By Huma Rashid

Shirtdresses seem to be under-rated and under-utilized. From what I can gather, many women pass them over because they’re boring or drab. This isn’t true of every shirtdress, though, and it’s easy enough to breathe life into what we often see as a ‘blah’ dress style.

First, consider the actual dress. Solid or printed? You might have more fun with a printed one, but be sure it isn’t too busy.

Then consider the colors you can play around with. Shirt dresses aren’t at all different from other dresses, and it’s actually a little easier to dress them up for work because they already have those cute little collars.

Let’s see what I did with the shirtdress I found for today:

Short Sleeve Printed Shirt Dress ………. $22.99
Oscar Leather Pump ………. $29.94
Classic Solid Satchel in Dynamite Coral ………. $36.95

I like this printed shirtdress because it’s black and white but with unexpected bits of pink in there that really warm it all up and make it look really interesting. It’s telling that the ‘color’ is called ‘broken glass.’ More of an effect than a color, but I love it all the same.

I went with black leather pumps to dress this up. These ones from Jessica Simpson’s line fit the bill perfectly.

And finally, to add a touch of youth and hipness and bold color to this look, I went with this awesome coral satchel. You’d be sure to turn heads walking down the street with that interesting shirtdress and that eye-catching bag. And there we have a very simple way to liven up what some consider to be a boring shirtdress, keeping prints and accessories in mind.