Maxi Dress 101

The weather is finally above 30 degrees, the birds are chirping and the flowers are starting to sprout their stems. Basically, it’s finally springtime! And what does that mean? It’s time for spring fashion.

The maxi dress should be a staple in every girl’s spring/summer wardrobe. They’re fun, breezy and effortlessly chic. That is, if you do them right.

The idea of wearing a maxi dress can be daunting. Because of their design, maxi dresses can go from fashionable to frumpy in a hot second. But there’s no reason to fear the maxi, so long as you follow some basic guidelines.

Tessa Girouard, the manager of Metro, gave us some tips on how to pick the perfect maxi:

If You’re Short

The myth that short girls can’t pull of the maxi has been advertised for far too long. Maxi dresses aren’t just for giants; shorter girls can pull them off just as easily! “One thing that you could do is get a hi-low dress,” suggests Girouard, “that way you’re not stepping on the dress in the front.” Hi-low dresses are very trendy right now, but they are a fun and cute look that will be wearable for many springs and summers to come.

Also, if you’re worried about length, a dress with adjustable straps could really help a lot, says Girouard.

If You’re Curvy

Again, the maxi is not just for the tall, twiggy model-type. Girls with curves, it’s time you embraced the trend! Often, it’s not a person’s body that makes the dress look awkward; it’s the cut of the dress. So, when shopping for a maxi, keep in mind what the style of the dress is. “In general the most flattering is either a line or a dress with a defined waist because the ones that don’t have a defined waist can be pretty unflattering” says Girouard.

So look for a dress with some structure. No one wants to look like they wrapped themselves in a giant piece of fabric and called it a day. That’s what moo-moos are for.

If you’re looking for a patterned dress, keep in mind this general rule of thumb for patterns: “If you’re curvier you want to go for larger patterns, and if you’re less curvy you can do smaller patterns,” says Girouard.

Pulling off a maxi dress isn’t as tough as it seems, so embrace the trend ladies, we promise that with these tips you’ll find your maxi match!

Photo by Jessi Korch