Who tf wears a shift dress other than on MN?

[Torcentre]

They’re constantly being recommended on here, for larger sizes.. but I never see this in real life, and would look like a zeppelin.

Extra points if linen or a wrap or jacket is mentioned

Don’t they just make you look like a big rectangle?

IMO they’re very dated too.

If you mean straight-up-and-down dresses, I live in 'em. Short, long, thick & thin. My other style is smock-like dresses with big sleeves, the kind MN calls 'wide'.

Mind you, my primary criterion isn't "Does this make me look thin?" I'm not thin, my waist is so not 'defined' it barely qualifies as a waist, and nothing's going to make my body look like someone else's body. I can still wear nice clothes - as a bonus, my dresses are all very comfortable and I can just throw 'em on 😊

I've always thought of shift dresses as straightish with a bit of darting at the tits.

Can they have darts and shape at the middle? If so, I wear them. But I’m on MN so that’s not helpful.

They suit me best when I’m a size 16 (broad shoulders, so statuesque). When I’m an 18 I’m too dumpy for them.

They suit people with good legs.

I thought a shift dress was very short mini length, a-line, slash/ straight across neck, figure skimming. Like 60’s style. What’s wrong with that?

They really suit me, so I wear them. They're timeless, usually very well made and the straighter style is flattering on me.

I hate a lot of the frumpy patterned shirt dresses that are lauded on here (looking at you buttoned up to the neck chintzy patterned Tory Burch) and the weird poofy sleeved FLDS cult style monstrosities you see recommended, usually from M&S. Literally wouldn't be seen dead in either.

We've all got different tastes, luckily.

Twiggy made them fashionable in the 60s. You had to be careful bending over or your knickers were on show - a bunny-girl sideways dip used to avoid that issue when at work.

Love them

I like the simplicity of a shift dress. Wouldn’t wear one myself as it would show up all my deficiencies but then I don’t wear any kind of dress, I also think although they are timeless, they are more out of date now that fashion and particularly workwear has become a lot more informal. Some can be punked up with tights and boots but when I think of the traditional shift dress I see pastel linen and pointed sling backs with skin matched tights, a nice classic look for a summer wedding.

I love them in summertime. Linen or cotton, any material. Just simple, sleeveless dresses. What I can't stand is a shirt dress. Buttons all the way down- eww! I wouldn't wear a shirt dress for all the tea in China.

For those who wear them in the winter, do you then have to wear a cardigan over it?

I can’t imagine that looking very nice on anyone unless you’re a supermodel.

I haven't worn a shift dress since 1996.

Never worn them as have giant boobs and they look awful on me/don't fit properly

I am a big rectangle so I quite like them.

Agree they are dated but I've got a lovely swishy navy one from Ghost, late 90s, that I still pull out sometimes. Think of it as y2k retro.

I remember shift dresses being very fashionable circa 1995/1996 when I was in 6th form. I loved them and wore them a lot. But I remember reading in a magazine (More maybe? Or Looks?) around the same time that if you were a size 12 or over you do not have the figure for a shift dress (😮 plus a size 12 back then was about a size 8-10 in todays sizes so pretty bloody small). Such a toxic era for body confidence.

Why would you have to wear a cardigan?

I have long sleeved ones. Or team with a boxy, cropped leather or boucle Chanel inspired jacket.

Or an oversized blazer.

Dolly coat.

Biker jacket.

Lots of options.

I have good legs but am apple shaped. They suit me fine!

I know a number of real life folk who wear them.

I owned 2 myself, one from a charity shop, another bought new from white stuff. They didn't suit me so I ebayed them. So those ppl will also be wearing linen shift dresses.

I never know what a shift dress even is. Just googled and they all look v diffferent to each other 🤷🏻‍♀️

I like shift dresses. They suit my shape (short, slim, not very curvy). I have no idea what is in fashion at any given time but it’s neither here nor there because shift dresses look good on me so 🤷🏼‍♀️

What's with all the 'ew so dated!' Zara and H&M are full of linen shift dresses this summer. I wore this one today, looks good on my small frame, I have clothes hanger shoulders so the halter style looks good

I'm not the right shape for them and they don't have much give when sitting down

I love them , but I only own 2, one from newlook black with black studs all over the front, its in a stretch material, I've had it ten years, and one I just brought from whistles sale a black with a sequin thread running through it, for Christmas time, I'm a inverted triangle shape so they don't normally fit me, I struck lucky with these.

Can we have some examples please?

Sorry not whistles, it was french connection Ashton lurex mini dress