In a recent poll on the Closet Factory Facebook page, the maxi dress emerged the winner when people were asked what their favorite go-to item in the closet was. This is no surprise since maxi dresses are quite versatile, easy to style, and comfortable. Maxi dresses with pockets are even better because you have a place to put your cold hands, lip-gloss, and phone instead of carrying a handbag.
But there’s one small issue you don’t foresee when buying a long maxi dress: storage.
Under normal circumstances, the best way to store a dress in the closet is to hang it with a hanger. However, folding it will make the dress crease and force you to iron it every time. The issue with hanging a maxi dress though is that most closets nowadays have drawers and shelves on the top or bottom, which means less vertical length. As a result, your precious dress will sweep the ground and collect dust.
So, how do you hang a maxi dress when simply draping it on a hanger doesn’t cut it?
We have the tricks just for you.
But first…
- Identify the Design and material of the dress
Maxi dresses come in many designs. There are strapless, halter, and even sleeveless dresses. Some have pockets others don’t. Knowing the style will determine how you hang the dress and the hanger to use. The material of the dress also matters because some, like cotton jersey, will stay on the hanger while others, like chiffon, easily slide off.
- Choose the right hangers
We recommend Zober Premium velvet hangers when storing maxi dresses in your closet. These hangers have a good grip, keeping the straps or the dress in place, and it won’t slide off. However, if you don’t have velvet hangers, you can use plastic or wooden pant hangers or skirt hangers with clips on top. You can fold a thick foam rubber or cardboard cutting on the lower part of the hanger to give it that velvet effect.
The Amber Home white wooden hangers are really sturdy and appropriate for pants, shorts, skirts, and especially dresses.
Recommended hangers
Since I live in a small apartment, I must organize my clothes wisely. I got these hangers when I was a student and I use them ever since.
This is the hanger I use for my skirts. I
This is the hanger on Amazon:
Tips and Tricks for Hanging a Maxi Dress
Fold in Half
The easiest method to hang a long dress is to fold it over a pants hanger in half. You can do it with any dress design, but it’s even more necessary when you have a halter or strapless maxi. The weight of the dress is equal on both sides, so it stays put and doesn’t slide off.
This method is also neater than most, and if you have velvet hangers, the dress will stay in its crisp condition. However, it only works with materials that don’t crease easily, like polyester, chiffon, and jersey. If your dress creases easily, we have alternative methods for you.
Use Two Hangers
For this trick, you will hang your maxi dress the usual way using the straps or sleeves. After that, take a second pants hanger and drape the bottom part of the dress over another hanger. Again, since you are folding a section of the dress over a hanger, it requires a dress that doesn’t crease easily and a hanger that will hold the dress. Hang the two hangers next to each other and ensure they face the same side for visual purposes.
Scoop Over
Now, if using two hangers sounds like a bit of a waste, you can do the same thing but on the same hanger. This will only work if your dress has straps but not sleeves or a halter design. Simply hang the dress on a hanger the usual way and then scoop it up in half and bring it through the bottom part of the hanger.
As a bonus, you can tuck the dress fabric into the neckline so it stays put throughout all the movements. Maxi dresses hung this way look neat, and you can save more closet space.
Alternatively, you can start at the bottom and slide the dress fabric through the hanger like you will fold it in half. Then, flip over the hanger and hang the straps the usual way. The lower part of the dress will automatically go inside, and it will form some sort of a pocket.
This alternative doesn’t look as neat as the first one, but it still works. Fold the dress in half vertically if you want a more visually appealing result.
Skirt Method
For this hanging method, you will need hangers with pliers or clips. Turn the dress inside out and fold back the bodice on the waistline, so it looks like a skirt. Then, clips the bodice on both ends with the hanger pliers and let it hang like that. As you can tell, this will work best if your maxi dress has a defined waistline and it’s not free-flowing.
However, if your maxi dress has pockets, you can use the pockets as the bodice, and it will work the same way. If you are scared that the calipers may ruin your dress, glue some cardboard inside the calipers, so they have a cushion.
Be Organized
Finally, you have to hang the dresses in an organized manner, so the closet looks neat and works for you. For instance, you can hang them according to dress style or strap style. Let all the strappy dresses stay together, followed by halters and then sleeves. You can also organize them according to color by putting the same colors, florals, and prints together.
Besides being visually appealing, hanging your maxi dresses organized makes it easy to find what you are looking for in the morning.
Eager to hang your beautiful maxis now? Use any of the above tips, and you’ll maximize space and worry less about your clothes getting dirty.
