Food, fun, friends, and family. This is what the 4th of July is all about as we celebrate America’s independence and usher in the summer season. And since we are celebrating America, it’s a great time to sport a stylish yet festive look that’s comfortable enough to party with until late.
If you think about it, nothing fits that description better than a maxi dress. It’s light, stylish, comfortable, and long enough to cover your legs when it gets cold at night. But as patriotic as you may feel this great weekend, wearing a maxi dress or any other outfit made of the American flag is just tacky, not to mention illegal.
Surprisingly, there are plenty of ways to style a maxi dress with the classic red, blue, and white without looking like a walking flag. From stripes to florals, color blocks to monochromes, here are some great styling tips for your 4th of July maxi outfit.
Choose Two Colors
The safest way to avoid the flag look on your outfit is to choose two of the three flag colors for your outfit. This doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate other colors like black or brown in accessories, but you can’t have blue, white, and red in one ensemble.
Ideally, I would wear a plain white or blue maxi dress with pockets and use the other color to style it. Wearing a white or red blazer/jacket/shirt will work to break the straight line in your dress and give some structure and warmth. You can also incorporate white shoes, belt, or a handbag if it works, and I’ve also seen people do white hoop earrings or pearls for jewelry.
One of the best ways I’ve done a 4th of July maxi dress is to wear a plain white dress, denim jacket, and blue sandals to match the jacket. I also donned a white bracelet and pearls on my ears to complete the outfit and carried a black clutch bag.
Go with Prints and Patterns
If you are feeling riskee’ and want to try all three colors, there’s a way around the flag look- prints and florals. The secret is choosing a dress with other colors besides blue, red, and white. They could be zigzags, flowers, fruits, or any other exciting prints that can go in a dress.
I’ve seen a navy blue dress with red fruit prints on it, and the lady wore it with simple white sneakers and a cross-body bag. A red dress with tiny white flowers styled with a white or denim jacket, white sneakers, and a blue clutch is also quite giving. Kendall Jenner was also spotted on Sunset Boulevard with a blue horizontal striped dress with yellow, red, white, and blue stripes, and it was beautiful.
Speaking of patterns, you can choose a dress with horizontal or vertical stripes, checkered or poker dots incorporating two of those colors. You will get the third color in your bag, jacket, shoes, or jewelry.
Try Denim
If I could choose only one way to style maxi dresses on the 4th of July or any other day, it would be denim. You can have it on your jacket, shirt, shoes, belt, and even handbag. Denim has that classic blue that’s also toned down, so it doesn’t color crash with the dress’s color.
I like wearing a printed or plain dress with a denim jacket or carrying a denim clutch. Match this with black, sparkly, or white sandals, and you have a note-worthy outfit. Denim wedges or sneakers are also great if you want to dress up the outfit a little bit, especially if they have another color as well.
Choose Accessories Wisely
Accessories are the one place you can sneak in reds and blues without looking tacky. Things like handbags, jewelry, belt, watch, scarf, and hats can add that pop of color you want to turn an everyday dress into a 4th of July outfit.
We have talked about adding a denim belt or bag earlier, but you can also have them in any other color. A mostly white outfit would look great if you carry a red or blue handbag as long as there is a tiny hint of that color in the dress or outfit. For example, if you are spending the day outside, pick a white beach hat to protect you from the sun and go with a red or blue maxi dress.
You can also do colorful shoes to bring out the pop. Think white or red boots worn under a buttoned maxi dress or white/blue sneakers. It’s really about adding touches of red, blue, and white without overwhelming the outfit with color. If the dress is toned down color-wise, bring the pop with shoes and accessories instead.
Layers Up
One unexpected maxi dress outfit I’ve seen is a white button-up maxi dress with pockets paired with blue jeans, wedges, and a clutch. The dress and the jeans took care of the white and blue, but she added a touch of really popping red on her lips, toenails, and fingers.
This outfit reminded me of how you can use a buttoned maxi dress as a cover for either a bodycon dress, tight trousers, or even a bikini if you spend the 4th of July on the beach or pool party. I’ve seen girls wear red bikinis, bedazzled sandals, and a colorful maxi dress left open to showcase what’s underneath.
Speaking of layering, you can wear a chunky sweater that has patriotic colors. A red sweater with white and blue embroidery in front is a classic you can wear on Independence Day or Christmas. Look for one in another color and keep your dress warm.
What other style of maxi dress are you thinking about this 4th of July? Let us know in the comment section.
Maxi dresses are light, comfortable, and easy to style, which makes them suitable for partying and celebrations. So if you are planning to party it up on Independence Day, there is no better outfit than a maxi dress, especially if you manage to style it fashionably with the colors of the day.
Styling an everyday maxi dress for Independence Day involves choosing the right color for that day and then finding pieces that complement it. For example, if you choose a plain colored dress, style it with something blue or red, even if it’s just an accessory. In the same breath, keep accessories toned down if the dress has a lot of colors or prints. It is all about balance.