This document provides a detailed summary and analysis of the short story "The Girls in Their Summer Dresses" by Irwin Shaw. It discusses the plot, characters, symbols, and themes in the story. It also provides biographical information about the author Irwin Shaw and historical context about New York City in the 1930s-1940s when the story is set. Critic reviews are included that praise Shaw's skill in short stories but found some of his novels to be "middlebrow fiction".