LOOKBOOK: A Stunning Maxi Dress

Java Stripe Maxi Dress, $139-$149, Coldwater Creek

Every so often, I come across something that makes my jaw drop. This dress is one of those things.
It's simple yet the design of the stripes really makes this dress stunning.

I don't like most maxi dresses because they either look like swimsuit coverups or Little House on the Prarie-calico-esqe pieces with a ruffle on the bottom (really?!). I love this dress because it has the ease and comfort that people desire in a maxi, yet with a grown-up look.

The Non-Lookbook

I was originally going to do a Lookbook on this piece of clothing, but the more I look at them, the more I think they're ugly as sin.



This is the maxi skirt.  Think of the summer favorite maxi dress, just in skirt form.  I love maxi dresses, but I can't get behind maxi skirts.  To me, they're just frumpy.  Just add a weird flat bun and clunky Sketchers, and you have the typical Saturday-afternoon-at-Walmart look.  Long skirts are coming into vogue, and I've seen some lovely ones that had trains, or were made of pleated silk.  In those cases, it's a more formal look, and very Tilda Swinson:



Tilda isn't exactly a fashion plate, but it doesn't seem to bother folks.  They just accept her the way she is, and somehow she manages to stay off the worst dresses lists.  But this is how to properly wear a long skirt. 

I've tried to envision the maxi skirts with a variety of different shirts and shoe options.  The only combo I can think of that I remotely like is this one:

This would be cute for wearing to the Capitol Market on a Satruday morning.  This is the only thing I could think of that didn't scream Baroness von Frumpalot.  If you decide to wear a maxi skirt, wear a fitted shirt on top.  The skirt is already slouchy enough, a similar shirt will just add pounds to your frame.  I can't decide if heels would be too much with these skirts, maybe a strappy leather platform would be okay, but flat sandals work best.  If you're taller than 5'10", of which I am, these skirts may hit your ankles at best.  If you're 5"0", you'll need stand with a cherrypicker under your skirt* if you want to be able to move anywhere. 

If you want a long skirt, just reach for your maxi dresses. They just look so much better than these dowdy skirts. 

*Teehee!