Shift dresses have always been one of my favorite shapes. Allow me to briefly extoll their numerous virtues:

1. They are elegant. Pure and simple with minimalist design lines, it’s just easy to look chic in a shift, particularly in black or white.
2. They are comfortable. I can’t deal with tight waists in the summer. The shift is my throw-it-on-and-look-cute summer staple.
3. They are flattering. Some of my fellow curvy girls may question this, but they can be extremely flattering, particularly for those of us with thick waists. The trick is to get a good fit at the bust and shoulders and let the dress skim your body rather than look like a big billowy sack.

All of these are wonderful qualities in a dress. But when you actually want to make one, you have even more to love:

1. They are fast to make. With few seams and less fitting, I can throw a shift together in a matter of hours if I’m in the mood for a quick and satisfying project.
2. They are a print-lover’s best friend. You can use all the prints that cause trouble in more complicated dresses, from stripes and dots to gigantic florals. Without all the pesky seams in front, prints are really allowed to do their thing.
3. They are stash busters. You don’t need a ton of fabric to make a shift. And because they can be made in so many fabrics and prints, making a shift is a great way to use up that gorgeous fabric you have no idea what to do with.
4. They’re a blank canvas. Have a detail or embellishment you want to try? There’s almost no limit to what you can add to a shift.

Here are some examples of shifts I’ve seen around lately that have me longing for summer.

{images: Ted Baker floral shift, Aubin and Willis floral shift, Dolce and Gabana black floral shift, silk floral shift from the blog Kela’s Kloset, vintage 1960s watercolor floral shift from spunsugarvintage, 1960s black and white floral shift from 36colors, floral shift}

{images: coral scallop shift from asos, Shoshanna mint green retro shift, Kate spade black shift, Erin Fetherston color block dress, white shift from blog pinkhorrorshow}

{images: Juicy cotton lace shift, Juicy lace shift in buttermilk, lace wedding dress, photo via Something Borrowed Portland, lace shift from Asos, tan lace shift from Oasis, pink lace shift from Adrianna Papell, lace shift from Asos}

{images: pim & larkin dot mini, baroque print swing dress, paisley shift from asos, Orla Kiely via calivintage}

{images: Stella McCartney striped shift, Tibi Variegated striped dress, Max Mara beige shift from Saks, vertically striped dress from Oasis, striped pocket dress from topshop}

If I’ve whet your appetite for making a wardrobe of these dreamy, easy dresses, check back in a week for more shifty goodness and lots of new ideas.