The chambray dress is one of those staple pieces that you should add to your wardrobe. Chambray is simplistic and it easily transitions from season to season due to it’s denim-type material and look that is lighter than denim and is easy to layer. The fabric itself is typically made of 100% cotton or a cotton blend so, unlike denim, it breathes and feels great laying against your skin.
Over the years, I have had been ignoring the chambray fabric because of that fact that upon first look it looks like denim. Like others, I wasn’t a fan of wearing denim dresses as I liked to keep denim to just my jeans and jackets. But as soon as I learned that it wasn’t denim, but chambray that I was looking at, I immediately decided that it was time to try out the chambray trend and immediately I fell in love with it.
Similar to how a little black dress is a staple piece that you should have in your closet, the chambray dress is also one that you need to have because it is so versatile. You can wear it in the summer and layer it with accessories to accent to look, and you can also wear it in the fall with a cardigan duster and over the knee boots. So as you may be sitting there on the fence about whether the chambray dress is for you, let’s talk about how to style chambray dress.
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HOW TO Style A CHAMBRAY DRESS
TRASITION THE CHAMBRAY DRESS THROUGH THE SEASONS
I am a huge advocate for having pieces in your closet that you can wear through multiple seasons. When you transition your closet to each and every season, the chambray dress is a dress that you can leave hanging up because you can wear it all-year around. To wear it in the warmer months, you can typically let the dress stand by itself – especially if you get one that has different patterns, shades, and has buttons or belts that already come with the dress itself. You can pair it with a belt, if it does not already come with one like this Jacqui dress, and pair it with flats or sandals. Then when it gets cold, layer a duster or jacket over it and pair it with over the knee boots or leggings with a pair of booties.
WEAR THE CHAMBRAY DRESS FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS
The chambray dress is also a great dress to both dress up or dress down depending on the occasion that you are wearing the dress for. Many people wouldn’t think to dress up a chambray dress because of it’s denim-like look, but if you choose the right style and pair it with the right accessories, it can be a fit. If you are dressing this style of dress for an event such as a baby shower, date night, or classy day out with the girls, put on a pair of nude heels, add a statement handbag, and make sure your chambray dress has a little ruffle to it. And then if you’re looking to dress it down, wear a chambray dress that is a little looser fitting and throw on some white sneakers.
PICK VARIOUS LENGTHS OF THE CHAMBRAY DRESS
Like all dresses, you can find the chambray dress in various lengths from mini to maxi. For someone like me, who is petite in height, I tend to stick to mini and midi dresses, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave the maxi dresses completely out. When purchasing your chambray dress, make sure to read through the size guide and the model specs to see whether the dress you are looking to buy won’t be too short on you or too long. Then depending on the occasion, pick what is right for you.
WHAT SHOES WILL YOU WEAR
I’ve mentioned a few style tips on what shoes you can wear with the chambray dress in some of the style tips above, but let’s get into a little bit more specifically. For this style of dress, I suggest sticking to neutral shoes. Whether you go with a pair of nude pumps, tan wedge sandals, or a pair of white sneakers, you’ll let the dress speak out for itself and make the statement that you want it to make. For the colder months, depending on the length of the dress, stick to tan or dark brown booties or booties. I’m a sucker for wearing chambray dresses with tall over the knee boots that are fitting to the calf or wide leg boots. If you go with a wide leg look, wear leggings or tall socks to add an extra little something to the look.
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Chambray Dress OUTFIT IDEAS
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SHIRT DRESS
I’ve worn the chambray shirtdress on a variety of casual occasions and I love it. Because of chambray being a cotton fabric it is a great style to wear to the beach or for a midday casual brunch or lunch. When styling this look, I recommend going with a pair of sneakers or casual sandals. I’ve also styled the chambray shirtdress as a cover-up when heading to the beach. -
TIERED DRESS
The tiered chambray dress is a great dress to wear to a dressier occasion. As mentioned in some of the styling tips above, this is the type of dress that you could wear to work or to a shower event or something similar. Pair it with some nude pumps or wedges and you’re all set. -
SMOCKED DRESS
A smocked dress is super flattering to many body types. With the stretchy fabric and flared skirt, you’ll have the whimsy summer look down that transitions into fall with just a layer or two added to keep you warm. I’ve been really loving the shorter smocked chambray dresses paired with a wide leg boot for the Fall season.
