How to Wear Maxi Dress in Fall

Breezing around in a floral or one-color maxi dress is my favorite way to spend summer and spring. Yet this hot weather staple can take you well into the colder months, if you wear it right.

My first trick has always been to choose the right dress for fall and wear it right. How, you ask?

1. Choose Fall Colors

Don’t get me wrong, any color you have in your closet is fine. But wearing a maxi dress in fall colors makes you feel more in season, and this translates well in the outfit. Maroon, navy, dark orange or even hunter green are all great fall colors. Maxi dresses in those colors or white, and a hint of any of these colors look incredible.

2. Pick an Ankle-length Dress

Again, the fall season can get chilly, especially in the morning and evenings. For this reason, you want a long dress to cover your legs and keep them warm. If you decide to wear tights underneath, an ankle-length maxi dress will conceal them fully, and no one will be able to tell.

I also prefer a dress with sleeves to keep the arms warm when it’s super cold. Of course, this applies more if you aren’t planning to wear a jacket or sweater over the dress.

3. Dress for the Occasion

The last way I ensure my summer staples look good in fall is to match the occasion. How you style a maxi dress for church or meeting your in-laws cannot be the same as how you do it for lunch with friends. That is how you make the same set of dresses stand out differently every time.

How to Style a Maxi Dress in Fall

1. Wear the Maxi Dress as a Skirt

I love styling a maxi dress like a skirt because there are so many ways to do it. You can even wear the same dress a couple of times a week without anyone noticing. My favorite trick is to wear a nice chunky sweater because it’s warm and cozy. Choose a slim-cut sweater though to avoid looking overwhelmed with fabric.

Other items you can wear include;

• A button-up shirt. Shirts are a great way to style an otherwise boring maxi dress during those warmer fall days. Start by tucking the shirt underneath itself at the back to avoid bunching up, and then tie it in front at the waist. That simple knot at the front makes you look stylish, casual, and confident.
• Cardigan and skinny belt. This is usually a look you go for when the occasion is semi-formal or something like church. Slip on a button-up cardigan that goes down to your buttocks, and cinch it at the waist with a slim belt. It’s a nice warm look that won’t leave you sweating during those hot fall afternoons.

2. Layer Up with a Jacket

Now, if you want to celebrate your lovely maxi dress for what it is in the fall, a jacket is the way to go. My number one choice is always a denim jacket with cute buttons because it’s warm and bright. A denim jacket will brighten up any maxi dress and elevate your style.

However, you can also do a classic leather or a bomber jacket. Both are quite stylish and stop right around the waistline, giving your dress a nice structure and shape. The good thing with a jacket is that you can slip it right off when it gets warmer and drape it around your shoulders.

3. Do a Scarf Instead

On those fall days when I want to feel feminine, I always opt for an oversized scarf. It’s a great way to accessorize a maxi dress when it’s a little warm or when attending events like weddings and semi-formal dinners. Of course, the rules of wearing a scarf still apply here- if the dress is floral, keep the scarf plain and vice versa.

4. Go for a Professional Look

There’s only one season a year when you can confidently pull off a maxi dress to work, and that is fall. Besides being a relaxed time of the year, it’s also cold, and people are expected to wear clothing covering up their legs and arms. Granted, the dress you pick has to look a bit more formal (straight silhouette, plain color and no embellishments).

To style this dress for work or meetings, wear a blazer to kick it off that formal edge. You can also do a peacoat or a structured trench coat instead and then wear a scarf around your neck. With the right pair of shoes, these are easy ways to transform a summer staple into a professional fall outfit. As I mentioned above, you can also wear a light cardigan and a slim belt for that semi-formal look.

5. Keep It Casual with a Faux Fur Vest or Long Sweater

When casual and comfortable is the feeling I am going for, a faux fur vest always comes through. The white or brownish fur adds a layer of warmth and sophistication to the look, but you still get that breeze hit your underarms because it’s a vest.

Sometimes though, the occasion calls for something classier or warmer. This is where a long coat or cardigan comes in. There’s something about a long cardigan that makes your maxi dress look fashionably elevated. The trick is to keep it open and use minimal accessories.

6. Choose Warm, Sexy Shoes

With it being chilly and all, your summer sandals and wedges just won’t cut it. Thankfully, we still have many sexy options to dress up a maxi dress in the fall. My personal favorite is a pair of ankle booties, especially the ones with a heel. Simple flat shoes are also a classic fall look. You can comfortably wear these shoes with any of the styles above, including the office look. For further ideas, you can check out on best shoes to go with a maxi dress.

For a more casual vibe, a pair of light sneakers will do. Dress this up with a jacket, a scarf around the neck and a chic handbag.

7. Accessorize

They say fall is the most fashionable season of the year. There are layers of clothing, luxurious fabrics, and rich colors everywhere. One of the best places to inject that color is in accessories. Fall fashion allows you to go crazy with accessories from oversized scarfs to hats and even colorful jewelry. A bracelet watch goes down in history as my favorite jewelry piece for fall, especially since I seldom wear necklaces and bangles during this time.

A big structured leather bag is also a fantastic way to bring the fall colors to play. It’s classy, regal, and big enough to fit all your items.