I don’t think I’ve ever done a post of maxi dresses before. This is very remiss of me as they are the perfect summers dress. Before you start the cry of ‘Oh no they are not!’, let me give you some very good reasons why a decent maxi dress is your best friend when the weather heats up…
- You don’t need to fake tan or shave your legs
- You won’t get burnt (unless you go for sleeveless)
- The breeze can flow right through you
- You don’t need to worry about any body hang-ups as you’re fully sheathed.
- No need to hold back on the buffet, as all good Maxis should be unrestrictive.
Also, smaller ladies who fear excess fabric issues, find yourself a good alterations person who can chop a bit off the bottom for you. I try to use my husband, as although he can’t drive, he can actually use a sewing machine. Frankly I’d rather he drove, but… Also he does procrastinate to an ungodly level, so I more often than not take my too long dresses round the corner to the dry cleaners. It’s much easier to chop off a few inches than it is to add them, so it’s taller girls who really have a problem with maxis that turn out to not really maxi at all.
I bought this dress from ASOS the other week, but it was a bit too long for me. I like my maxis to be more ankle length than floor skimming, so I took it to the alterations lady and asked her to shorten it and use the excess fabric to make into pockets. Unfortunately she wanted to charge £30 for the pockets! I mean I love pockets as much as the next person, but not when they cost almost as much to put in as I paid for the actual dress. I’ll find somewhere else to put my hands thanks. But I do feel more comfortable when I know there’s a pocket in the vicinity…
There’s a lot of choice out there Maxi Dress wise right now, so I’ve grouped them into categories to make life a little easier. Here’s the 5 different kinds you might need…
LONG SLEEVE MAXI DRESS
This is probably my favourite kind of maxi. If you’re going to be covered up you may as well get the sleeves. If it’s a light and airy dress or one made from cotton, then the sleeves aren’t going to make you any sweatier, but they are going to help with sun issues. Baum und Pferdgarten make some great gauzy maxis that come with a matching slip. If your maxi is a little too thin then I can recommend you get a good ‘cooling slip’ from M&S, they come in various different lengths and colours and work a treat under dresses to stop the cling.
1. Baum und Pferdgarten High Neck Maxi Dress (on sale)
2. & Other Stories Billowy Prairie Maxi Dress
3. Mango Leather Criss Cross Strap Sandals
4. Birkenstock Shiny Snake Arizona Sandals
SHORT SLEEVE MAXI DRESS
If a full sleeve is too much, but you don’t fancy showing off your shoulders then a classic short sleeve version is the one for you. I love a good white maxi dress in the summer. It works an absolute treat with a denim jacket, sandals and a cute basket bag. A very easy summer look. Another reason I love dresses, which should have gone on my point list, is that you just put it on and go. No need to think about what else to wear with it. You might need one of your summer jackets from last week in the evening, but that’s about it.
1. Paul and Joe Broderie Anglaise White Maxi Dress (on sale)
2. Warehouse Polka Dot Prairie Dress
3. Office Giraffe Print Ankle Strap Sandals
4. Sollidas Black Suede Ankle Tie Sandals
MAXI SUNDRESS
I love these 2 dresses, they are both just perfect for any summer occasion. Dôen make the most amazing ditsy floral maxi dresses. They used to only be available in the US so you’d be stung with huge tax imports, now they have a limited selection available on Net-A-Porter. Another great US dress company is Christy Dawn. Unfortunately they still don’t have a UK outlet, so my advice would be to find a friend in the US who could send it over. I bought a dress there 3 summers ago that I still wear and still love a lot, but the import duties added about £75 to the price!
1. Dôen Cotton Poplin Shoulder Tie Dress
2. Alexa Chung Cotton Embroidered Maxi Dress
3. ASOS Plaited Strap Leather Sandals
4. Mango Two Strap White Leather Sandals
MAXI BEACH DRESS
You’ve got to love a maxi beach dress. Something simple, easy and light to throw over your costume at lunchtime. I don’t know about you but I could never feel comfortable standing in the buffet queue in just a bikini. Believe me, I’ve seen some horrors on our many cheapo all inclusive holidays in the Canaries, but I still stand by my values of dignity and decorum even when I’m smashing back unlimited ice creams and wine that comes out of tap. So a good cover-up dress is the order of the day. Add some plastic sandals. Not plastic sandals that are Crocs mind you , that would never do. I’m talking about pool sliders and plastic birks. The perfect beach shoes.
1. Three Graces Cornflower Blue Cotton Voile Maxi Dress (on sale)
2. Pour Moi Maxi Dress with Removable Straps
3. Adidas Aqua Blue Slides
4. Birkenstock White Arizona EVA Sandals
OUT OUT MAXI
Finally, something a little more upmarket for a night out. Obviously I had to include some leopard print and some Ganni. That’s combined here in this dress.If you need something REALLY fancy then look at Needle and Thread. I tend to like my dresses to work day to night, but there could be the odd occasion that requires something truly evening and this would be the brand to go for in that instance. Beautifully beaded and embroidered and surprisingly not that eye wateringly expensive for the amount of work that must go in to these dresses. This one is also currently on sale. Bonus.
1. Ganni Shirred Cotton Leopard Print Maxi Dress
2. Needle and Thread Tulle and Crepe De Chine Maxi Dress
3. M&S Black Leather 3 Strap Sandals
4. Mango Silver Ankle Strap Stiletto Sandals
I hope this weather holds out for a bit so we can all wear our Maxi Dresses without fear of getting a soggy bottom (hem)
K x
