Prime
Go stunning in a maxi
The maxi dress or skirt is no longer associated with dressy, formal occasions. It has become acceptable and stylish to wear a maxi dress without hurting your fashion reputation.
However, to look stylish in longer hems without projecting any signs of being old fashioned is solely dependent on how you style it.
You also need to work extra hard on selecting the right style for your body shape, scale and height.
With the right accessories, you can go from sleek and classy to trendy and chic.
A maxi style that suits your body type
If you are petite, here is how to wear your extended hems;
• Fit and snug: Most long garments can really swamp you up, making you look shorter. Select a style that is well-cut, a full-length dress that sits snuggly especially around the hips, thighs, and around your waist or below the bust.
• Elongate your body figure with a V-neck: A V-neck shows more skin, meaning you will look taller and leaner. It will also attract the eye and make it go up and down, creating a streamlined silhouette.
•Add heels: For some extra height, wear pumps, wedges or high-heeled sandals.
•Select the right details and prints: A short stature can’t handle too much stuff so opt for solids and work strategically with prints.
Dark neutrals and colours such as black, chocolate brown, deep plums and green minimise and make you look taller. Colours that are similar to your skin tone work equally well in elongating your petite body frame.
For the plus-size woman
Long dresses are the perfect match for your frame as it minimises large hips and legs. Here are a few tips on how to choose your maxi dress:
• Wear wide straps: Spaghetti straps will only make your frame look bigger, unless the colour of the dress is similar to your skin tone.
• Scale the print: Larger prints complement your body figure a lot better than tiny ones. Solid and dark neutrals such as black, dark brown and olive green slim down your shape.
• Wear a V-neck: The more skin you show the leaner you will look. The V-shaped neckline also draws the eye up and down.
• Perfect fit: Hiding your body in loose-fitted long dresses will only make you look boxy, so choose a dress that sits snuggly to your body figure without clinging.
• Use a belt: If you have a thick waist, place a solid dark-coloured wide stretch belt around the thinnest part of your torso to create a waistline and a more balanced and lean body frame.
