The Essentials: Printed Summer Shift Dresses Under $500

Whether stand-alone or slipped under a streamlined blazer, a boxy shift dress really is a working girl's best friend year round, both in the office and out. The 'shapeless' fit pioneered by Twiggy in the '60s oozes youthful girlishness while easily keeping a demure feel for the office, as anything too form-fitting may require more than two minutes of styling time to keep within corporate dress code.

Jazzing up a printed shift is a cinch: invest in a handful of detachable collars and statement necklaces with which to spruce up a basic little number for a fashion two-for-one deal. To tone down more intricately printed shifts, throw on a neutral blazer or belt a cardigan overtop to break up the bright print. As for footwear, a pair of of-the-moment ankle strap d'Orsay pumps will do the trick for work, but step into flashy chrome flat sandals when you leave your corporate persona at the cubicle.