As Theresa May strides out on her hols in style, MAXINE GORDON looks at how to get shirty for summer

FASHION writers have been divided over the Prime Minister's choice of outfit for the start of her summer holiday in Italy.

The object of controversy was a pink shirt dress, priced at £26, from Next, which she teamed with a pair of flat, leopard-skin sandals.

Debate raged over the choice of colour, the length of the hem and the choice of retailer (remember, Mrs May had previously posed for a Vogue fashion spread in a pair of chocolate leather trousers worth a grand).

It seems Mrs May has fallen foul of the annual dose of holiday-itis that befalls all British Prime Ministers at this time of year: making a fashion faux pas in the eyes of the British press. Who can forget a portly David Cameron in his holiday shorts?

But Mrs May is known for her fashion sense and love of clothes and accessories, and we should come to her defence.

For the humble shirt dress is an asset to any woman's wardrobe. It is smart enough to wear to work and casual enough to take on holiday.

It is versatile too. Come autumn, you can slip it over a pair of tights, team with heels and take it into the office, or chill out in leggings or jeans and boots or trainers out of hours.

We've had a scout around the high street and online to find some of the best shirt dresses available.

Some are in the sales, meaning there never was a better time to invest in this must-have fashion piece.

With the summer holidays arriving, a shirt dress is a suitcase staple. It is comfy enough to travel in, yet formal enough to wear to a restaurant. Alternatively, wear it over your bikini as the ultimate cover-up.

Mrs May has put a few steps wrong in recent weeks, but on this occasion, we think we should follow in her footsteps – in leopard-skin sandals, of course!