Never too short to maxi!

Maxi-dresses and summer skip happily together hand in hand. There’s something very boho-luxe about a long dress, in a light-weight fabric, ruffling in the warm breeze, worn with jewelled flat sandals, loose hair, and long earrings.

Like my sunglasses inspiration, my go-to inspiration for the maxi is the Olsen twins, particularly Mary-Kate. She knows how to work a maxi...and shows that you don’t have to be tall to carry them off (an idea that was peddled for years before shorter famous folk started wearing them and looking great!).

There always used to be the idea that if you are shorter and going to wear a maxi, then you should wear a heel or a wedge sandal to make sure you’re not swamped. But I really don’t think this is an issue if you buy a dress that doesn’t completely swamp you and make you look as wide as you are high! It’s all about the cut, the fabric, the style...and then decide your shoe from there. Don’t feel forced into a heel just because you’re channelling Kylie rather than Elle!

I’ve got a few maxi dresses in my wardrobe, some patterned (such as my slightly ridiculous snow white dress!), some plain and all of them work for summer and winter. In winter, I just put a sweater underneath, thick tights, some flat black boots and a short jacket (though this winter, there’s more of a 90s grunge look going on, where sweaters are going over top of dresses).

All of which brings me to this week’s lust item (above). I spotted this in M&S this week and almost bought it on the spot! It was so ethereal and light-weight...almost like a fairy skipping through the woodland (sorry, bit silly!). Not only is the fabric really pretty, it’s toughened up with the interesting black straps and statement zip on the back of the dress, which takes it back from the whimsy precipice!

It would look gorgeous for the summer with flats, although the black heels shown on the M&S website work well too because the dress is not full-on maxi and the shoes are completing the look rather than just being used to give height. And again I think it would work in winter with a sweater and boots.

And all for £45. M&S...I love you!