Maxi Dress

Where the Hem Lands on You

A maxi runs long, but not every maxi is cut for the floor. The cotton florals here are made to end around the ankle, which clears sandals and sneakers and keeps the hem out of the dust; the evening styles in chiffon, jersey and satin are cut to reach the floor. For a floor length maxi, choose the shoes first: the hem should clear the ground by about half an inch in them, no more. Longer catches on stairs and curbs. Shorter reads as an awkward in-between rather than a deliberate length, and no alteration recovers it once the hem is cut.

Weight Behaves Differently at Full Length

A fabric that behaves at knee length can misbehave at ankle length, because there is simply more of it pulling down. Jersey and microfiber follow the body and gain weight as they lengthen. Chiffon floats and needs a lining under it. Satin holds a column but shows every line beneath. At full length a matte fabric with some body is the most predictable, since it neither clings nor billows. A print breaks up light and hides seams; a solid color does neither.

What Sits Underneath Becomes Part of It

Full length removes the option of hiding anything below the knee, so the underlayer stops being invisible. Seamless briefs matter more here than under a shorter dress, and a slip turns a semi-sheer maxi from unwearable into easy. If a maxi is lined only to the knee, check what the lower half does in daylight before the event rather than on the day. Lining detail sits with each product where the supplier states it.

For shorter lengths in the same fabrics, the wider range sits in Dresses, and for floor length formal occasions specifically, Evening Gowns.