The unstructured shirt dress outfit formula is a comfortable and easy Summer frock look. Classic shirt dresses have belts to create a defined waistline, but trendier shirt dresses are unstructured and hang like a sack — just like you’re wearing a long shirt. Their short length and high-low hemlines effectively offset the lack of structure. Breezy, yet covered, and just about the easiest pull-on-and-go outfit of them all. 

I’ve created three versions of the look to get you started. Think solid or patterned shirt dresses in stiff or soft fabrications. Here are the components:

Shirtdress: You can wear unstructured shirt dresses on their own if you’re comfortable sporting the shorter length. That said, some shirt dresses — like Topshop’s utility midi shirt dress — are longer than the norm. Or you can layer the dress over leggings and skinnies for extra coverage. 

Cropped Leggings & Skinnies: These extras are optional, making the shirt dress work more like a tunic. I vote cropped leggings in black and skinnies in white. Cropped skinnies mean that you can wear all sorts of trendy footwear with the look. Showcasing the ankle and shin also makes the outfit look more Summery. 

Of course, feel free to wear blue, grey or black cropped skinnies. And by all means sport a denim on denim look by pairing denim skinnies with a denim shirt dress. Why not!  

Footwear: Finish off the look with dressy or casual footwear, like slip-on sneakers, gladiators, ankle strap pumps, slides, loafers, sandal, wedged sandals, sandal booties or cage heels. 

Accessories: Add a bag that works with the outfit. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired. 

Shirt dresses are my favourite style of dress and I have three of them: a denim style, a voluminous flag dress, and a tomato red cocoon dress. Last season I wore them on their own with loafers, laceless oxfords, and ankle strap flats. But this season I want to wear them with skinnies, leggings and pearls. I also want to try the longer Topshop frock with my chunky pearl necklaces.