Maxi dresses are an essential piece to a staple wardrobe. They are perfect for vacations, weekend wear, night outs, and the buffet. I mean really, what’s better than a comfy maxi dress at an all you can eat Indian buffet? Every single maxi dress I own came from the thrift store. I thrifted this floral maxi from Goodwill wait for it…for $1.50!
My thrifting routine:
I narrow down my selection before I even go to the store. There are so many styles to choose from, there are chiffon dressescasual jersey maxis, formal maxis
, beach style maxis and so on. That’s why I always seek thriftspiration beforehand and take inventory of what I already own and need. I like to keep two staple maxi dresses on hand; one solid black or gray one for everyday wear and one bold, printed dress for fancier occasions.
I avoid low cut. Most modern maxi dresses are low cut or sleeveless so I keep an eye out for a practical cut that won’t leave me feeling uncomfortable throughout the day. I stopped buying super low-cut dresses when I realized I was extremely limited in the number of places I could wear these dresses.
Experiment with vintage. Maxi dresses were extremely popular in the 1970s and made a comeback in a big way in the last few years. If you can find an original vintage style, don’t pass it up! The styles are authentic and timeless. If you find a vintage style you love but doesn’t quite fit, consider getting it altered for a classic piece you will have for years to come. It’s always great to have at least one vintage piece on hand, and a maxi dress is the way to go!
I like to make sure my maxi dresses cover my foot completely. It makes anyone look taller which is especially great for us fun-sized folks. If I’m wearing flats, I make sure the dress hits right below my ankles. Maxi dresses are so fun to play around with. I’ve worn this six different ways already; with a cardigan, denim shirt, vest, jeans jacket, faux leather jacket, and on it’s own. Play around with what you have and make the most of your maxi!