It’s springtime, and you know what that means! It’s time to break out the dresses. Dresses are totally underrated as comfortwear – it’s often actually easier just to pick one dress out of the closet than to put together a complete outfit with shirt, shoes, pants, and jacket. The maxi dress is the ultimate in comfort – they’re lightweight, they cover all of your legs, and they hide all your problem areas, whether you’re unhappy with your stomach, rear, or thighs. Because they cover your legs, there’s the added bonus of not having to shave your legs.
(Image via love Maegan.)
Maxi dresses don’t have to be unflattering baggy caftans or muumuus. You can find affordable dresses at most stores anywhere, from places as varied as Piperlime or Bluefly. They can be elegantly chic, stylishly casual, or give off a bohemian vibe. To pick out the right maxi dress for yourself, we’ve got a few words of advice:
- If you’re petite, maxi dresses can be tricky because most of them are probably too long for you. Ideally, the maxi dress hemline should hit you somewhere between the ankle and the top of your foot. If you’re striking out in the petites department, try on a dress that’s calf-length for the average-sized woman, and eliminate a trip to the tailor.
- Watch the layers! A maxi dress gives plenty of coverage – there’s no need to pile bulk on top of a dress. If you’re wearing a maxi dress on a cool evening out, try wearing a fitted denim jacket, cardigan, or light blazer. Otherwise you’ll look top-heavy, and that’s not a great look for anyone.
- Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Depending on your dress, you can get away with being very creative with the accessories. If your dress is a solid color, try experimenting by putting on larger bangles, wear your bib necklaces to go with lower necklines, and statement earrings for maximum impact. Pick one or two areas that you want to focus on – whether it’s the jewels in your ear or the bracelets on your wrists. If your dress has a colorful print, keep the accessories smaller, simple and elegant. If you want to maintain a hippie-chic look, look to tribal-influenced accessories, such as animal print bracelets or feather earrings.
- Choose fabrics that are comfortable and flowy, that hug and caress your curves. The beauty of wearing a maxi is that it hides a lot of figure flaws, so you don’t have to buy oversized dresses to hide your body.
- Choose your neckline carefully. The top should hug your body, and the straps should fit. Avoid strapless dresses if you’re not confident that they will stay up. Experiment with different necklines – from halter tops to sweetheart necklines, there’s something that will flatter you. Empire waists flatter just about any figure, and they hide stomachs that stick out just a little too much.
- Remember that the maxi dress is an all-occasion dress. Wear it to work, wear it on weekends, wear it for a date night, or just to run errands. There’s no reason why you should limit yourself to wearing it only for certain events, or even limit yourself to buying only one maxi dress.
- Maxi dresses come in many different styles – you can get one to suit every mood and every day, if you wanted. Solid colored dresses are great for petite women who want to look taller. Stripes are great for women who wish to hide flab. Opt for slanted stripes or chevron prints for an easy, flattering look. Bold prints look great on larger women; small prints look best on petite women.
Kimberly Lau is a staff writer for BluePromoCode.
