Why we love the shirtdress.
At Mondo Kaos, we've always loved the shirt dress. It's a classic design that does all the best for the female figure, which is why the shirt dress can be worn by women of all body types. The shirt dress is therefore also one of the dresses that we always have in stock in plus size. Some models up to sizes 2xl, 3xl, 4xl and 5xl. The shirt dress is also a very versatile dress that can be worn for a lot of different occasions depending on how it is styled.
The shirt dress has been a part of a woman's wardrobe for many decades, and here we will take a closer look at the history of this beautiful piece of clothing.
The history of the shirt dress.
In Europe, fashion in the first half of the 1940s was characterized by rations and restrictions, forcing housewives and designers to get creative with clothing. Due to the restrictions on how much material could be used for a dress, for example, designs became simpler and more simple. designs became simpler and shorter than in the 30s. This is when the shirt dress really became a popular design. The design was composed of a shirt and a skirt, hence the name. Originally, the name is "shirtwaist dress" and this describes the shirt with the marked waist. In the early 40s, the shirt dress was a typical everyday dress used for housework and running errands. It was a practical dress, usually with pockets, short sleeves and an a-line skirt, and the shirt dress was usually made of natural materials such as cotton or rayon in different colors and prints. Some of the most typical are the floral shirt dress and the polka dot shirt dress, but the solid color shirt dress was also popular. As with all other designs from this era, the focus was on the female figure, and therefore the shirt dress was also marked at the waist either with a waist seam or, more often than not, with a belt. The belt could either be a regular belt or a tie belt. There were two versions of the shirt dress, the one where it buttoned down to the waist with 4-6 buttons (usually with a zipper on the side), or the other where there were buttons all the way down the dress. The collar was usually a "Peter Pan" collar or a more pointed shirt collar that went down into a V-neckline, and the bottom was always A-line.
In 1947, Christian Dior came out with his Couture collection and a new and "finer" shirt dress was part of the collection. Restrictions were lifted and this could be seen in the new designs which were upgraded to a full swing skirt bottom worn with a petticoat underneath. This design often had elbow-length sleeves with cuffs and a collar and belt. This 50s shirt dress became a staple in many women's wardrobes in the 50s, with designers such as Anne Fogarty becoming known for their versions of this style. From Heart OF Haute we have a very beautiful black shirt dress (sometimes also available in red and navy blue) that is very similar to the one that Dior included in his Couture collection in 1947.
Check it out here!
Styling your shirt dress.
The shirt dress is very versatile and can be used for many different occasions depending on how you style it.
A shirt dress is useful in both summer and winter. In the summer it looks great with a pair of sandals or a pair of flats from Charlie Stone, and maybe a scarf around your neck or in your hair for a 50s look. In winter, your shirt dress can be styled with a waist-cut cardigan, for example. The Ice Skater cardigan from Emmy Design.
For evening wear, it looks great with a pair of thin seamed stockings from What Katie Did.
See all our shirt dresses in our Copenhagen store.
We always have a good selection of shirt dresses in different colors and prints in stock both here on our webshop and in our store in Copenhagen N. Here on the webshop you can browse and see what we have in stock of shirt dresses right now, but if you have the opportunity to stop by our store in Copenhagen, we recommend you do so.
Do you have any questions about our shirt dresses?
At Mondo Kaos, our first priority is always happy customers. So if you have any questions about our shirt dresses or other clothing, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
You can reach us every weekday on 60 95 11 36 between 09:00-12:00 -
beyond this time, it can be difficult for us to answer the phone if we are busy in the store. Therefore, it would be an advantage to write your question to shop@mondokaos.dk where we strive to respond within one business day.
