Lightweight maxi dresses are the perfect trend for summer, especially for the taller among us, writes DEIRDRE MCQUILLAN.
HERE COME THE MAXIS – lightweight dresses billowing in from the 1970s with their casual glamour and idle, summery elegance. Italian designers love the bravado of such flamboyance, and maxis have featured in collections from Cavalli to Gucci with the high street, principally Topshop and HM, following in their wake with flowing alternatives to the season’s jumpsuits and wet-look leggings.
The current vogue for empire-line floor-length frocks started more than two years ago on the streets of London, though many blame Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe for stripping starlets of miniskirts and stilettos and cladding them in long breezy dresses, chunky jewellery and sparkly sandals for maximum impact on hungry lenses, thus cementing the trend. Liz Hurley did the rest.
Romantic they may look on powdery sand, and ultra cool on red carpets, but on city streets there’s the danger of looking like walking wallpaper, misplaced upholstery or dragging wet hems. Maxis may be great for hiding imperfections or covering up the flab, but they are not always flattering, don’t always cover maxi hips and need to be approached with caution. Tall, slim women can look great in them, but the smaller fulsome size needs to watch out, not for the length but the neckline, the size of print and quality of fabric. A good rule of thumb is to match the size of the print with the size of the figure and keep graphic lines vertical. Cardigans and shrugs are a match better than jackets.
These dresses photographed in the dunes at Dollymount Strand display the possibilities, from halter-neck tops, to bandeau and strapless styles and the variety of prints. Some prints are so bold they wear the wearer rather than vice versa and are hazardous for five-footers, while others free of pattern with some surface décor look so elegant, they’re almost too formal for beachwear. Best of all is the breezy navy and white striped maxi, a fresh take on a nautical look, while a polkadot with a wide-brimmed straw hat captures summer’s light-hearted spirit.
PHOTOGRAPHY
ADAM WOLYNSZCZAK
STYLINGANNE HOBSON
Contact Anne Hobson at 086-1249522, ahannehobson@gmail.com
Adam Wolynszczak is at www.wolynszczak.com
MAKE-UP:Ciara Hanlon
HAIR STYLIST:Glenn Kelly, Kazumi Hair Salon, 36 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
MODEL:Chloe Arnold, Morgan The Agency
LOCATION:Dollymount Strand, Dublin 3