Maxi dresses, if chosen well, can and should be a staple in every fashionable woman's closet.  Maxi dresses come in just about every style no matter your taste.  From long sleeve maxi's to floral maxi's and everything in between, here we aim to answer some of the most common questions around these timeless must-have dresses. 

On this page, you will find answers to:
* Where do you wear your maxi dress
* What to wear under a maxi dress
* Determine your body shape to choose the best dress for your type
* Maxi dress colors, prints and patterns
* How to choose your maxi dress length

Where do you wear maxi dresses?

This is a surprisingly common question.  Fortunately for us maxi dress lovers, the answers are endless. You can wear a maxi dress in interviews, professional settings, casual date nights, beaches (our personal fave!) and anywhere in between.  

Here is a small guide on where you can wear your maxi dress. 
Let's start with the biggest question around where to wear a maxi dress that we receive:

Can I Wear A Maxi Dress For Job Interviews?
A maxi dress can display confidence and class in an interview if paired well.  One great way to take a max up a notch on the professional or business casual scale is to add a blazer.  In a professional setting, we typically advise to go with solid colors and adding a belt if you maxi dress is a bit loose fitting.
As you can see, depending on the situation and interview setting, there are no limits to where you can wear your maxi dress.

Maxi Dresses For The Beach
We know, we know.  We skipped the date night maxi dress examples, but we're getting there.  We just REALLY love maxi dresses and the beach!  Nothing says Hello Summer like a sleeveless maxi dress and your toes in the sand.  The best part is there is hardly a wrong way to wear a maxi at the beach.  The only caution we will offer here is to watch your maxi length (see How To Choose Your Maxi Length below).  If you are wearing your maxi on the beach or strolling along the boardwalk in your favorite beach town, you'll likely be in sandals or sinking in the soft sand.  Opt for a maxi that hits at or just above your ankles. 

Where to start when buying maxi dresses

First things first.  Before you decide where to wear maxi dresses, you must know which maxi to buy in the first place.  And before you buy any ol' maxi, you should know how to do so properly.  To start, let's look at the 4 most common body types for women and what maxi dress is best for you. 

4 Common Body Types For Women

Your Body Type

To find the right dress for your body, it's important to know your shape.  There are obviously countless ways a woman can be put together.  Use this list to find one that most closely resembles your unique shape:

1. Rectangle Shape
lThis is most commonly called the straight or ruler body shape. Women with a rectangle figure means that the waist measures roughly 9 inches smaller than the bust or hip measurements.  This body type is not particularly curvy or well-defined.  You could say that their weight is evenly distributed everywhere in the body. 
2. Pear/Triangle Shape
Pear/triangle body types are typically body's that have hips that are wider than the bust.  This body type is also characterized by a well-defined waist and proportionately delicate shoulders with slim arms.  There will be more body weight distributed across the bottom and legs instead of in the upper body. 
3. Hourglass Shape
As you might have surmised, an hourglass figure is defined as having hip and bust measurements that are nearly equal in size with a small waist measurement. Those with an hourglass shape will have round shoulders and legs that are in proportion with the upper body. 
4. Apple Shape
Apple body types will have weight distributed across the upper body, typically with slightly broader shoulders or large bust.  Apple body's have a narrow hip and well-defined waistline absent of "curves."

The Best Maxi Dress Style For Your Body Type

 Now that you have your body type in mind, we can better determine the maxi dress that will rest on your body like it was custom made.

Best Maxi For Hourglass Body Shape

Column Maxi Dress
An hourglass figure looks great in a strapless column maxi dress.  Column maxi's typically fit tighter and help show off those curves.  These are also great as a maternity maxi dress. 
Spaghetti-Strap Maxi Dress
This is another great option if you want to show off those curves.  This is a great summer maxi dress or beach maxi.  Choose a spaghetti-strap that falls in a column or has a slight a-line. 

Best Maxi For Apple Body Shape

Capped-Sleeve Maxi Dress
Capped-sleeve maxi's are great for those wanting to cover shoulders or balance out a larger bust area.  
Wrap Maxi Dress
This is a very flattering option for those with large busts.  Not only will it accentuate an Apple or Hourglass figure, it'll give your bust just the right amount of coverage.  If you are looking to offset a rounder shape, try opting for sleeveless or vertical lines to add length to offset width. 
Low-Cut Maxi Dress
Just because you have a bigger bust does not mean you have to cover it up. Embrace your shape with a plunging v-neck maxi and draw some attention to your favorite asset.  These are great for adding a little spice or summer flare to your maxi dress line-up. 

Best Maxi For Pear/Triangle Body Shape

Silhouette Maxi Dress
Silhouette maxi's are great for pear shape body's or those wanting to take the focus off the lower portion of the body.  Silhouette maxi dresses are commonly form fitting around the upper body and remain open and flowy below the waist.  
Bandeau Maxi Dress
A color block bandeau maxi works wonders on a pear shape.  The key again is to try and draw attention to the waist.  Go for a bandeau maxi with a sold dark color bottom that sports a contrasting top color for a fantastic slimming effect.    

Best Maxi For Rectangle Body Shape

Empire Waist Maxi Dress
This dress has a high waist line, which is great for adding some apparent dimension to a not so curvy body type. This dress is also great for adding height to shorter body types as well.  The focus is higher up on the body helping to lengthen the shape for those of us not gifted with long legs.    
Belted Maxi Dress
This is not so different from the Empire Waist Maxi.  Our goal here is the same, provide some dimension where there may not naturally be some.  Our body ratio looks best when divided into 1/3's rather than quarters or halves (remember the rule of thirds?) .  Choose a belted maxi dress where the belt hits just under the bust, shortening the torso and lengthening the legs.  Belts can also help define a waistline for rectangle body shapes.  

Maxi Dress Color And Prints

One of the most common concerns we hear when helping to choose a maxi dress is the color and print.  Just as important as the shape of your body when choosing a maxi, the color and print can make your maxi pop or flop. 

Maxi Dress Colors, Prints and Patterns.

Petite
If you have a smaller frame or are petite, we recommend choosing small patterns or prints or even opting for a solid color.  Large bold pattern can overpower a small figure and even make the dress appear larger than it is on your body. 
Curvy
For larger, curvier body types you can let the prints do their thing.  Bold prints like large leopard or large floral patterns help even out otherwise uneven shapes.  Solid colors work well also, but you'll want to consider your skin tone first. 
Lines
Lined patterns can do wonders if used correctly.  If you are trying to offset your body width (Apple or Pear Shapes), try choosing a maxi dress with vertical lines.  This will help add height and elongate shorter body types.  Remember the opposite is true for horizontal lines.  They will make your shape appear shorter or wider.  This can be great for tall figures not wanting to stand out too much. 

How To Choose Your Maxi Dress Length

What length is a maxi dress?

Find the right maxi dress length
There are a wide range of maxi dress lengths and an even wider range of companies making them...each with their own idea of what a maxi length is.  Getting the length right can keep you from ripping or tripping, to skipping in your maxi dress. 

Maxi Dress Length Rules Of Thumb:
1.  Plan your shoes.  There is no sense in doing any dress length planning without knowing what shoes you'll be wearing.  At the very least have the style of shoe in mind (flats, heels, etc.) first. 
2. Aim to have your maxi dress touch the top of your toes.
3. Make sure the maxi dress at least touches your ankles.

Many sites offer maxi dress length measurements that start at the shoulder and end at the lowest hanging portion of the dress.  It may be a good idea to have a friend measure you from the top of your shoulder to your ankles to have a rough idea of what you'll need. This is very important when shopping online for women's maxi dresses. 

How To Choose Your Maxi Dress Length

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