The shirt dress .. how to make these look less frumpy!?

[Anonymous]

Is it frumpy or just shapeless but how do you busty ladies style a shirt dress to make it look nice?

[Anonymous]

You need a good belt and maybe some tailoring.

[Anonymous]

Undo the top few buttons.

[Anonymous]

I don't wear them because I think of them as a staple that looks great on the rail thin ladies. If I belt it, it gets too short for me. I also have bigger hips than bust.

[Anonymous]

Agree that they do not look good on anyone with a chest or hips (me!). I have a few and think they look ok until I see pictures of myself and see that I look like a busty matron.

[Anonymous]

Large chested person here. I just don’t wear them. I have an hourglass-ish type shape and look nothing but matronly. I always try a few each year though! And always return them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need a good belt and maybe some tailoring.

This. A belt is essential

[Anonymous]

No, a belt won’t really help if you’re large chested. It can make it worse. A belted shirt dress looks good on someone with a lot of space between their bust and the belt.

I have one that looks good - it’s pretty fitted with no belt.

Otherwise try a tunic/shift dress with an V instead. Cool and summery but much more flattering.

[Anonymous]

Are you large chested and overweight or just large chested? How large?

[Anonymous]

They really look best on the thin but curvy. Otherwise they all look like nightshirts/beach coverups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't wear them because I think of them as a staple that looks great on the rail thin ladies. If I belt it, it gets too short for me. I also have bigger hips than bust.

Very interesting. I'm a thin person and I love shirtdresses and always have a few in rotation. I wear them often.

[Anonymous]

Not so thin pear who preferentially wears shirtdresses. The vee that comes from unbuttoning the first few buttons and collar seem more flattering than actual V necks. I agree a belt is essential; and not the self belts most come with.

They are not that flattering on larger busted people unless they have a long torso and a smaller waist. And in general are not that flattering on anyone who doesn't have a smaller waist.

[Anonymous]

I actually don't think most of them look good. I am thin, tall, and pretty flat chested. I still dislike this style on me. The ones that look good have tailoring. Otherwise, a belt just results in a lot of excess fabric getting bunched up and looking bulky / sloppy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually don't think most of them look good. I am thin, tall, and pretty flat chested. I still dislike this style on me. The ones that look good have tailoring. Otherwise, a belt just results in a lot of excess fabric getting bunched up and looking bulky / sloppy.

Hmm... Are you thinking of the same type of shirt dress as I? i think of true shirt dresses as having set in waist bands so the belt really is sort of decorative and would never bunch up the fabric more.

There are ones that have no set in waistband that are kind of straight up or down or mildly A line where a belt is essential to having a waist. There I could see why the fabric would bunch up and could look sloppy if you have a less than perfect figure.

This vs that, both from Brooks Brothers:

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/signature-a-line-cotton-sateen-shirt-dress/WX00818.html?dwvar_WX00818_Color=KHAK&quantity=1

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/puff-sleeve-belted-shirt-dress-in-linen/WX00833.html?dwvar_WX00833_Color=WHIT&quantity=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually don't think most of them look good. I am thin, tall, and pretty flat chested. I still dislike this style on me. The ones that look good have tailoring. Otherwise, a belt just results in a lot of excess fabric getting bunched up and looking bulky / sloppy.

Hmm... Are you thinking of the same type of shirt dress as I? i think of true shirt dresses as having set in waist bands so the belt really is sort of decorative and would never bunch up the fabric more.

There are ones that have no set in waistband that are kind of straight up or down or mildly A line where a belt is essential to having a waist. There I could see why the fabric would bunch up and could look sloppy if you have a less than perfect figure.

This vs that, both from Brooks Brothers:

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/signature-a-line-cotton-sateen-shirt-dress/WX00818.html?dwvar_WX00818_Color=KHAK&quantity=1

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/puff-sleeve-belted-shirt-dress-in-linen/WX00833.html?dwvar_WX00833_Color=WHIT&quantity=1

I'm a NP, but I think ones that come with a belt and defined waist was not my first thought. I was thinking of more A-line or straight styles when I read the OP. Mainly because I'm not sure who would struggle to style the dresses you posted, they either fit and look good on you or they don't.