I Will Be Wearing These Mini Shift Dresses to the Office in This Heat Wave
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Everysummer, I am reminded of a dress I saw 20 years ago at one of my first college internships. It was at Warner Independent Pictures (RIP), where there was a young development executive I looked up to because she was kind to the interns and also had great style. She had a platinum-blonde pixie haircut and reminded me of Twiggy. One day, she wore a black sleeveless dress with a deep V-neck to work. It was swingy and short and very ’60s. She looked so cool and breezy. I was obsessed. I have been on the lookout for something similar ever since. This summer, I renewed my search. It’s the perfect shape for feeling instantly put together, whether I’m headed to the office or out to dinner — all through aheat wave. While I haven’t yet found a dupe, I recently discovered a couple of options that come close.
Shift dresses to start
An elegant linen shift dress
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The general style that I am looking for is a shift or pinafore dress. I started there, and searching for a shift-style minidress yielded the best results. I love a shift, and this one from Cos is a great option. Its high neckline and greater length makes it a little more formal than what I had in mind, but it’s very elegant and easy to wear. I like the patch pockets, which make it a little preppy.
A ’90s-style minidress
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This minidress has a ’90s vibe à laCarolyn Bessette Kennedythanks to its more tailored cut and boat neck.
And a white version
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V-neck shift dresses
Denim V-neck shift dress
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After looking at shift dresses, I knew that it had to have a V-neck to actually make it special. This version from Madewell has the right neckline and the short length and would be a nice option to wear this summer. I would have preferred shorter and more flared than boxy, though, and in a cotton or linen fabric instead.
Denim V-neck shift dress with pockets
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Here’s Old Navy’s version, though the patch pockets make it a bit more juvenile. I actually like thecorduroy versionbetter and wouldwear it over pants, but that would be an outfit better suited for the fall.
More formal denim V-neck shift dress with pockets
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Frame’s version is also cute but a little more formal than what I was going for.
High V-neck shift dress
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This has a high V-neck that ties at the nape of the neck, creating an open-back silhouette. I would have preferred a lower-cut V, but the flaps make it a bit more interesting without losing the simplicity of the shift style.
Minidresses with exaggerated A-line cuts
Mini babydoll dress
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If it didn’t have a V-neck, then it should at least be A-line. The pinafore cut of this dress is quite swingy and definitely skews ’60s. It’s short, cute, and breezy in that baby-doll way.
A-line denim shift dress
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Here’s another Madewell denim dress. Even though it doesn’t have a V-neck, the more exaggerated A-line silhouette makes it a contender.
Cap-sleeved mini flared dress
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Not sleeveless, but the short flared skirt is nice and swingy.
The finalists
A solid black V-neck shift dress
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This Banana Republic linen dress is the closest in spirit to the original dress I saw so many years ago. It has a V-neck and a slightly flared trapeze or A-line silhouette. (For it to be a true dupe, it would have to be shorter with a more exaggerated A-line cut and a deeper V.) It has cute details, like two pockets in the front and a patch pocket in the back. It’s extremely easy to throw on and go, and I’ve basically been living in it ever since it got warm.
Not a V-neck but short and swingy
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When I’m not wearing the Banana Republic dress, you’ll see me in this little number from Dissh. (It’s the only thing I’ve been wearing when I go out for a special occasion.) It doesn’t have a V-neck, but the low ruched neckline functions similarly. It’s short andveryswingy. It has a dramatic A-line cut with a bit of a circle-skirt, tent-dress thing going for it. This is a jaunty dress and very close to the original in vibes. I wear shorts underneath because a gust of wind can blow it right up. I have it in brown. Sizing is sadly limited, though the blue has a few more sizes than the brown, but I love this dress so much that I had to tell you about it.
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