I love wearing oversized men’s shirts and know many other women who do. Generally, I keep this to round the flat though. I have several shirts to wear outside, but for ‘hourglasses’, it’s seldom we can find one which doesn’t gape but shows off the silhouette nicely. For this reason, I have bypassed rails of shirt dresses throughout the years, albeit with a sense of longing.
A shirt dress can be the backbone of a summer wardrobe. It is smart and chic and can take you from the school gate to the office to after-work drinks all with incredible ease, looking like something you just “threw on”.
I was therefore very excited when I recently encountered a new label, Alex Black Collection, that concentrates solely on the shirt dress, and she’s based in Edinburgh!!!! Seeing these pieces lined up on the rail was like a work of art in itself. Beautiful quality, softly tailored, in neutral shades that have something to keep every colour palette happy and with detailing (silhouette and neckline) that will satisfy all style personalities. There is at least one shirt dress in the collection for every woman, and, quite possibly, three or four!
Behind the label
Alex started her label in 2014 while living in Hong Kong. Born in the UK, Alex spent 10 years in Manhattan before moving with her husband and three children to Hong Kong. Being so close to fabulous tailors and within easy reach of high-quality factories, she realised that it was her chance to follow her dream of creating something that she couldn’t find in the shops – the perfect shirt dress.
Researching fabrics
Alex explained to me that she spent months researching the ultimate cotton, ensuring the best possible finishes (including French seams, whip-knot finish buttons, double hems, superior quality interlining and thread, hidden buttons to avoid gaping) to create a timeless shirt dress that feels totally luxurious and will last for years. Her aim was to create a fitted shirt dress silhouette that would flatter women of all sizes. She put obsessive amounts of thought into the women who would wear her dresses and it was vital that the collection was not rooted in any one country – they have to fit with the wearer’s life, regardless of where she travels to in the world.
True sized model and hidden buttons
Crucially, she worked with a true Size 12 fitting model with real curves to create her basic tailored silhouette. As a result, Alex’s shirt dresses are gently shaped so that they can be worn with or without a belt. The universal gaping issue in women’s shirts had to stop, so she included a hidden button in the placket in order to close any gaps. As my styling clients know only too well, women’s waists are not all in the same place, so she did not add belt hooks – you decide where the belt sits, should you feel the need to wear one. This is a beautifully pared-down classic.
All the shirts in Alex’s collection are the same length – on a woman of 5’7” they fall just above the knee. This is a very complementary length for a shirt dress and works for most women. There are two silhouettes. One dress is shaped but straight, the other is a drop-waisted A-line (with a fastidiously angled flare that is feminine without being girly!).
How to wear a shirt dress
What I love about the shirt dress myself is that they are a blank canvas on which to put your personality. Unless you are a natural “style personality”, ensure it is crisp and not creased and then start building it up with accessories – an armful of gold bracelets, a man’s watch? Dress them up with a scarf, put a long cardigan over them, even put a skirt over the top of them if you want to use them as a shirt.
For a weekend away pack a few shirt dresses and you’re done. Bring your Converse for the day, some flats for lunch and heels for night and you’re ready to walk into any setting. You can even make the dress a tunic by throwing it on over skinny jeans.
It’s one decision in the morning. Easy.
For your exclusive 30% discount, enter code LK10
ALEX BLACK COLLECTION is available online at www.alexblackcollection.com
