The High Low

Posted on 07.15.10 to $100 and under by Lindsay

I own only two maxi dresses, but they’re rarely worn outside of the house. Why? Because I hate the idea that they must always be summery and worn with crappy sandals.

Not that the sandals are crappy, but that sandals with such a pretty, graphic, long dress is the easiest, most acceptable method of wear. I’ve considered the idea of heels with maxi dresses before, but always thought that it might look silly if the dress didn’t skim the ground with that added three to four inches added to the bottom of my body. After thinking about it for a few months… I can’t understand why I hesitated.

Frankie J. on Lookbook.nu

It’s a look that is a little oldschool (thinks 70s), but can be completely modernized with shoe choice. I, personally, love the look of wedges (big, gigantic, huge wedges) with a really simple dress. There’s something really easy, but still kind of edgy about it.

Ji S. on Lookbook.nu

One thing I will mention that I absolutely do not like when it comes to maxi dresses – the ultra-bohemian vest-over-maxi-dress idea. We like to look at the 70′s, but we do not want to be the 70′s – at least I don’t. I don’t want to be Stevie Nicks, and I don’t want to be Janis – bless them both as they are Gods, but I like to live in my own era with accents of the past instead of fully embodying an idea that has already died. I’m not about to wear the taxidermy equivalent of fashion, so sorry.

Dirty Hair Halo? on Lookbook.nu

Another combination that I love: boots and maxi dresses. I never thought I’d get into that idea because it’s just so much coverage, but by leaving your shoulders bare on top, simply crossing your legs and showing a mere 3″ of your legs completely balances the skin-to-fabric ratio. Again, putting a basic or simple dress with modernized wares looks completely current and amazing.

NinjaInTheRun K. on Lookbook.nu (WTF is up with these names?)

I admire anyone who does boots and tights and a shoulder/arm-covering jacket with a maxi dress and still manages to make it look not nun-like. Seeing this makes me feel like transitioning from the bastard heat of summer into the crispy chill of autumn without ditching the maxi dresses will be a lot easier than it seems in my imagination.

Here are some pairings that I plan to use wishes and dreams to get into my wardrobe:

ASOS Halter Maxi Dress $75.80; Naughty Monkey Underground Doll Boots $52.99

NJC Yogi Dress $68; Sam Edelman Kinley Wedges $108

I’m sort of obsessed with this dress in this color… So comfy and so pretty. So lovely, in general.

Just Female Striped Maxi Dress $57.27 (was $92.65); Jeffrey Campbell MaryRoks Wedges $125

The shoes were a little more expensive than I wanted, but they were seriously exactly what I wanted with this dress. Chunky, lace-up wedges in a suede or otherwise soft-finish fabric. Love the stripes so much!

Mossimo Kimono Sleeve Maxi Dress $24.99; Charles by Charles David Lyrical 2 $30 (were $50)

What do you think of this look? Would you wear it?

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