Ideas for Styling Maxi Dresses
Wearing the right women’s dresses can feel like you’re figuring out some sort of life hack. Why? Well, think about how often you get compliments when rocking a cute, stylish, and flattering dress. And now think about just how comfy you often are in those moments. It’s like discovering your cutest romper or dress has pockets. You’re really winning in the fashion sense when you can be as comfortable as you would be in your favorite PJs, all while gaining major style points.
That could definitely be the reason we love maxi dresses for women so much. Maxi dresses are just so comfortable. They provide added coverage, meaning no matter what the day brings – from an office meeting to a picnic or a day spent exploring a new city on a girl’s trip – you don’t have to worry about adjusting any hemlines. They’re also just so easy since they can truly be an entire look or outfit with a single article of clothing. Oh, and we should also mention that they’re universally flattering.
Now that we’ve gotten our love letter to maxi dresses out of the way let’s dive into the best ways to style these magical pieces.
As a Top Layer
One super cute way to style maxi dresses is to use your dress as a top layer. This will require the right style dress and the right bottom layer. The best type of maxi dress to wear as a top layer is a sleeveless one. You also want to ensure that there won’t be any uncomfortable bunching going on, so be sure that your bottom layer is as fitted as possible while still being comfy.
Try rocking a tiered maxi dress in a fun print, like a vibrant floral dress or a dress with vertical multi-colored stripes, over a fitted short-sleeve white t-shirt. Or opt for a solid black sleeveless maxi dress layered over a fitted white women’s polo shirt. Both of these outfit ideas will create a stylish, balanced, and cute look. Depending on the weather and season, you can rock this look with summery strappy sandals, sneakers, or even some neutral-toned ankle booties.
With either of these looks, opt for subtle earrings, like small gold hoops or studs.
With Cropped Outerwear
While maxi dresses look oh-so-cute over a fitted tee or polo, they look great with cropped outerwear too. The idea of wearing your maxi dress with cropped outerwear is that you’ll be creating a well-balanced look that’s super flattering without running the risk of going overboard with, say, a long coat over an already long silhouette. Or create multiple layers with both a bottom layer and a jacket layer.
One great option is pairing your maxi dress with a cropped or fitted jean jacket. Denim also pairs great with the flowy fabric of your maxi dress, whether your dress is a cotton blend or linen or a similar material.
For a few outfit ideas here, try a summery floral print wrap maxi dress with cap sleeves and a cropped dark denim jean jacket. The balance of the vibrant print and the darker shade outerwear is lovely, and this style of dress is flattering on everyone, so this look is sure to become a wardrobe staple. You can complete this outfit with sandals, some cute sneakers, or pumps, depending on the occasion and the weather.
You can also rock a solid color maxi dress, like a flattering black sleeveless tiered maxi dress, and pair this with a lighter shade cropped denim jacket or even one in a fun print like blue tie-dye. Pair this look with a statement necklace and ballet flats for everything from a lunch date to the office. And if jean jackets aren’t your thing, swap it out for a fitted women's cardigan instead!
For a Beach Trip
One of the things we love about maxi dresses is just how versatile they are. You can dress one up with heels and the right jewelry for an outdoor spring wedding, pair one with sneakers and a cropped jacket for a park picnic, or even incorporate them into your office looks.
One of the best ways to rock maxi dresses, though, is as a beach cover-up. Why? Well, for starters, the beach is one of the best places to be during the summertime. And, when thinking about sun safety, a maxi dress can provide added protection in addition to style points between dips in the ocean.
Head to the beach in a bright floral or stripe print maxi dress over your swimsuit and keep it on your towel or in your beach bag while you hit the waves. Throw it back on while you read under your umbrella, dive into your beach snacks, or walk up and down the boardwalk. It doesn’t hurt that maxi dresses tend to pair perfectly with wide-brimmed sunhats!
Whether you’re going for a cute layered look, waiting to debut your trendiest denim jacket or your comfiest cropped cardigan or want to look stylish while practicing sun safety at the beach, these are just a few ways to style your maxi dresses. With dresses as flattering and versatile as these, you really can’t go wrong!