Hello all.I trust we all had an amazing week and have enjoyed my posts for the week so far.Throughout this week, I have brought to you all my wonderful readers, on a daily basis, a series of posts titled Essentials. They are a capsule collection of your absolute must have items for a fully practical wardrobe. Imagine a wardrobe filled with all the pieces you have to make day to day living, stress free and easy to navigate.These articles aim to help you start in the right direction for that.
It’s Friday and already the fifth day of our Essential’s series. Today’s must have is the “Maxi” Dress..Drum-rolls for the most versatile piece ever! According to wikipedia : “A maxi dress is a floor or ankle length informal dress”.They come in different shapes and styles, ranging from strapless Maxis, longsleeved maxis , a line maxis and the list goes on. Typically, they are fitted around the bust and flow freely from underneath.
Maxis are a very handy piece for every wardrobe. They are the perfect dress for the summer. I reside in Nigeria and it is hot all through the year. Maxi dresses are a strong essential for women in these shores. They are very comfortable and easy to wear. Depending on exactly what the occasion is, you would be quite shocked at how much wear you can get out of them all year round.
A classic scenario: Sandra is a 27 year old lady. She just had a baby and is not quite comfortable with her mid-region. She owns a really flattering and easy maxi. It skims flatteringly over her figure and is the easiest thing to throw on for a day out during the weekends. Here’s 3 ways Sandra can utilise her maxi:
a. For a pool or beach party paired with a hat and casual bag as well as strappy flat sandals and sunglasses! PERFECT.
b. For a day of running errands and doing all the necessary weekend chores.
b. For a night out. Switch the look entirely with structured accessories. A nice solid chunky neckpiece, hair pulled up, heels and a nice structured clutch. Super chic for the evening!
c. Smart Casual was the party theme: Paired with a formal blazer or slightly slouchy blazer.The same dress is again a really handy piece. I have also seen maxis worn to work with sombre coloured blazers.
d.For a really funky event, layer your maxi with a shirt underneath or a turtle neck for a nice preppy twist.
What else is awesome? Maxis are the easiest piece to get hold of. Almost every online store has a maxi in different styles and shapes. Zinkata also stocks some really gorgeous maxi dresses. Like it is with every garment, some general rules ring true for purchasing a maxi dress:
a. Solid colours such as black, Olive and navy are a preferred option as opposed to really busy prints for the curvier ladies.
b. The secret to the right maxi for you lies in the neckline and the length. Please read this article. It has some broad advice on the right Maxi for you.HERE
In the photos below.. I am wearing a really old maxi from my wardrobe. It is by Meena and is still one of my favourite maxis. It is a bit more structured than the regular maxi.. I guess this silhouette is more my style.
See photos below.
Sincerely,
Ezinne Chinkata
