Maxi skirts; the leg-elongating must-haves for women everywhere. If you thought only tall girls could pull off the maxi cut, you’d be wrong. On the contrary, a maxi skirt may just be a short gal’s remedy for her shorter appearance. With Jennifer Lopez allegedly claiming that ‘2022 is the year of the maxi skirt’, these garments are at the height of their popularity right now. Don’t know where to start? That’s what we’re here for! Here are five ideas on how to style a maxi skirt, regardless of your height, and really make it work for you. Let’s get into it!
- Crop it
When we say ‘crop it’, we don’t actually mean crop it. In fact, keep that maxi at maximum length! What we mean is add a crop top. We’re more than a little excited to kick off this section because there are so many ways you can style a maxi-and-crop-top combination.
Okay, so, we’re all across the fact that late ‘90s and early noughties fashion is making a comeback in the 2020s, right? You can count crop tops among the pieces that are resurging. In the Y2K era, you would wear a crop top with a pair of low-rise jeans, for ultimate midriff exposure. Whilst you can do this now, crop tops also work with the high-waisted trend. For women who like to keep their belly button covered, a high-waisted maxi and a crop top is a compromise between modesty and the reemerging Y2K aesthetic. For example:
You don’t have to go all matchy-matchy, either. In fact, variety is the spice of life. If you are going to mix and match, just be sure to a) use complementary colours and b) balance printed or patterned pieces with something in a single colour. If you wear two competing patterns, 99 times out of 100, they’re going to clash. Here are some outfits that would go great together:
- Add a jumper
Not sure what to wear on top? (Or is your Tropez Top in the wash?) If it’s cold out, you can mask your indecision or less-than-ideal look with a jumper. Just pop one on and no one will have to see what’s going on underneath (unless you overheat)! Lately, jumpers and dresses have become one of the most sought-after odd couples of the fashion world—particularly slip dresses, for some reason. Maybe it’s because the course woollen texture of a jumper juxtaposes well with the smooth texture of a slip?
Whatever the reason, you can’t go wrong with a jumper. Pop one on with your maxi skirt if it’s cold, or if you want a fashion shortcut, or if you just want to experiment with the look! In the Alamour wardrobe, we have the Carter Jumper, which is a slightly burgundy tone and an oversized fit. Try it on for (over)size!
- Add a leather jacket
Leather (or faux leather) jackets are the embodiment of ‘smart-casual’. These look a little slicker than an oversized jumper—and, better yet, they were born to balance out a maxi skirt. Whilst the jacket will take the top half of the torso, the maxi skirt will keep the bottom half covered. You wouldn’t wear a leather jacket in a formal context, but for any everyday outing, it can really smarten up an outfit without looking too ‘dressy’.
Most leather jackets come in neutral tones, and that’s what we’d recommend for optimal versatility. These garments aren’t cheap, so you’ll want to choose your jacket(s) wisely! Black is probably the most versatile shade of all. In the Alamour wardrobe, we have the Maigosia Jacket, which is a khaki colour. It’s designed to go with the Maigosia Skirt and Bralette, but it actually goes quite well with the Liviana Set and the Alanis Set, too. Oh, and did we mention that our leather is vegan-friendly? You need to buy this jacket.
- Belt it out
Nothing says ‘fashion accessory’ like a redundant belt. Do you need one for its intended purpose? Absolutely not. Maxi skirts don’t need belts—and even if they do, they’ll come built-in (often in the same fabric as the skirt itself). Do you need one for aesthetic or waist-slimming purposes? Well, not necessarily, but you can throw one at a maxi and see what sticks. Why not, right?
If you’re not using the belt to tighten your silhouette, you should use it as an accent piece to change up your whole look. Sometimes, a stylistically placed belt can be the difference between casual and elegant! When choosing your belt, you should ensure that it matches the colour scheme of your outfit—or matches your accessories. Whether your belt is blending with your outfit or making the whole thing ‘pop’, we’re confident you’ll make the right call here. Plus, hello, a maxi silhouette cinched at the waist? What’s not to love?!
- Get sneaky with sneakers
Y’all knew this was coming, right? Sneakers and dresses are another odd-couple trend. We don’t know why, but people are digging the collage of casual-meets-elegance. We will say this: it certainly makes fashion a heap more versatile.
Wanting to head down the street and look great doing so? The dress-and-sneakers trend allows you to do this. Sneakers also help ‘dress down’ your outfit. Pro-tip: if you love classic Converse sneakers, take this opportunity to colour-match your outfit in black and white—perhaps in stylish patterns or horizontal stripes! Also, tailor your outfit’s remainder to look casual. A maxi skirt, some sneakers, and a leather jacket would be the ultimate smart-casual look. If you want to go even more casual, trade the leather jacket for a denim one and throw it over your favorite graphic tee.
About the author;
This article was written by guest author Anil Baswal.
