My favorite look for summer is the maxi dress; I can’t tell you how happy I am to see actual dresses cropping up as day wear. The maxi dress is great because it flatters a wide range of figures, and can be as casual, or as dramatic, as you like.

How can you make a maxi work for you? Simple!


Knot front maxi, $79.00 at Lane Bryant, Tie-dye maxi, $59.50 at Avenue

A maxi dress is not a long dress, at least not in the way we normally think of a “long” dress. The maxi is a day dress — wear it to run errands and hustle the kids around and go to the pool. Pair your maxi with strappy sandals or embellished flip flops; add funky, chunky, Bohemian jewelry or a big hat to give it a 70’s edge. But keep it casual — this isn’t a black tie gala kind of dress. Think of your maxi dress as one more alternative to shorts and a tee.

Look for a shape that flatters your figure, and choose a style that lets you wear a proper bra, please. Maxis are available in jersey, for that yoga pants feel, or soft cotton, like a dressy sundress. Dark colors are great for summer — a black maxi dress is hip and cool — but don’t dismiss brights and prints. A hemline that hits at the ankle bone will be long enough to keep you covered but not so long that you’re constantly tripping on it.

Dressy jersey Grecian V-neck long dress, $98.00 at J. Crew

Can you wear a maxi dress to work? Probably not — this isn’t exactly a professional look. The maxi is about being hip and comfortable all at once. But if you’re prone to dress your best from 9 to 5 and then toss on whatever is lying on the closet floor for evenings and weekends, give the maxi a try.

Tiered maxi tube dress, $25.00 at Old Navy

Are you sporting a maxi dress this summer? Let’s hear about it!

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