picture from this post

You know those pieces that you buy on a whim, and they end up being the biggest workhorses in your closet? This silky shirtdress is one of those. I got it at Aritzia last year, and I just can’t tell you how many times it’s come in handy since that day. Since I wear scrubs to work every day, I didn’t used to have a lot of dressy clothes, and this was the first building block towards my efforts at building a small wardrobe of more “fancy” items (i.e., not jeans). I’ve since added black pants and a black dress to my wardrobe, as well as a few other dresses similar to this one (yes, up until recently I did not own a black dress or black pants).

What makes this dress so great? The belted waist and v-neck are especially flattering, and it’s pretty much perfect for a large variety of occasions when you don’t feel like going the dark jeans/dressy blouse route. It feels modern, feminine, and sophisticated. I was surprised to discover how versatile and useful this dress is, and this makes me feel that it would be a useful addition to anyone’s wardrobe! When I met Rebecca Taylor last year she even complimented me on it, which, I mean, could there be any bigger endorsement? I think not.

Here are a few similar dresses – including this exact one in a different pattern:

DVF | Rebecca Taylor (bought this one recently and love it!) | Club Monaco (on sale) | Aritizia | Aritzia

Plus Rebecca Taylor has a few nice ones currently, including this and this.

I think the key to this dress is the pretty floral pattern, which really takes the whole look up a notch – but, you could also do the Aritzia version in a solid (they have some really pretty colors for fall/winter) and add some killer accessories for a simple and chic look. I usually style this with my over-the-knee boots (another solid purchase that I wear constantly) and simple black leggings, along with a few bangles and my favorite bag.

PS – I finally started a Facebook page for the blog, and I hope you guys will check it out – and maybe “like” if you feel so inclined 🙂