How To Style A Maxi Dress 5 Ways (All Affordable and Petite Friendly!)
Wondering how to style a maxi dress for different occasions? Here are 5 outfits featuring the same black slip maxi dress!
If you’ve been following me a while, you know that I don’t wear a ton of body con dresses… but this black slip maxi dress is a winner. I added it to my cart on a whim when I was placing a spring order to update my Quince Review – and I’m SO glad I did!
For a pretty sexy dress, I can’t get over how many different ways you can style it. And while it’s a little long on my 5’2″ self with flat shoes, I’ll show you a few different ways to make it more petite friendly for us shorties 😉
Before we dive in to the 5 looks below, I just need to shout out this extra look above. I couldn’t resist trying it on with my Nana’s vintage Stuart Weitzman sandals, my Quince crossbody, and my favorite Amazon sunglasses. Such a fun date night look, right?
How To Style A Maxi Dress 5 Ways
The maxi dress
Can we get a little commotion for the dress? This black slip maxi dress is by Quince, a direct-to-consumer retail website that carries clothing, leather goods, accessories, and more. Everything is super high quality, they have a commitment to sustainability, and their products are a fraction of the cost of similar brands.
Their Tencel Rib Knit Maxi Slip Dress will hug all of your curves but it’s also super soft, stretchy, and comfortable. The tencel fabric is really breathable and uses 10-20 times less water to produce than cotton. Isn’t that crazy?
I got a size small and it fits great. As I mentioned above, it’s a little long on me since I’m only 5’2″ but it’s pretty perfect with heels. And don’t worry if you’re petite like me – I’ll show you how to style a maxi dress so we can still wear flat shoes below. You know I love comfort!
If you don’t have a supportive strapless bra that you love, this might not be the best option for someone with a large chest, but it does have adjustable cami straps. It also has a ton of stretch, which makes it both pregnancy and postpartum friendly. It would be so cute with a baby bump!
Similar options
While I can’t speak from experience since I haven’t tried this dress to compare, many people say it’s a great Skims dupe. Theirs looks nearly identical to the one I got, so I’m willing to bet that’s true. I’ve also heard great things about this version with built in shapewear. Or if you want to spend even less than I did, this $25 version has really good reviews!
Outfit #1
In my opinion, this is how to style a maxi dress for a casual date night. Simply add a jean jacket, some comfy low heels (I’ve had these for a few years – SO glad they’re back!), and a cute bag. Boom, you’re DONE. I mean, does it get any easier than that?!
Also, this jean jacket is 25% off right now (code: MD25) and it is my absolute FAVORITE. It’s a little oversized and it feels perfectly soft and worn in right away. I have the original wash in a small. The best. But you could also trade the jean jacket for a white jacket, suede jacket, leather jacket – it’s all up to you!
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Outfit #2
Hello fancy date night! If you want to kick it up a notch, trade those comfy heels for some slinky stilettos, baby! I only added a clutch here, but if I were really going out to a fancy dinner, I’d also add some jewelry and maybe a red lip. But as you can see, because this dress is form fitting, you don’t have to do much in order to feel sexy. Get it, girl!
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Outfit #3
Alright now let’s shift to more low keys ways of styling this maxi! I would wear this outfit to meet my friends for brunch, so I wanted to start with flat sandals. These have been my favorites for years (the leather is so soft!). But, because I’m only 5’2″, I need to bring the hemline up a little bit in order to wear it flat sandals.
So my trick is to add a belt around your waist and shimmy the skirt up over the belt until it’s at a comfortable length. Voila! Then add a linen shirt as a light layer and you look effortless and chic. Now you just have to decide if you want an espresso martini or a mimosa 😉
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Outfit #4
You know I had to sneak some Lake Shore Merch in here, right?! I love this look so so much – it’s perfect for a coffee run, sight seeing on a chilly day, running errands – it’s just fun. And SO COMFY.
In order to make this dress work with sneakers (my go-to pair for dresses), I did that belt trick that I mentioned in the last outfit again. Only this time, I loosened it a little bit so I tuck the sweatshirt underneath as well. This gives it a cropped look and still draws your eye to the waist. Get this girl an iced latte, ASAP!
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Outfit #5
And last but not least, what about a pool or beach day? I didn’t include a belt this time, but I did scrunch the dress up a little bit around my waist to bring the length up. Then I put this linen shirt on and tied it around the waist, so it would cover that bit of bunched fabric. I finished the look with these waterproof slides that are game changers for summer, a beach bag and sunglasses.
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Shop all of the looks here:
PS. If you liked How To Style A Maxi Dress, you might also like My Quince Review!
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