VERSATILE SHIRTDRESS DEBUTS IN THIS SPRING'S STARRING LINEUP.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: VALLI HERMAN Dallas Morning News

Perhaps every season has its dress. This spring, the latest in dresses appears to be shirts.

This new dress for the approaching warm weather, the shirtdress, borrows the essential elements of shirts: button-down placket fronts, crisp cuffs and patch pockets. But many skip the predictable shirt-weight cotton fabrics in favor of supple jersey, buttery suede, retro polyester and elegant silk shantung.

It is the next generation of a family that includes the slip dress, the polo-shirt dress and the sheath dress, each a top-seller in its debut season. The shirtdress also poses few questions about accessories. Belts …