2020 is the year of the house dress, and I am HERE for it. It makes sense with how much more of our life is happening online. If you are going to be home, you might as well be comfortable! A T shirt dress is the epitome of comfort in a dress, and for today’s post, I am talking about how to look put together while wearing a comfie T shirt dress.
Even while maxing out on the comfort, we all want to look good. If you happen to be on a Zoom call where you need to be appropriate from the waist up, or if you need to run out for some groceries, you want to look like you have your act together. Well, let me tell you, YOU are going to look so put together (and dare I say hot) while rocking a T shirt dress, and no one will guess that you feel like you are wearing pajamas.
Before I get into showing you how to style this dress, let me talk about the sewing pattern that I used.
The Valerie T Shirt Dress
The Valerie Dress pattern has an optional straight hem or a curved hem that shows a little extra leg. Both hemlines are super flattering on my short legs. I am 5’2″ and did not remove length. If you want a more modest hemline, I would recommend adding to the length of the skirt.
The neckline has three options: round, V, and scoop. The round neck is the more conservative option. My pink dress is the round neck option, while my striped dress is the V neck.
The pattern also includes a hood that works with the round neck option.
The Valerie dress has an optional chest pocket, but it does not include side seam pockets because we found during testing that it created too much bulk and was not flattering! If you are determined that you need a pocket for shoving your hands in or keeping your phone, I suggest a layering item with big pockets (think: cardigan) or add a kangaroo pocket. Here is a free one.
For sleeves, you can choose from cap, short, 3/4, or long. I seem to get the most use out of short sleeved-dresses because I live in a milder climate and can wear them all summer and then add layers over them in cooler seasons, while long sleeved dresses only work for a few months in winter for me.
This dress is drafted for knits with at least 50% 4-way stretch. Fabric choice is always really important on a sewing project, and I found that for this dress, I prefer fabrics with nice, soft drape. Fabrics that are stiff and do not flow well will not be as figure flattering. I used rayon spandex on my striped dress and a rayon/polyester blend french terry on my pink dress. Other fabrics that would work are brushed poly, bamboo lycra, or a triblend knit.
What really sets this particular T shirt dress pattern apart? It has a back center seam!!!
Why is that back seam so magnificent? It creates shaping! Most t shirts think that your bottom is a nice shelf to sit on. If you have a sway back or a bigger bootie, this is just exacerbated. You will have fabric pooled all above your backside, and it is just so far from flattering. If there is a seam back there, you have built in shaping, and if your figure needs further adjustment in this area, you can easily adjust it from this seam.
Now, let’s talk about styling 🙂
(1) It is All About the Accessories
Your first step to styling a T shirt dress is to add ALL the accessories. Grab the big earrings, a necklace, and SHOES! I find that a longer necklace works with the more modest round neck, while a shorter necklace looks better with a deeper neckline like the scoop or V.
In this post, I will be changing through three pairs of shoes, do you notice how it really changes each look? Pay attention to which shoes give the vibe you like best.
I personally love the look of the heels and booties, but I have to say, a good pair of sneakers is where it is at if you plan to do any walking!
(2) Cinch the Waist with a Belt or Sash
A great way to highlight your natural waist, make your shape look more curvy, and add some detail to your dress is by adding a skinny leather belt or a self-made sash around your natural waist. For a leather belt, look for one that is about an inch thick.
I tie the belt at my natural waist (not my low waist!) and then tuck any excess under.
If you do not have a favorite belt, it is really easy to make your own from a scrap of the fabric you used for your dress. Take a long strip of fabric that is about 3 inches wide and about 25 to 30 inches longer than your natural waist. If your natural waist is 30 inches, cut your belt at least 55 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Then, fold your long strip in half, right sides touching to where the length is the same but the width is now 1.5 inches. Sew down one short edge and then all along the long edge, making one long tube. Turn the tube right sides out, and then tuck the raw edge inside and sew it down on the short edge you left open.
(3) Grab a Jean Jacket or Flannel Shirt
A T shirt dress is the perfect dress to transition into Spring or Fall because you can easily just grab a jean jacket, flannel, or sweater and use layers to add dimension to your outfit. Think about this when you pick fabric for your dress. Do you have layers that would coordinate well with it? I purposefully did not make a navy dress because I knew it would just blend in with my jean jacket.
I also think a jean jacket looks super cute tied around the waist when the afternoon gets warm.
I wore this jean jacket at the rehearsal dinner the night before my wedding so it is super special to me! I got married in Newport, Rhode Island in June 2006. Summer had not fully arrived, and I was still so cold so I grabbed it at the last minute. We had a pretty casual rehearsal so it was perfect.
I find it interesting that in my more vivid memories I often remember exactly what I was wearing when some major event happened. (This one was major because it was the first evening I had spent in months with my then fiancee, and I still was completely in shock that we were getting married the next day! We planned our entire wedding in 7 weeks after dating for a little over three years, and I don’t think it had really hit me until then!)
I bought the jacket when I was in college from a Gap outlet, and it has since survived all the moves, closet purges, style changes, and sizes I have been over the last 15 or so years. I think it is great to have versatile pieces like it in every closet whether store-bought or handmade. I have had zero desire to make a jean jacket, though, since I still have one that works so great for me and has special memories attached to it. Have you made one?
Beth at Sew and Selfie made her teen daughter a Valerie dress and she also styled hers with a jean jacket! I love that this is a style that even works for teens!! It shows what a classic it is! You can find her post on the pattern HERE. She talks about how to do a broad back adjustment. If you have an athletic build or sew for someone who does, that post is a must save!
I think another way to style a T shirt dress in the summer is with a hat! Think floppy wide brim hat or a bucket hat. In the colder months, you can layer with leggings underneath and then knot your dress at the hemline.
How do you plan to style your Valerie Dress? Which style from this post inspired you the most? Is there a style I forgot to mention?
Resources
- The Valerie T Shirt Dress Sewing Pattern
- The Striped rayon spandex is from Wherehouse Dallas
- The pink french terry is from Knitpop
- The black booties are from Old Navy, and the black sneakers are from Nordstrom. I have no idea where I bought the heels. I think they have been in my closet for many years.
- I found my belt in my daughter’s closet. Shhh….
Let’s Stay Connected
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*Disclosures
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.
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