Wednesday 24 February 2010

ode to the maxi

I'm short. I mean 5"3' short.
This is, of course, why I wear heels ALL. THE. TIME. Well, it's one of the reasons.

But there are loads of people my sized, yes? Loads of bloggers, too. It's not an uncommon height; in fact, it's pretty regular; and yet we are often told "best steer clear if you're short" and the like of certain trends. Hareem pants. Maxi dresses. etc etc.

I own both.
Well, I own one pair of hareems, and a plethora of maxi dresses.
Thing is, if you're also rocking a pair of big ass heels, what's the difference?

So here, an ode to the maxi. (At least 4 of them). I always feel taller, and lither, when donning one of these. And they're so versatile!

Vintage leopard print maxi dress; ebay:


Letting it flow free is, of course, one option. And the reason for buying, surely. But pinned up to the waist is another styling option, and one which will make an interesting and unique effect to even the most commercial of maxis.
Worn with Topshop shoes and H&M socks//Zara boots, H&M jacket and thrifted crop jumper.

Vintage green jersey maxi; Best Vintage:


The fourth option is the "dressing this one down" one; but it's pretty hard to do. This is one of the dressiest dresses I have; I could almost walk a red carpet in it, non? £20 though! I had to take it up...
But pinned up, it's wearable daily!
Topshop shoes//thrifted belt//Uniqlo cardi, H&M socks, Dorothy Perkins shoes//H&M jacket

Grey jersey maxi; ASOS:


I've shown this pinned up before; no need for a repeat.
This is another I had to take up, btw.
But, as a fan of grey, it's epicly versatile in a layering sense! That's the beauty of a maxi; it's another, long layer that you can experiment with.
hat from ebay//Uniqlo cardi, H&M tee, vintage sheer dress and Priceless boots

Thrifted floral maxi:


Another one that's interesting to pin up; although no actual pinning required because of the ties (which themselves make different looks depending on how you tie them).
Topshop shoes & necklace//vintage cardi/coat



Course there's also the slinky black maxi (aka the goth dress) and the two floor length vintage slips in my wardrobe, as well as a mid calf length number - I'm sure you've seen them around...
Short girls, embrace the maxi. A block colour, especially, will add length.
OK, gonna stop, I vowed not to become a "you should wear this!" kind of blogger. I'm not here to tell you what to wear - if you're a blog reader, probability says you know how to dress well.
But don't listen to the magazines who do tell you what to wear - if you wear anything with confidence, you can get away with it.

If When you see me strutting down the street wearing something that I'd probably be advised not to because of my size/shape/hair colour/whatevs; you'll know what I mean.

Err...

I hope.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm 5"3 too and I have steered clear of maxi dresses! I may investigate them now though, great post!
L x

http://www.fashionlooksnorth.blogspot.com/

Meryl said...

Awesome post! I just thrifted a velour wine-colored maxi skirt suit because I loved the jacket and they came together. I thought I would shorten the skirt into a mini but ended up liking it long, which is not my usual style. Anyway, I have never commented before but your blog is my favorite and I have recommended it to tons of my friends. Your style is always so innovative. It's nice to see a fashion blogger who is not so heavy on the "adorable" factor - many bloggers I follow are too steeped in whimsy, trends, coy faces, and cutesy bangs. What I'm saying is, thanks for all the great posts!

kid said...

I love that ASOS jersey maxi dress! I'm short as well but I'm seriously too scared to try a maxi dress because I rarely wear heels.... maybe I should give it a go though.
I have harem pants though and I absolutely love them! they look hotter on taller people, I know, but we shorties don't look bad in them either ;-)))

mam said...

You look fabulous in that green maxi - what a great colour for you, and the style is superb! xx

jenn. said...

Meryl, that velour maxi sounds AWESOME! And big thanks!! Yeah, i tend not to follow/be a fan of the cutesy blogs (although, i guess Susie Bubble is pretty girly/cutesy at times, and I'm a fan of hers....)

kid, you should deffo give it a try (even if its just in a fitting room for now!) - i've worn the Asos one with flats too, and the floral one too, actually, when I was travelling - especially since all one colour has a lengthening effect anyway, non?

jenn.x

M said...

clever to adapt the lenght maybe some draping could work as well

Kathryn Sutton said...

I'm 5'4 and have dreams of wearing maxi dresses and jumpsuits which I fear will never be fulfilled because of my height. You've inspired me though, I'm going to find myself some full length clothing and embrace it!!

x

http://sparklesmiledance.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I'm 5'2" and have always steered way clear of maxis and that is because they look ridiculous on short people, especially those who do not possess sculpted, toned bodies. Your post just reiterated that fact. Sorry, but you look ridiculous in those too. Gentle advice: Stick to the knee lengths and shorter.

Sarah T.

Day said...

I'm 5'2" and curvy so for a very very long time I steered clear of maxi dresses and then a year ago I bought this fantastic forest green maxi dress. I use a belt to make it look layered and wear it with heels and a jacket. It is by far one of my favorite dresses. This was an awesome post!