Shirt Dresses: My Current Obsession

Whoever invented the shirt dress was a freaking genius.

I remember being a little girl watching 13+ movies (even though I shouldn't) and aspiring to be a teenager wearing her boyfriend's shirt after a wild night together (even though I shouldn't). There's something undeniably sexy about a girl in an oversized button down, particularly when I looks like she took it from some handsome man. It signals that he conquered her, and though I don't particularly like the term 'conquest' in this context, I can't deny the sex appeal of the oversized shirt.

Today, women can achieve this look without borrowing it from their beau and being deemed conquered. Ever since androgyny become the new fad, designers have been taking bits and pieces from a man's wardrobe and integrating them into their collections for women. From baseball caps at DKNY to masculine blazers at Michael Kors, our favourite designers are taking their inspiration from the boy next door.

It's almost as though we are experiencing the sexual revolution all over again (and we probably need to considering all the talks about feminism and hook-up culture).

Where does this desire come from? Why are we all being pulled in by masculine attire? Are we going to shed our dresses for more practical clothing? Are we still trying to assert ourselves in society or are we simply feeling experimental?

Though we've opted for masculine choices in our wardrobes, one thing remains the same: our high heels. Whether a killer wedge or a sexy stiletto, our femininity resurfaces in our footwear. There's nothing sexier than a woman in a pantsuit and high heels, so you can only imagine the effect of stilettos with the shirt dress.

Here are some amazing shirt dress looks to try this season:

Classic Shirt Dress with Block Heels

via Man Repeller

Casual Shirt Dress With Mules

via Who What Wear

Denim Shirt Dress

via Sincerely Jules

Belted Shirt Dress

via glitterandgrace.com

Classy Shirt Dress

via Pinterest

Your next purchase? Yeah. Mine too.

Bella

From Menswear To My Closet: It's An Art, Really

Hey GUYS (folks, individuals, fashion friends, average Joes, awkward turtles),

It's Wednesday (almost Thursday) and the week is coming to a dear and long-awaited close. Before that happens, let's talk about my current style mood (because it's super relevant to your every day lives). I'd like to begin by saying that growing up, I was that little girl with a permanent smile etched on her face until her cheeks hurt as she stared at her reflection in the mirror wearing a bright orange. I'm the girliest girl since Barbie herself, but I've stumbled across a phase I never thought I'd experience. I landed in the men's section. Literally.

The other day, I was shuffling through the racks at Simons. Suddenly, I was caught off guard by a feeling of desire pulling me towards the men's section. No, it was not an actual man that attracted my attention, but an oversized Ineedtohaveyou sweater. Then, I envisioned it with leather leggings and heals. It painted a very intriguing picture.

As designers embrace androgyny as their favourite child, I've adapted it to my expired bubblegum personality (interpret that phrase as you wish). My story goes like this...

Once upon a time, I was walking the halls at school, when I noticed something about young adult males. Whether athletic or hipster (or anything in between), baseball caps are (for lack of a better word) the shit. And then I noticed something else. Women NEVER seem to wear them. Perhaps the rare tomboy will be spotted with a baseball cap on her head to match her sports jersey of a team I've never heard of (but even then, it's an infrequent occurrence).  Obviously, this had to change. I had to step out of the norm and the result was the following. I purchased a baseball cap in faux cuir of course (that's leather in French, the language of fashion) and it became my uniform for 2 solid weeks. When I bought that hat, I received compliments from the most unlikely sources and that's when I knew it was a success. If I could've, I would've slept with it (like a clingy cuddly hooker). Though I elude the realms of masculinity, I love to transgress in my own unique way. The faux leather makes this hat infinitely chic and untraditionally masculine, just how I like it.

From that point forward, I realized that I had discovered a new me. An edgier me. And new definition for androgynous. Here are a few ideas to explore if you want to master this look:

1) Pencil skirts with sneakers (undeniably cool):

via sincerelyjules.com

2) Graphic Tee with full midi skirt:

via studsandsapphires.com

3) A skirt/dress with a bow tie:

via lookbook.nu

4) An oversized sweater with wedge sneakers:

via lookbook.nu

5) Baggy pants with stilettos:

via feedyoufashion.com

The list can go on endlessly if you know how to innovate, but the one thing to take from this is that no matter how masculine the item, if you combine it with something feminine (i.e a pair of high heels), you'll be the queen of androgyny. That's how it's done.

Bella




22 Days Until NYFW