Flowy, elegant and out to make a statement, long skirts and maxi dresses are back in style. Whether women are going to church or to class, both are instances where these styles are appropriate.
Two BYU students shared their thoughts about these new styles.
“[The long skirt] makes me feel pretty, it makes me feel more elegant,” said Anneliese Mecham, a junior from Mesa, Ariz., studying communication disorders.
If long skirts aren’t your style and a dress is more you, similar to the style of long skirts, is the maxi dress.
[/media-credit]“A maxi dress is in right now and so comfortable,” said Madeline Bodine, a senior from Los Altos, Calif., studying French. Bodine said to look for cotton, comfort and simplicity when choosing a maxi dress.
Bodine cautioned to stay away from the prom dress style. A maxi dress should be straight and slim, not like a full Cinderella dress.
“The point is to accentuate your waist, it’s not a muumuu,” Bodine said.
Bodine and Mecham gave advice about how to wear long skirts and dresses.
“The right length is so [the skirt or dress] is not too long where it’s dragging, but long enough too cover your ankles,” Mecham said. “You don’t want high water.”
Bodine advised when choosing a shirt to combine with a long skirt to make sure the shirt is a little tighter, not flowy. She said to mix up colors and textures when pairing skirts and shirts together, though Mecham said to avoid mixing too many colors or textures.
Dawna Baugh, professor in the School of Family Life, teaches a class about the dynamics of clothing. She said fashion fulfills basic human needs. It fulfills the need for change, for identity, the desire to fit in but also to make an individual statement.
Describing the history of hemlines, Baugh said there’s a creative way to tell when the stock market is up.
“When the stock markets are up, skirts are up,” she said. “Stock markets are down right now, skirts are down.”
Baugh said fashion also follows the rule of excess, in that it takes itself to the limit and starts over when it can’t go any further.
“Skirts can go as high as they can go, and then they go long again,” Baugh said.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a long skirt or dress, Mecham said to pick one you feel comfortable in, don’t just wear the style because it’s a trend.
“I think it can be intimidating … to wear a maxi dress,” Bodine said. “Don’t fear the maxi dress.”
