How to Style a Summer Shirt Dress (With Pattern Mixing) #iwillwearwhatilike

Shirt dresses, I have a thing for you right now!

When the warm weather started here in the UK I vowed that I wanted to spend the summer in dresses, and so far I’m doing well. However I think I say it every year: Let’s wear dresses all summer! It’ll be a fine summer for sure! – the reality is that it’s NEVER warm enough or sunny enough here to be able to do that. You’ll always eventually succumb back to your jeans and t-shirt and throw a sweatshirt over the top [you’ve packed away your nice sweaters] because you’re a bit on the chilly side. And then you’re counting down the days to getting your winter wardrobe back out because it’s too depressing looking at loads of summer clothes you’re too cold to wear.

This year though, it’s different. We’ve pretty much had a decent summer so far. Since when does it get to the middle of June and feel like we’ve had lots of sunshine and weeks of warm weather already?! N-e-v-e-r.

So, in true British style, I gleefully went through all my summer clothes, trying everything on I wanted to wear this year…

SHOP THE LOOK:

… only to find that I couldn’t fit into ANYTHING. Even the bigger clothes I bought last summer because everything else was a bit too tight are now too small. So, I had nothing.

I just wanted to explain why you’ll see quite a few brand new clothes on the blog over the next few weeks: it’s because nothing I already own fits. I have a ton of beautiful clothes I still love and WANT to wear, so it’s somewhat crushing when they don’t! I’ve already started the fitness drive but the older I get the harder it is to get the weight off (I’m sure many of you can relate) – my health is the important thing here and I’ve been idle too long, giving my operation and leg pain as the excuse. I may never be able to fit into those summer clothes again, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Getting my fitness levels back up to avoid aches, pains and generally lead a happier, healthier, more energetic life is my number one priority here 😀

Anyway! onto what I described in the blog post title – styling a striped shirt dress. This one is slightly different to the one I featured the other week when we dressed up Blade Runner-style for the Secret Cinema, though they are very similar. I’ll admit, I ordered them both and couldn’t choose between them (that one being blue, black and white stripes, this one black and white only) so I kept both. It means I have one more dress I can fit into, and for now I need things that make me happy, especially after Friday’s day from partial-hell (thank you for all the lovely messages and comments, I’m feeling much more positive now and luckily nothing else has gone wrong)!

So this dress is quite plain but I do love the shirt dress shape… black and white needed a little colour so I wore my red block heel slingbacks – I’ve worn these loads but not yet featured them on the blog. And to avoid looking too matchy-matchy with a red belt I plumped for leopard print in the form of a leopard belt (similar) and leopard clutch (similar) that was in my goody bag from the Jaeger press day.

For someone that doesn’t “do” black I’m happy when I have some other patterns or colours thrown in. The last thing I’d personally add would be black shoes, belt or bag to this dress… I need cheering up right now and a dash of colour and pattern does it for me!

Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured next week!

ARE YOU EMBRACING THE SHIRT DRESS THIS SUMMER – OR ANY OTHER STYLE? COMMENT BELOW…!

Like this post? You might also like how I styled my other shirt dresses…

– Futuristic 1940s-Style Secret Cinema Blade Runner Costume
– Florals With a Twist | A Loud Birds & Tropical Print

Dress: New Look
Belt: Unknown (similar)
Shoes: Marks & Spencer (US link)
Clutch: Jaeger c/o (similar)
Sunglasses: Asos (similar)
Lipstick: Smashbox Carat Stick (US link)
Earrings: Amazon (similar)

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Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Monday at around 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only criteria is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button). Basically it’s just good manners to link back to here – to leave a comment is even nicer!

Want to receive an email reminder for the next link up?

Please note that due to the new GDPR laws I’m unable to send an email reminder unless you subscribe to the mailing list of your own accord. CLICK HERE if you wish to be sent an email with a reminder to link up to the #iwillwearwhatilike link up as soon as it’s live!

Featured favourites

My favourite outfits from last week’s link up:
(L-R) Porcelina’s World | Kremb de la Kremb | Fake Fabulous

To get yourself featured next week, make sure you’ve included a link back to Not Dressed As Lamb or my button in your post/sidebar!

P.S. CHECK OUT MY PINTEREST BOARD WITH THE BEST OF THE #IWILLWEARWHATILIKE LINK UPS – HAVE YOU BEEN PINNED…?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you click through and buy I may receive a small commission at no cost to you (click here for my full disclosure). Items listed as c/o were gifted…