Yay for the shirt dress, v. 2

Carol has been drawing our attention to the shirtdress and button through shirt of late. Well, Carol, it turned out to be a great reminder for me this week. We'd had hot temperatures for days so I was tentatively planning one outfit for my kid's graduation....only to find that the day itself dawned much cooler and nothing without sleeves would do. What to do? 

My trusty shirtdress to the rescue! 

We had a very long day, with arrival required two hours before the ceremony, then a looooooooong ceremony, followed by photos, followed by dinner out. Mr. Suz and I had to twiddle our thumbs for an hour and a half between arrival and ceremony, so we elected to go for a walk, and for that, I brought a casual option of my outfit -- denim jacket and sneakers. Back to the car and quick change jacket and shoes and presto, I was ready for the more formal event! (Mind you, people showed up in all levels of dress, from bright pink Docs and shorts to ball gowns and sky-high heels.) 

The outfit felt great and we were proud of our graduate, who has had a long and tumultuous road to get here. 

What I wore: 1901 dress, Naturalizer shoes, Zara jacket, Pom Pom London bag and rainbow strap in solidarity with my kid. Denim jacket and Cole Haan sneakers for the walk. 

This dress is absolutely stunning quality fabric. It barely wrinkles (despite being cotton). I wish Nordstrom had kept up with that 1901 label. 

I don't wear this often, but wow, I'm so glad to have it in the closet. Ditto for the little Zara jacket -- it hasn't had a lot of outings but it has still been an excellent purchase. YLF has taught me the value of keeping seldom worn items in the closet if they fill a specific role. No shopping required, and no last minute panic. 

How about you? Have you pulled an oldie but goodie out for service lately and thanked yourself for hanging onto it? 

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This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

32 Comments

  • Irina replied 7 months ago

    Excellent, Suz! Love both looks!
    Congratulations on your kid’s graduation. 

  • Angie replied 7 months ago

    CONGRATS to your kiddo and family!!! A very happy day - you three look it! -  and have much to be relieved and grateful for. Mr. Suz and the graduate look awesome!!!

    Suz, your styling of this dress is OUTSTANDING!!! Practical, pretty, and polished too. Both versions are KILLER, and you wear the look with grace, radiance, and verve! Your trendy new sneakers came just in time, the tweed jacket is perfect for the few occasions when you need it, and a classic denim jacket is your friend :) 

    I LOVE our old navy shirtdress (waving at my dress twin!). It was a NAS top pick many years ago, and is going strong in my wardrobe too. Impeccable quality. Mine has gone to many occasions, and funerals. 

    Wish Nordies had continued with the 1901 brand. And other in-house brands like Classiques Entier. What are they smoking??? :(

  • RobinF replied 7 months ago

    Wow, that dress looks great on you! Seems like the perfect look for the occasion too. Love it with the silver accents.

  • Janet replied 7 months ago

    So good! Perfect outfit and styling for the occasion (love the bag strap too!). So smart to keep these items.

    Big congrats to your kiddo! They are so lucky to have your support and love — I know you must be so proud.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 7 months ago

    That dress is just right for the occasion, Suz. Dressed down and up, perfectly, and your new silver Cole Haan sneakers are already earning their keep. Part of what makes these outfits work so seamlessly are the matching footwear in dressy and casual versions, to match the bag. Plus your neutral dressy and casual jackets. It's evidence of how well coordinated your wardrobe is.
    Congratulations to your graduate, and thanks for sharing these lovely family pics!

  • Suz replied 7 months ago

    Thanks, Sharan. Mr. Suz loved the sneakers so much he thought I should wear them all day! Which would have been fine, in fact. But I like my Naturalizer slingbacks so much I wear them at any opportunity. I was actually pondering buying extra pairs of both shoes, yesterday, to keep in reserve....

    Thanks, all for the kind words. 

    Angie, I loved Classiques Entier, too! I hope Nordstrom's gets the message at some point about those house brands....

  • Cookie replied 7 months ago

    I love how the dress looks so good both ways! Congrats to your fam.

  • LJP replied 7 months ago

    What a perfect dress for the occasion and your styling is fabulous . What’s LJ’s degree in ? ( zoomed in but can’t quite read the diploma ) - and congratulations to them :)

  • Carol replied 7 months ago

    Suz--thanks for the mention! And I am going to have to go back and finish reading the dress shirt post, my own, all the comments, before I do this one justice. But what a great dress,  and I love how you were able to switch it from "day to night," as it were. And congratulations to your kid!!

  • Kate replied 7 months ago

    What a perfect dress. Congratulations to your graduate. Well done, them!

  • Dee replied 7 months ago

    How terrific having this lovely dress on hand for just such an occasion. Its a perfect classic that can be dressed up or down. Haha, I'm familiar with those extra long ceremonies too, but a wonderful achievement and congrats to the grad.

  • Helena replied 7 months ago

    Fantastic, congrats to your wonderful kid and the proud parents! Love this outfit with extra love for the FAB rainbow strap!

  • Suz replied 7 months ago

    Thanks, all. LJ earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing (with distinction!) and next year they are headed to the Faculty of Education. 

    The ceremony was long but I also got the pleasure of seeing several of my favourite former students on that stage and later got to congratulate them in person, so that was an added bonus. 

  • JAileen replied 7 months ago

    Both versions look great and Congrats to the Grad!

  • Indigoprint replied 7 months ago

    Looking FAB and on point for your style at this memorable occasion.
    Well done!

  • Kyle replied 7 months ago

    Your family is beautiful, Suz. And congratulations to your accomplished graduate. I’m heartened to know young people are still studying the arts! Your wardrobe works for you so well. It really seems that you are prepared for anything. And what CAN’T a shirt dress do? They are so appropriate for so many different types of events and activities. And so flattering, too!


    I love the rainbow strap. I think I need one to coordinate with my standard poodle’s rainbow collar.

  • Dana replied 7 months ago

    So cute! Suz, you are the queen of versatile styling!! I bet you'll start wearing your oldie but goodie a lot now that you've resurrected it. 

    You've reminded me I should really try to buy a few things with sleeves. All of my dresses are sleeveless! Our weather is crazy like yours! 

    And I echo the sentiments...I wish Nordstrom would bring back Classiques Entier! It was the best brand they ever had. I still have a blouse I wear on occasion. 

  • sarah replied 7 months ago

    So fab, Suz! Shirtdress to the rescue. You styled it beautifully. I don't have a shirtdress, but I'm on the lookout for one - they seem so versatile.

    You graduate looks so happy and the parents look so proud! Congratulations to all of you!

  • Lisa replied 7 months ago

    An excellent dress that worked double duty and is lovely styled both ways.

    Congratulations to your kiddo!

    Also a great point, not everything in a wardrobe will have a low CPW or be worn often, but that doesn't always mean the item should be edited out. The role the item fits must also be considered. 

  • Jenni NZ replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations to LJ on such a wonderful day, and to you both as the parents.
    I would have changed back to the more dressy shoes after the walk too. I have quite a few dressy shoes so also take every opportunity to wear them! I like your dress and really love the small cropped jacket with it. I wore a longsleeved dress when my son graduated a few years ago.

  • Brooklyn replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations to all! Sounds like LJ takes after you, Suz. You must be very proud. Y’all look fabulous.

  • Karie replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations to your graduate, and you look fantastic in both outfits! It’s nice to have clothing that, although doesn’t get worn much, serves a specific purpose in our wardrobe. I have items for travel like that.

  • Star (Lise) replied 7 months ago

    Such a versatile dress. YLF! And Congratulations!

  • DonnaF replied 7 months ago

    Fab outfits! Seems like only a year or two ago that LJ was awarded a middle school prize for their writing. So great that they pursued that talent.

  • Laurie replied 7 months ago

    Oh Suz - so beautiful, all of this. The apple has not fallen far from the tree - a writer! Congratulations to LJ, and to Mom and Dad. The journey is real.
    You look lovely. I especially like the silver sling backs. Super pretty with the outfit. And the symbolic bag strap is excellent. 

  • kkards replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations on the graduation 
    and how perfect that you had the right piece just waiting to be the star again. 

  • Bonnie replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations! The shirt dress is perfect. I have a similar dress in black with many wears.  My oldie but goodie is a pair of shoes that I bought to wear to a niece's college graduation in 2017.  It turned out that they were perfect for her garden wedding last month.  

  • Olive Green replied 7 months ago

    Happy for your family! And your ability to pull a charming outfit for the occasion out of your bag!

  • bella replied 7 months ago

    Congrats to the recent grad and the proud parents! This post is a testament to the power of shirt dress!

  • Suz replied 7 months ago

    Thanks for all the lovely comments, friends. It was a lovely day and a happy occasion. It's important to celebrate those, right? And having the right clothes definitely helps! 

  • Carol replied 7 months ago

    Finally getting back to this. Looks like all has been said. I will just add: I did not see how low those heels were. They look positively elegant with that dress, and I thought they were regular heels. On my list: low heels.
    Rainbow strap: an elegant and fun way to show solidarity with your scholar, and I'm sure they will remember that. 

  • Jaime replied 7 months ago

    Congratulations! You all look fab! The shirtdress is an excellent look for you Suz and what great pics!

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