Maxing out the maxi dresses

Hey everyone,

As you all know summer is fast approaching in the northern hemisphere. I read the UK had a mini heatwave over the bank holiday weekend with temperatures reaching a whole 22 degrees, enough for everyone to light up the barbie or head to the beach! And although that's the temperature floating around here in Queensland at the moment, it is considered to be a bit chilly and a sign that winter is coming. And yes, even though i have only been in Australia for 7 months, i am now agreeing that 22 is on the cooler side (definitely going to get a shock when i return to the UK just in time for winter). 

Anywho because summer, my favourite season, is on its way i thought i would dedicate a post to my favourite item. The maxi dress. I love that they are so effortless, you can throw one on and it instantly looks glamorous and feminine. They are perfect when you are in a rush and don't know what to wear, plus so many are patterned you can afford to wear them with minimal accessories!

I have one particular dress, that is my go-to item. I bought it 3 years ago in Topshop from their concession, Love. It is such a soft cotton making it so comfy to wear. I have worn it on the plane to travel in on 2 occasions and it is always on my holiday list to pack! It fits so well and i have been complimented on it several times which is always nice. Keep your eyes peeled for it as i will be posting it within the next week when i do a feature on my summer wardrobe staples!

When shopping for maxi dresses i do sometimes find it quite hard being only 5ft 4. It does annoy me when some shops think everyone is 5ft 7 and they drown me. However, i have found that generally the more casual maxis in Miss Selfridge are for my height. Also, if you are shorter they do have the same styles and more in their petite range which is great (not so great though if you're tall). Generally New Look and Primark are a bit too generous with their lengths which would result in having to wear wedges to stop the material trawling on the ground. I cant really comment on any other stores as they may have changed since i left the UK so if you know of any that cater for us shorties please let me know!

Doing my usual virtual online shop i have come across some gorgeous maxi dresses that will be perfect for summer that you can see below...

1. New Look, £30

This is a super girly dress that wont be for everyone because of its candyfloss pink colour. However, i love the rose detailing on the top and i can see this fitting really well. It will be perfect in the evening once you have a nice tan along with some simple, understated silver jewellery.

2. Topshop, £18

A perfect casual dress for summer. Its simple design is great for if you like to load up on accessories, and a chunky wooden brown necklace and stacked bracelets will go great with this to keep with the earthy colours. You could do the opposite and be a bit daring with bright colours to give a nice contrast. I'm thinking reds, greens and oranges.

3. Asos, £30

This is such a well fitting dress (well on the model anyway!). The slit up the side is also a nice touch that isnt seen much on maxi dresses.

4. New Look, £23

I love the contrast of the pink and black colours on the dress as it makes it less girly. Due to the bold print accessories will have to be kept to a minimum so I'm thinking some pretty studs and a bracelet will be enough.

5. Miss Selfridge, £35

I love the style of this dress! The handkerchief top offers a different look to many others that i have seen. Its got a really cool hippy vibe so some simple little sandals and a floppy hat would be enough to set this outfit off nicely.

6. Miss Selfridge, £37

This is such a pretty dress, the pattern is gorgeous. I know they say don't wear white to a wedding but this would be perfect! It has enough detailing in to take the attention away from the white and the shaping will pull you in at the middle giving a sexy hourglass look. It could be paired with brown accessories to give a nice contrast and make the accessories stand out.

7. Asos, £68

Again, i feel this dress would be perfect to a wedding, although it is a tad more expensive. Like the first dress i love the flower detailing on the top half and the colours are so delicate and girly which is right up my street!