The hot, muggy days of summer call for looser fabrics, shorter hemlines and other design tricks to help beat the heat. Summer dressing presents unique challenges and opportunities because it’s the best time of year to try different looks. The goal is to look cute and stylish without sweating to death. In this ever-demanding season, dresses are a much-loved staple for every woman. Short, long, patterned or plain, dresses are the easiest thing to slip on and go during summer.
This season, designers have taken a page from a favorite look of hippies: the maxi dress. This look may seem hard to pull off, but if you find the right dress and accessories, anyone can look great. With the right outfit, these free-flowing, ankle-length dresses provide a cool twist on the usual summer staple.
“Not too many people wear long dresses nowadays, so I can set a trend,” said political science sophomore Ernscie Augustin.
Maxi dresses are nearly inescapable in stores and catalogues this season and finding the correct neckline for your body type can be the most challenging aspect of finding the right one for you.
A good rule of thumb when selecting a design is to look at the bathing suit top you normally purchase. If the design of the top wouldn’t work for a bathing suit for you, chances are it won’t work for a maxi dress. Because the dress is so loose at the bottom, the top of the dress must fit you well and be tailored to your body type. The goal is not to hide your body, but spotlight features such as your shoulders and collar bones that don’t usually get shown off.
“They’re very free-flowing,” English education junior Alyssa Salisbury said. “I love how that reflects my personality.”
After you’ve found your perfect dress, the right accessories are essential to making the dress into an outfit. Because the dress itself is such a statement piece, your accessories shouldn’t steal focus. Chunky earrings and bracelets in natural materials like woods or turquoise keep well with the natural, hippie vibe of most of the dress designs.
Summer scarves in neutral tones and light weaves are also a good addition to a long dress. The focus should be on your maxi dress, so don’t opt for bright colors or busy patterns when choosing a scarf. It should compliment the dress, not overwhelm it. Simple, thicker belts that cinch you in at the waist in neutral colors are another great way to give form to your dress. Belts are unparalleled at adding shape and showing off a waist line. Whatever your bust size, belts are a good way to tailor the free-flowing design of the dress to work best for your body type.
Shoes are another consideration in the whole look; heels will make you walk like you’re wearing a formal gown instead of a casual dress. Completely flat shoes, like gladiator sandals or flip flops, are the best for these dresses. But if you still feel you need a little lift with your dress, opt for a wedge in a neutral tone.
Flat shoes with a long dress might sound like a fall waiting to happen, but nobody ever said beauty isn’t challenging.
Salisbury warns caution when combining the two. “It’s a little dangerous when I’m going down the stairs and people step on the back of my dress.”
Urban Outfitters offers a basic gray dress with a spaghetti strap neckline for $68. If you’re looking for bright colors, go to Old Navy for tiered strapless maxi dresses for $29.50. Forever 21 has a black and white tie-dyed triangle top dress for $27.80. They also offer a floral-printed dress with a triangle top for $34.80 and a cream strapless number, patterned with a yellow and blue sun design, for $27.80.
“A lot of the dresses have really unique patterns on them,” Augustin said. “It sets the designs apart.”
This summer is going to be long and hot; there’s no reason your dress shouldn’t be too.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Free-flowing dresses provide trendy option for summer” on social media.
