How I’d Style a Maxi Skirt

By Beth Reeves

With hot weather, it’s always tempting to wear less clothing (or smaller items of clothing) to keep your body heat down. However, those who don’t like to show too much skin or feel they have fairer skin that they need to be careful about sun exposure with will prefer to wear clothes that cover them up, yet are still cool enough to wear in the heat.

A perfect solution for this would be a maxi skirt! It’s long and elegant, elongates your body (great for the more petite frames like myself!) and mostly importantly, it’s light! Even though there is more material to work with, there are several different styles to match your body shape, frame and figure. From loose, flowing ones to pleated and  fitted ones. Take your pick and I’m sure there is one to suit you!

The Plain One:

I thought I would start with the most commonly known maxi skirt, a jersey material that is loose-fitting and airy. It allows for longer looking legs and can be dressed up or down easily enough! For this plain black one, I would pair it with a loose white shirt or blouse tucked in at the waist and supported around the middle with a brown braided belt. To add a splash of colour to the monochrome outfit, I would choose a colourful statement necklace to balance out the amount of material and tie together the whole outfit.

For a choice of shoes – depending on whether it’s casual or slightly more dressy – I would choose a pair of black sandals embellished with different colour metals as shown above from River Island or a pair of wedge heels, for example, the clog type heels shown above (which personally I love and desperately am in need of!). A nice addition to the outfit could also include a big floppy hat, which I think looks chic and sophisticated – I just wish I could pull one off myself!

The Sultry One:

Next up, is more of a formal and sexy sway on the maxi skirt. It’s tighter fitting and has thigh high slits in it, so it’s one for the braver amongst us. However, if worn right, this could stretch those legs and add a real edge to your outfit. Tying in with recent trends, you could pair this skirt with an off-the-shoulder crop top and a statement necklace to add some oomph to the plain black of the outfit. Just to top it off, you obviously need some killer shoes to show off that slit! So the chunky floral heels above are bang on for the more summery look but also, a black pair with spikes on the heel could equally add another level to this edgy look.

The Boho One:

For those who adopt a more casual stance and don’t necessarily want to dress up or wear an outfit that screams “I tried!”, this boho look is a lot more effortless to pull off and would fit in perfectly at festivals this summer! Grab a skirt that has a close together print with some muted colours on it, add a plain crop top or tee to balance out the print and top it off with a long pendant necklace such as this turquoise version above (I love turquoise in jewellery) and slip on some comfy combat boots. Also if you want to go all out, I think lots of stacked rings as well as statement rings look really good with this style.

The Bright One:

There are all sorts of colour variations to pick from when purchasing maxi skirts, however, I have always been drawn to this mustard yellow colour! I especially love the pleats in this design, and overall this is my favourite look. Pairing it with a long-sleeved, scooped neck crop top will allow you to show off the most flattering areas, as maxi skirts tend to be high-waisted, and scoop necks flatter any shape! Again, using a brown braided belt helps to tie it in at your waist and helps to merge the two items. A statement necklace would be optional in this look, but I think it adds to the boldness of the outfit and emphasises the scoop neck. This look can be dressed either up or down very simply and shoes are essential to the outfit. Wear either casual black sandals with embellishments or for a classy evening look, keep it simple with plain black sandal heels like these from Zara (which by the way go with EVERYTHING!).

The Floral One:

For those who feel they are more girly and casual, a floral pattern with a lighter colour scheme will suit your style effortlessly. Pair it with a loose, plain blouse tucked in at the waist and one or more delicate long pendants layered over the top to add some glitz to the look. A slack denim jacket to cover up will add the perfect casual vibe whilst still keeping everything season appropriate. As for footwear, I think these wedge heels would top it off perfectly as they add high to your already elongated legs and just keep the girly look together.

The Fashion Forward One:

Last but not least, onto one of the more controversial types of maxi skirt! Sheer fabrics are very ‘in’ this spring/summer and are perfect to be incorporated for the hot weather we are hoping for this summer! I personally love this and think it’s so cool and edge-y (unlike me). Matched with an off-the-shoulder crop top, keeping geometrical shapes, the hot pants or skirt included underneath will keep you covered whilst still rocking your body under the sheer floor-length skirt. A statement necklace either adding some colour or just a plain gold chain (also popular at the moment) will help frame your shoulders and add another point of attention in the outfit. As for footwear, if you’re brave, this could be worn casually with combat boots or ankle boots such as in the bottom right picture above. Or (more likely) dressed up with either classic black sandal heels or rocked even more with spiky heels that can been shown off through the fabric.

Sorry, that was a long one! I got carried away designing outfits and now I’m just wishing my wardrobe was bigger! I hope this gave you some inspiration or helped you to discover new ways of wearing a maxi skirt if you hadn’t considered it before.

Thanks for reading and check more of my posts out at beautyiwant.blogspot.co.uk. That’s all for now!