Styling a Denim Shirt Dress, over 40.

Denim shirt dresses are everywhere at the moment, aren't they?

{In the online world anyway}

Every blogger worth their salt seems to have a shirt dress in their arsenal, and there is no denying that they look great wearing them!

But...
What about in real life?
How many denim shirt dress wearers do you see on a normal day?

A few?
Not many?
Well, I can honestly say that I do not remember seeing anyone I know wearing a denim shirt dress.
Ever.
How sad is that?

I wonder why nobody (in my experience) seems to be wearing the humble shirt dress.

They are not uncomfortable or impractical.
They are easy to wear.
They go with (almost) any style of footwear, and can be accessorised easily.
What is not to love?
Hmmm...

Is it the fact that a good fit is hard to find?
Is is because they tend to be on the short side?
Is it the stiffness of the fabric?
Are we all too used to stretchy jersey or skinny jeans?
It really is a mystery to me!

10 things to think about when wearing a denim shirtdress, at any age.

1. Make sure your dress fits. Gaping buttons, or sloppy shoulders, don't work. If you have a larger bust, avoid breast pockets like the plague. If you are on the hippy side, find a dress with a more roomy lower half. 
2. Forget about 'smartening up' your dress. A denim shirt dress is one thing...Casual. Embrace it, and have fun.
3. Ditch the self-tie belt (that comes with it) and add something in leather or suede. Coloured and patterned belts look great too.
4. If you have long sleeves on your shirt dress, try rolling them up a little. This stops the dress looking too overwhelming, and adds a cool vibe.
5. You can easily feminise your look (if you want to) by adding a more delicate necklace(s) or some interesting fabrics... like lace.
6. Toughening up the denim is easy, too. Adding boots (or trainers), leather or chunky accessories looks great.
7. If the dress feels too short (they often are) wear opaques or good quality sheer tights. 
8. If you still can't bear the thought of your knees out, try wearing your dress with skinny jeans (in a high contrast denim, like white or black) or slim fitting capri trousers... this is a chic look!
9. Get more wear out of your denim shirt dress by using it as an over-shirt or jacket (duster).
10. Take care with your shoes. Overly 'ladylike' footwear can frump-ify your shirtdress in an instant!

This denim shirt dress has a small pattern all over it, which made it stand out from the crowd (for me) and give off a summery feel.

I bought it online from one of those sites that sells overstock.
All of the original labels were supposed to be removed but, it is easy to recognise as M&S.
A decent quality for an excellent price.

The lighter pattern gives a fresher feel to the dress, and it softer to wear than some of the heavier denims.

I wanted to add the feeling  of even more lightness, so I reached for my lace boots.
These lace boots are my go-to shoe for comfort, and just enough personality.
They are a perfect all-day shoe!

{See how I styled them Here, with bright orange tights. Here, with a Christmas jumper and Here, with pyjamas!}

I ditched the self-tie belt (that came with the dress) and added a navy, plaited, suede one for that much needed shape.
A long cotton cardigan provided coverage (and warmth) and some layered pearl necklaces finished things off perfectly!

Do you see denim shirt dress wearers in your daily life?
Are you one of them?
Please share in the comments...or contact me.
I love reading your thoughts!

Linking up to: I will wear what I like (Monday), Visible Monday, Turning heads Tuesday The Pleated Poppy (Wednesday), Colour and Grace (Wednesday), Top of the World Style (Thursday), Brilliant blog posts (Thursday), Hat Attack (Friday), Forage Fashion Friday , Mummy's got style (Friday), Fun fashion Friday.

SHIRT DRESSES