How To Wear a Belt With a Maxi Dress

Maxi dresses are meant to be long, flowing, and light, making them ideal for summer wear. These dresses can be worn on their own, but you can add a belt for extra texture, color, and style. 

A belt will also alter the silhouette of the dress and wrap your natural waist, giving you an illusion of an hourglass figure. 

How to Style a Maxi Dress With a Belt

When choosing a belt for a maxi dress, pick those simple but classy ones. The belt’s purpose is to add a silhouette to the dress or break the fabric. 

A loose floral or patterned maxi dress will go well with a brown skinny leather belt to give an illusion of an hourglass figure on the wide and lengthy dress. 

For a block-color maxi dress, also try a one-color belt. Use a braided or leather belt for this maxi dress to define your waistline.

Mermaid maxi dresses for events will go great without a belt, or add a larger belt to add some interest to your dress. 

How To Tie a Belt on a Maxi Dress

You can clip the belt around your waist or try a simple loop knot with a skinny belt for more style. Do not exaggerate with dramatic knot ties, since the dress is already big enough. 

The first step to successfully tying on a belt to your maxi dress is deciding where you want it to fall. If you’re wearing your maxi dress with sandals or flats and don’t need the extra fabric at the bottom, try tucking it up a little to make the dress fall at your waist. If you want to wear your maxi dress with heels and want extra fabric for flair, don’t tuck the bottom of your dress in at all!

Once you’ve decided where you want the belt to fall, lay it across your waist so that one end is slightly longer than the other.

Typically, people prefer to put the longer end on their right side and the shorter end on their left side, but this is just personal preference and also depends on your dominant hand.

Next, wrap the long end of your belt around your waist so that it’s now the shorter side. You’ll want to pull it tight (but not too tight!) and make sure that it’s straight. If you want to keep the belt in place, tie a simple knot or bow!

Benefits of Adding a Belt to a Maxi Dress

1. Defining the Dress

Maxi dresses can be baggy and lengthy, which can easily make you look sloppy. Adding a belt to such a maxi dress will define your waist and add contrast to the narrowest part of your shape to enhance the overall look of the outfit.

2. Breaking Up the Fabric

Maxi dresses are usually large pieces of the same fabric, whether patterned, solid color or neutral. Adding a belt of a different color or a color from the patterned dress will help break the fabric’s monotony and add some visual interest to the overall dress. 

3. Curving up the shape

A belt will help create a shape on your loose-fitting maxi dress. Adding it at the narrowest part of your waist will give you an illusion of an hourglass figure and bring balance to your whole dress. 

If you are short and curvy like me – read this.

Types of Belts for a Maxi Dress

You can wear a maxi dress with narrow, strong, and clasped or small, understated, and half-tucked belts that create a perfect fit and individual style. Here are some types of belts you can pair with the dress; 

1. Braided Belt 

Braided belts are great when adding texture and interest to your maxi dress. The no-leather braided belts are made from nylon, rayon, waxed cotton, or other materials. 

Pair your beige braided belt with a light blue maxi dress to add some feminine style to your look.

2. Glitter Belt 

Pairing a maxi dress with a glitter belt will be a great way to add some glam to your overall outfit. 

Add a glitter belt to a maxi dress when going for occasions such as weddings, homecoming events, or any other formal event for a glamorous look. 

You can pair a glitter belt with a black maxi dress to complete your look. 

3. Leather Belts 

Black or brown leather is so widely used that it represents simplicity and elegance in fashion. Whether synthetic leather, full-grain leather, or top-grain leather, a leather belt will give your maxi dress a stunning look. 

Try wearing a slim black leather belt with a loose-fitting turquoise blue maxi dress and see how it transforms the outfit from simple to classy. 

Leather belts can also pair well with other colors, such as lavender, salmon, and cool blue. 

4. Sequined Belt

Pairing your maxi dress with a sequined belt is a good way to add glam to the dress. It will be great for your high-end events where you would want to flaunt your style. 

Pair a mermaid maxi dress with a sequin belt to add interest to the dress. 

5. Satin Belts 

Satin belts will add color and texture to your maxi dress. They are great when you wear a satin dress with a satin belt. 

Try this look for occasions such as weddings or any other formal occasion you would want to wear a satin maxi dress. 

Can You Wear a Maxi Dress With a Belt to a Wedding

Yes, you can wear a maxi dress with a belt to a wedding. When adding a belt to your maxi dress, ensure that the dress goes well with the belt. 

For a formal wedding, add a glitter belt, leather belt, or sequin belt to add style to your overall look. 

For example, wear a sequin belt and block color maxi dress and complete your look with diamond studs and stilettos for a smashing style. 

Can You Pair a Maxi Dress With a Belt to Work?

Yes, you can pair a maxi dress with a belt to work or to a job interview. You can also add a belt to a maxi dress to give the outfit a formal style. When wearing a belt with a maxi dress to work, avoid large belts, as they look more casual than formal. 

Wear a slim brown leather belt with a black loose maxi dress to define your waist and add some formality and class to the outfit. 

Can I Pair a Casual Maxi Dress With a Belt?

Adding a belt to your maxi dress is the go-to way of upgrading a casual dress (although you can also wear it casually and look great). If you want to have your best look when with friends at a get-together, running errands, or going out for a date with family or friends, then grab a belt and slip it up on your waist. 

Belts will go well with almost any type of casual maxi dress. For a floral maxi dress, wear a braided brown or black belt. You can also add sunglasses and a dramatic hat for a summer afternoon with friends. 

Wear a belt with a block color dress to add a break to all the fabric and color. 

Are There Maxi Dresses You Should Not Add a Belt?

No, all maxi dresses will go well with a belt, but choosing to wear a belt on a maxi dress depends on you. It is not a fashion rule that you have to wear a maxi dress with a belt.

Some maxi dresses will still look great without a belt. Therefore, dress up, look at yourself in the mirror, and only add the belt if it improves the outfit.