In the early 20th century, the blouse—or shirtwaist—was tucked into a skirt and buttoned down the back. As women began to go out of the home to work, these garments were made for easier wear. Most ladies didn’t have a maid to assist them, so buttons were placed down the blouse front, making it more convenient to dress without help. The result: a feminized version of a menswear shirt.

In the United States, mass manufacturing of these garments allowed many women to look like their upper-crust counterparts. A headline in the June 15, 1938 issue of Vogue declared “The Shirt-Waist Dress—an American Institution, Est. 1893.”

For most of my life, I have been fascinated with making tailored garments and shirts. Making shirtdresses was a natural progression for me. I have made many shirts and shirtdresses in different fabrics.

There are so many shirtdress patterns to choose from, with many features that enable you to make it your own. Let’s take a closer look at shirtdress details and which you can add or subtract for totally varied looks.

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Tailoring expert Pamela Howard is the owner of Pamela’s Closet and is a frequent Threads contributor.