Shift Dresses 101

Let’s conquer some fashion fears (insert fist pounding emoji here).

Until recently, I feared three things: Shift dresses, denim jackets worn at the waist (and how chunky they make you look) and being in a lake filled with amebas. Well now, all of that has changed and I’ve conquered two fears in one!

If you’re short and not straight up and down, shift dresses are not your friend. If you’re arms aren’t stick skinny, shift dresses are not your friend. If you have boobs, or a butt or any kind of curve – shift dresses are not your friend. Why? Oh come one you know the answer – because they can be semi-rude garments that leave you shapeless and fail to show off your smallest point!

Learning to dress for your body is all about finding your smallest point and accentuating it (you know this, I tell you all the time… you’re actually probably sick of hearing it, sorry about that). So I would usually suggest you avoid pieces that do not allow you to do so – aka shift dresses. But this would totally make your wardrobe options dwindle and I’m so not into that – plus, why would we avoid a wardrobe challenge we would could take the chance to totally tackle it and show it’s who’s boss — challenge accepted.

So if you have a shapeless shift dress, you can totally adjust it to make it work for your body and define your waist in two awesome ways: one – wear this belt (honestly it changes everything!!!) at your smallest point or two – tie something around your waist and Viola, Instant shape! Today I opted for option B by wearing a denim jacket around my waist – something I probably never would have done for sheer fear of instantly adding ten pounds to my hips – yikes! Anyways, if you opt for a lighter-weight denim jacket with a more worn in and malleable material like mine, you can totally avoid the extra baggage. A quick tie at the waist will draw your eye there, creating a shape within the dress and adding definition to your smallest point making that shift dress wearable for even a 5’1, curvy girl and squashing two fashion wears in one – BOOM!

SHOP THE LOOK, CLICK THE IMAGES BELOW

SHOP THE LOOK, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW
WHITE SHIFT DRESS – I’ve been wearing mine like once a week #oops – get it here
BROWN BLOCK SANDALS – So crazy comfy, can’t. stop. wearing. – get them here
STRIPED PINEAPPLE TOTE – my summer fav and currently on sale – get it here or here
LIGHT WASH DENIM JACKET – perfect for all year long – get it here
TORTOISE SUPER DUPER SUNGLASSES – my all time favs – get them here or here
LADY DANGER LIPSTICK MY MAC – get it here