Massimo Dutti – BUY NOW
- Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Shine lipstick, £37 – BUY NOW
As someone who borrows from the boys all year round, shirt dresses are my absolute go-to for summer in the city.
They feel chic, smart and ultimately keep you cool while whizzing around on the tube and enjoying a spot of sunbathing on your lunch break.
This year, rather than opt for my usual Oxford stripe dress, I’ve gone for a navy linen shirt dress because I want to try something completely different!
I am going to wear it over a pair of white wide-leg dress trousers for a grown-up feel, and a look that will easily take me from day to an after-work event.
I like sticking to the ‘rule of three’ – three colours, three textures and three accessories always make the perfect combo!
Abby McHale, 30, Deputy Fashion Editor
- Bag, £12.99, H&M – BUY NOW
- Dress, £59.99, Reserved – BUY NOW
- Sunglasses, £55, Le Specs at H&M – BUY NOW
- Scarf, £12.99, Mango – BUY NOW
- Shoes, £27.99, Zara – BUY NOW
Having a fuller bust can sometimes make shopping for shirt dresses tricky, as they can often gape open.
However, over the years I have found that sizing up does the trick.
Most shirt dresses come with a belt like this one from Reserved, so even if you size up, you can always maintain your shape with the belt.
I’ve kept this look pretty tonal, mixing in other neutral shades, but I’ve added interest to the look with a striped tote bag and paisley neck scarf.
A shirt dress really is one of the most versatile items in my wardrobe – for example, I’d wear this to the office, out on a weekend and even on holiday.
Plus, they are a classic that comes back year after year, so you know you’re always going to get your money’s worth.
Why the high street still rules!
Fabulous’ Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.
I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high-street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.
Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.
My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.
I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high-street fave River Island.
I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.
Frilly ra-ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.
Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.
At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.
Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.
I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.
One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!
That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.
It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When Cool Britannia hit in the ’90s, they all turned up in one big store.
Designers at Debenhams was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson, to name a few.
This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.
Years later, I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.
In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.
Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!
Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.
I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.
I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.
At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?
High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.
Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!
A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.
Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.
I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.
Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.
Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.
The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.
The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!