Six Fun Maxi Dress Outfits
Plus size maxi dresses are the perfect option for so many different occasions. It’s a great style of dress that actually looks best on a plus size lady’s womanly curves. Big bosoms and shapely hips give that extra added oomph to a maxi dress that may otherwise look a little boring. They offer a great opportunity to show off your plus size figure to its very best. However, those made in clingier materials will need to be worn with suitable undergarments. Often a slip will be needed to smooth over lumps and panty lines so that all eyes are on the wearer for good reasons, not bad. Once undergarments are sorted, all that remains to do is to put together a whole outfit and find a chance to wear it. Putting together a maxi dress outfit for plus size women does not have to be hard. Here are six fun maxi dress outfit ideas for different occasions that can make a plus size lady look fabulous.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #1: For A Cookout
You have an invitation to a summer cookout, but what should you wear? Such an event calls for something stylish yet relaxed, trendy yet comfortable. The perfect solution is a strapless maxi, perhaps in an interesting print so that your dress does the talking and minimal accessories are needed. Just team with a leather jacket in a contemporary fit (like a biker style) or a denim jacket and some sneakers like a pair of old fashioned Converse, or perhaps some ankle boots. In terms of a purse, make sure that you leave the clutch at home. It’s simply not practical when you will be spending a great deal of time with your hands full eating some delicious food. Instead, opt for a messenger style bag or perhaps a rucksack or backpack. There are loads to buy in the shops at the moment as backpacks are all over the style pages - so it will be an easy find if you do not already have one.
If you are brave, you could carry a purse in a contrasting print to the dress, otherwise a leather finish will always look chic when paired with a maxi and biker jacket. With a printed dress, it’s also better to leave the statement jewelry at home. If you feel naked without earrings or necklaces, go for fine metal chains and studs. Finally, for plus size girls wearing strapless dresses, a well fitted bra is needed to keep everything in place and where it should be. Bandeau dresses are definitely not off limits for curvy girls, just ensure your homework is done on the undergarments first so that you don’t spend your whole afternoon pulling your dress up or over, or just plain fidgeting in discomfort. Remember that strap extenders are an excellent help if you cannot find a bra in your back size.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #2: For Dinner With Your Parents or Friends
It’s always nice to look polished for any time you meet with your parents or friends. Dinner is a perfect opportunity to catch up and, whatever your relationship is with them, it’s necessary to be comfortable. Step forward in a wrap dress in one block color. This chic option is always elegant and really suits a plus size figure. The wrap style creates a waist where sometimes there is none, and the neckline is flattering if you have a large bust or a small bosom. With a block color dress, you can let your accessories show your style personality. If you favor the more bohemian side of fashion, a long necklace and dangly statement earrings can add a wow factor to a basic maxi dress. If you prefer a classic look, then fine metal chain jewelry will look modern and fresh if it is in a rose gold color. For your shoes, as with any maxi you can wear a pair of flats, so a well-polished set of ballet pumps will look fitting for dinner with your parents. However, it may be a good excuse to don some heels, given that you will be sitting down for most of the evening. Heels will always add an extra something to an outfit. A clutch purse, either patterned or plain, will be the final finishing touch. After that, accessorize with a martini, and you’re good to go.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #3: For A Business Lunch
Maxi dresses may not be the most immediate idea to wear to a business lunch, but with the right neckline and accessories, it is totally business appropriate, whilst being ultra-comfortable at the same time - leaving you feeling confident and in charge of whatever issues are on the table. A slash, or boat, neckline with three quarter sleeves or long sleeves is the perfect place to start. A maxi dress in a classic workwear color like black, navy or camel, will look chic, but don’t shy away from a bright red or bottle green. Teamed with a blazer and a structured purse, you will be well set to chair any meeting or dazzle at any business lunch. Comfort is key, as usual, so make sure your dress can move with you in a forgiving material and ensure that your underwear will hold you in place whilst being totally invisible. This means no bra straps, visible panty lines (VPLs) or bras that dig into your back to give muffin tops.
Shapewear is always an option but do make sure it fits properly - otherwise you’ll just feel incredibly restricted and uncomfortable. Depending on your industry, wear a corresponding set of jewelry. If you are in a more corporate sphere, plain silver or gold items will be most suitable, but if you are in the arts, or perhaps marketing and advertising, some bigger pieces can be worn for optimum effect. For shoes, wear either a pointy flat, or some heeled courts in equally demure colors and you’ll be on the way to the top of the career ladder.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #4: For A Date Night Outfit
A date night dress has to, in some way, be sexy. Sexiness means different things to different people, but it is very easy to pull off a sexy look as a plus size woman in a maxi dress. A maxi is inherently feminine so you will be setting off on the right foot to look pretty already. However, a dress with a hint of cleavage due to a V-neckline will look even better. Depending on how low you go, is completely up to you, your confidence and your own sense of style, but remember to wear underwear that will stop any overspills.
Maxi dresses with lace sleeves are also an option to help keep things young and fresh. Dresses with sleeves can help cover bingo wings, but lace ones still show that little bit of skin in an oh so alluring way. Given that the material will be the main draw on this outfit, try to find shoes that either match in color, or at the very least compliment it. Above all though, ensure you can walk in whatever you wear - you want to be able to sashay your way around your date, not hobble. Finally, keep purses small, either in the form of a mini messenger or clutch bag, and wear any jewelry that makes you feel pretty and confident. And remember to smile.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #5: For Travel
When you are going traveling, be it on a holiday or away for an amazing few months on sabbatical, it’s a great opportunity to wear a maxi dress in an all over tropical floral print. Being plus size means that the print will not swamp you and it can be incredibly flattering. Additionally, a maxi dress is probably one of the most comfortable ways to travel so it is a great option for going on a plane, train or bus. Plus, if you are traveling through an airport, a tropical print maxi dress looks stylish when paired with strappy flat slip-on sandals or flip flops - which makes going through security a complete breeze.
To further simplify your life, choose a big, plain bucket style tote that you can just throw items into - magazines, passports, and travel wallets will all be easy to contend with if you wear a bag that is painless to use. A plain leather one will probably match the print of your dress best - tan and black tend to go with anything, but it can be really chic to try to pick out one color from the print and match it to your bag. Better still, match it with your shoes for a pulled together, glossy look. Another must have travel accessory is a big scarf or pashmina. Often, scarves are the perfect opportunity to add some pattern and color into an outfit, but when your dress is already the show stopper, try to find a plain colored wrap that will not only keep you warm, but can be used with a multitude of outfits on your trip.
Maxi Dress Outfit Idea #6: Dressing For A Wedding
Whatever happens, steer very clear of white or cream when attending a wedding, especially when wearing a maxi dress. Otherwise, a maxi dress is a very good choice to wear to a wedding. Plus size party and cocktail dresses are abundant, but it’s key to make sure the style suits you and is miles away from anything too tent-like. You want to look elegant at a wedding. Loose fitting maxi dresses will only seek to make the wearer look bigger, and there is no need. Instead, look for an empire lined patterned number in a weighty material to make sure that it doesn’t cling to any unattractive spots. The taller you are, the bigger the pattern you can get away with - though plus size girls tend to look better in a bolder print anyhow.
A cropped, three quarter length blazer in any color, bar black, will smarten the look up for church weddings, and the jacket can be removed at the wedding to keep cool. Black is too harsh and corporate for someone’s big day. Try to find a blazer that either picks out a color in your chosen maxi dress, or compliments it. Any blazer with a nipped in waist is also a great find. Complete the look with some smart wedges. A wedge heel not only adds height in a foot friendly way, they are also perfect for weddings that are so often organized on grass. Other shoes can mean you end up sinking into turf, a wedge heel leaves you safe and dry at land level. Finish off with some pretty flowers in your hair, fake or otherwise, and you have yourself a beautiful plus size maxi dress look.
Whatever your style preference, remember that a maxi dress is the shape that suits plus size women well to the point that they look best filled out with plus size womanly curves. Bearing this in mind, remember to love your shape and embrace your curvy body. Once you love your body, your confidence will be one of the best accessories you can wear and it will help make or break an outfit for you. Without it, we just become wallflowers that fade into the background, in spite of whatever killer dress we are wearing.
