I Found It! (The Perfect Shirtdress, That Is)

     As the title of this blog post says, the hunt is over! I've been searching for a basic but chic shirtdress to have a closet staple for the last two or three years, and I'm so excited to finally share this one with you today.  

Photos by H. Marie Photography

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Dress {blue sold out, still available in white} // Headband c/o // Shoes // Bag c/o // Bracelet // 

     

     Shirtdresses are such a classic wardrobe staple. They work in all seasons, can be worn on their own or accessorized, and work for all different dress codes. They're good for the office, church, and daytime weekend functions! You could even dress one up for a date night. 

     Anyways, I've been on the hunt for a good one for quite awhile now. I first had a fast fashion version of a shirtdress from Shein a few years ago (see it styled here!), and I loved the look of that dress on me, but the quality wasn't great and it didn't hold up after a few washes. I do like Shein and other fast fashion retailers for certain items, but a shirtdress wasn't one of them.  I wanted to find one  a little more durable that could be more of a closet staple for years to come! Since then, I've bought and returned shirtdresses from both J. Crew and Talbots. While I love both of those retailers and thought both shirtdresses from there were cute, they just didn't look the best actually on me. Sometimes shirtdresses aren't made of the most flexible fabrics in comparison to other dresses, and with the long sleeves and buttons I found it can be tough to find one that fits your shoulders and chest as well as the stomach area. 

    I have finally found the shirtdress of my dreams from Banana Republic! It's modest yet flattering, the perfect length, stretchy yet form-fitting, and it fits all parts of my body well- from shoulders to the skirt. It also fits true to size! The only bad part about it? It's sold out in this blue color that I have it in since I took these photos- ugh! It is still available here in white. Since this is such a classic piece, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets restocked at some point, so I will keep my eyes open for you for sure. 

    I wanted to keep my accessories as classic as this dress for this outfit, so I paired it with Tory Burch Minnie flats and my favorite Barrington Gifts monogrammed tote. I got this tote almost a year ago, and I still love it just as much! Funny story: I got this bag with intentions of using it as a carry-on or personal item on the plane to Spain last November... that trip ended up getting cancelled due to a medical emergency for my mom, and then the two rescheduled trips (spring and then summer 2020) were both cancelled this year for COVID. Who know when we will finally be able to go abroad now?! But hey- at least I've gotten use out of this darling bag over the past year!

     Hope you're having a great start to the week! It's a rainy Monday here in Virginia, but I'm thankful the rest of the week looks like nice fall weather. I'd also love to know if you're planning to shop Prime Day this week? To be honest I kind of forgot until last week that it was happening soon- I feel like there hasn't been as much hype since COVID delayed it to October instead of its normal July dates. I'll keep y'all posted if I end up shopping it!

     God Bless,

     xoxo Annaliese