A striped linen shirt dress adds visual interest to a silhouette that would otherwise be plain. Linen wrinkles and stripes work well together because the pattern maintains interest even as the fabric relaxes. The shirt dress construction means real structure underneath the soft fabric. Stripes add rhythm without being as busy as prints. Striped linen shirt dresses tend to work well across body types because the vertical lines elongate. The pattern also hides staining which is practical. These striped linen shirt dresses work for summer because they add character to a practical silhouette without sacrificing the comfort that matters in warm weather.