Stylish Maxi Dresses for 2012
 
If you are like me then the Maxi Dress is a style you are vaguely aware of but don’t normally include in your wardrobe.  So, without further ado, lets get up to date with the 2012 Maxi Dress.

On the way we’ll look at the history of the maxi, how to wear it and why the hot fashion classic is back in this year.

Ankle length dresses have been with us for centuries but when was the title ‘Maxi Dress’ first used? To understand this we need to go right back to the 1960’s when London was ‘swinging’ and the Liverpool accent was the coolest dialect on the planet.

 This was when the world turned upside down with Vietnam protests in Washington, revolution in Paris and student unrest throughout the Western world.  The revolution wasn’t limited to the streets but impacted the arts, music and even the world of fashion

‘Free love’ was everywhere and teenagers rebelled against their parents and ‘let it all hang out’. Young women threw away stockings and suspenders, corsets and even their bras.  Some girls even burned their bras as a protest against female oppression.  

Women now found themselves with minimal covering and no support whatsoever in simple mini dresses, mini skirts and little if any underwear.

1970s and the Maxi Dress

1970s and the Maxi dress - Serious clothes for Serious Women?

But by the early 1970’s women were fed up with Mini skirts and mini dresses. Minis had become so short that the only way the hemline could possibly go was down.

Daughters of the 1960s were now bringing up families of their own and it was time for them to discover a more grown up look.

The term Midi was coined for skirts and dresses below the knee and the Maxi for hemlines nearer the ankles.

These clothes better matched the aspirations of women’s liberation and the idea women that women should dress for themselves and other women rather than to please mini loving men.

So What’s Good about the Modern Maxi?

• Maxis are figure hugging, flattering and sophisticated
• More material means more coverage and leaves more to the imagination
• They are smart and stylish and great for formal and evening wear – just look at today’s A-listers on red carpets for premieres or award ceremonies
• There are a rich variety of styles including maxi dresses designed to reveal legs for those who like to show off
• Winter versions can be warm and cosy (who ever heard of a warm and cosy Mini Dress?)
• You can wear anything you like under a Maxi including thick socks, tights or long pants in winter and no one will know

I’m a Recent Convert to the Maxi Dress

What about Gina, I hear you ask?  Well I’m a recent convert to the Maxi Dress.  You see, I need to be taken more seriously if I am to continue to put bread on the table at Coole Towers. 

My days of a hemline around my elegant ‘derriere’ (butt or bum to those of you lacking sophistication) are over and, though I still like my legs, I urgently need to look more sophisticated.

Short skirts can send out the wrong signal, particularly if you’re heading towards the big three zero.

Also, the Maxi is great for hiding the odd bulge and at the same time accentuating the fabulous Coole Curves while drawing attention away from my (slightly flabby) tum.

So What’s Not to Like about the Maxi Dress?

•     They can be unflattering to smaller, rounder women
•     If the maxi is too long it may drag on the floor, get trodden on or catch on low lying objects
•     They can be hot in summer, particularly if made of heavier fabrics

The solutions to these points are pretty obvious. Chose a style and design that suits your shape. Make sure that when wearing flat shoes your Maxi Dress hem is well above ground level and choose a style and fabric suitable for the season.

Show a Leg?

Talking of styles, If, like me you like your legs (someone has to!), then choose a maxi dress that delivers the best of both worlds.

Go for a style with ankle length elegance that also gives a glimpse (or more) of those fabulous pins.

For example, choose an asymmetric hemline, typically ankle length at the rear but rising to say knee length at the front.

Alternatively go for a slit at the front, the sides or the rear depending on which assets you wish to display.

With a bit of practice you can learn to switch quickly from demure innocent to femme fatale according to who is looking at you.

What about the  2012 Spring Maxi Dress Look?

The Spring 2012 Maxi is more feminine and light than some of the heavier versions from the past.  You’ll find maxi gowns that flow and are often open at the front to reveal legs.  Think chiffon, silk or cotton, best worn with strappy shoes or sandals.

There is also a trend for sheer fabric.  But I’m not too taken with a see through maxi dress.  In fact to me it’s a contradiction.  I think the contemporary maxi should look sophisticated and elegant; see through looks a bit cheap and tarty.

Bright colours are in such as honeysuckle pink, teal blue or even tangerine while shades of white features as a more conservative alternative. Look out too for floral prints. You can also find bold primary colours like purple, green and red.

What to Wear with Your New Maxi?

Keep your look casual and sunny.  Avoid formal jewellery and high heels.  Casual costume jewellery with some espadrilles looks great.  Think coral necklace rather than diamonds.

That's enough from me. Now It's time for you to find out what's out there in terms of Maxi Dresses on the web or in the stores.  Find something casual yet sophisticated, flirty yet smart to wow your friends and impress those you meet.  Happy shopping!