I like them a lot but some are nicer than others. Hate all those slinky poly ones. I also prefer them to only skim my ankles, not touch my feet. However, I am tall and thin (ish) and can wear them well.

I think they look great on tall slim women. I dont wear them as I am only 5ft2" I look best in knee length

I think they look great on the young gals, but they're not for me....I would think them to be troublesome for my active lifestyle....too much fabric in the way. I'm only 5'4... a better length for me is 7" above the ankle or around the knee.

I think they are definitely a passing fad.

The girls at the high school where I teach are all wearing them. I think they are GREAT! I mostly love the COVERAGE!! They look so comfortable. I haven't tried one on but I have been thinking about it. I think they are perfect for casual but not slumpy. Nothing wrong with upping the life style a bit!! The jeans jeans jeans thing I never got and I wish it were OVER.

I have a few and like to wear them out to dinner during the summer. Typically I bring a shawl along for comfort.

They are a fad, IMO, so I don't spend much $$$ on them. I prefer shorter dresser (knee length or just below).

Now I'm trying to find ankle length slacks to wear to work with heels (like my sylish DD's wear). Geesh! Trends!

I'm not interested in the either, but it seems they are always available as beach wear.
I remember about 10 years back wearing a maxi khaki skirt. I wore it to work, where I mostly sit.
I also remember even further back when I youngest graduated fifth grade. All the girls wore ankle length dresses to the graduation.

I'm short and feel they do nothing for me. I need some new (casual) summer dresses and the maxi is all I'm seeing. Boo.

I'd almost forgotten how comfortable a skirt is...and so cool in summer. I'm 5'5- slim hipped,medium build and feel my long skirts ( to ankle) are my most flattering look. I wear the same way / places I wear capris, jeans, slacks. Dress them up or down. I also like a-line just below knee. Love skirts!

We live in a beachy town and they are fairly common around here. Most of the maxis i see don't fit the wearer very well. They are often too long or have too much fabric or just overwhelm. I do appreciate that they aren't tight or revealing. It's always a little jarring to be doing your weekly grocery shopping behind someone in a bathing suit and a see through beach cover up.

My teen daughters mostly wear them when they go to parties or to dinner with friends. I think they are a fad so I wouldn't spend a lot of money on one.

This post was edited by deee on Thu, May 15, 14 at 6:48

I just bought one at Land's End. I've never worn one before but this was so comfortable I felt like I was wearing a long, soft T shirt. It's shorter in the front and not too voluminous.

We've rented a place on the beach in the Outer Banks and this will be perfect to wear out to dinner. It's inexpensive and if it's a fad then I haven't invested much.

Here is a link that might be useful: dress

I really like the straight line, simple style with the right fabric. They are great in the summer, breezes all around and nothing binding. Very comfortable for shopping and a lot of options for wearing in different situations.

They aren't for everyone or every activity and some are a bit over the top. Some are just nice dresses which are easily hemmed to any length.

The thing is though, I am old and wore them during the hippy era. When pregnant with my one son during a very hot summer, I wore them all the time. I wasn't a hippy, they were just as popular then as now and not sure the style lasted very long.

Remember "skorts"? They are back too, saw an ad for them in knee length.

Lol I am old too- and I do remember them from the past. I did buy one a year ago; haven't worn it but will do so this summer. I think they are super comfy - great in the summer especially easy breezy and no worries about how you sit.
Like anything, fit determines if it's a good thing or not. I thought they've always been around, but yes I guess lately they are featured more prominently so I they are likely a bit of a fad. I think since they are so comfy and practical, they will stay around (but of course -they won't seem as new or fresh......kind of like granite countertops.They just make sense)

Do not care for this fad--and I definitely think it's a fad. To me, they don't look good on anyone, no matter how thin or tall. It's just too much dress. Very very tall very very thin women can at least carry off billows of fabric but 99.9% of maxi dress wearers are NOT very very tall and very very thin.

Then too for some reason the name of the item conjures up a truly unfortunate word association with feminine hygiene products No logic, but every time I hear maxi I think of...something I really don't care to recall as a happily post-menopausal woman :).

Ann

I dont really think it is a fad but I am not sure how long something has to be around to not be a fad. :) They didnt call it a "maxi", but I have been wearing long skirts to work since I graduated College and sadly that was a bit over 20 years ago.

I wear them to my ankle and you can dress them up down etc. Some years over the last 20 years it has been more difficult to find them then at other times. I have always been able to find them though. I usually get a couple new ones every year, over time they tear or dont fit :( so I have to replenish. :)

They are one of those things that comes in and out of style. They have been around again this time for at least a couple of years, maybe longer.

I like them on others, but I am also short (and curvy) and thought I could not wear them. However, I have found a couple that are pretty flattering. I have to be careful and cannot have the yards of fabric but need a straight shape or one that is straight so far down and then flares more towards the bottom. Kind of a trumpet skirt style I guess. I do not wear dresses often. I probably prefer the maxi skirts over the dresses. I recently bought one that has the mitered stripes that meet at the center front (and back) seam and that seems to have a slenderizing/lengthening effect. I like a maxi to just graze the tops of my feet and I cannot wear flats with them.

tina

They are not all billowy, I only buy ones that are lean cut. Too much fabric is hot. I think of them as long sundresses. I'm 5'11" size 10 btw. I see them more as a fad that has turned into a trend, that will stick, like capris.

IMO the maxi is not a passing fad but is a style that is occasionally more popular at some times than others. Right now they are trendy so I may buy more if I find some I like. I love my 2 maxi summer dresses I bought a couple of years ago and wear them several times each in the summer. Neither of mine were inexpensive but IMO you get what you pay for and I'll wear them for years. I'm thin and only 5'5 so would never buy without trying on as some are too long for me. I like them to skim my ankles. I always wear dressy wedge sandals with them so I feel taller which I like! Both of mine are quite straight and made of knitted cotton so very comfortable to wear and great to pack for travel. They take very little space in a suitcase and don't wrinkle. I can dress them up or down wearing with either a jean jacket for shopping or dressy cardi for dinner. The reason I don't wear them as often as I'd perhaps like is that I drive a pick-up and it's easier to get in and out of in pants. I have to be careful not to drag the bottom of a long dress.

I was just watching Mad Men the other night (a show about advertising company in the 60s for those who have never heard of it). I noticed that while some of the women were wearing mini-dresses that were INCREDIBLY short, there were one or two women that had on maxi dresses.

I think some people can wear them well, depending on the style/cut, but others just look silly. I personally wouldn't wear one even though they look so comfortable, because I'm not tall, only 5'3" and a style like that would not be flattering on my body type. The other reason I wouldn't wear one is b/c my legs (especially my calves) are one of my nicest body features so I prefer to wear dresses/skirts that come to just above my knee. I'm happy to keep my midsection covered and emphasize my nice legs! I have several cotton sundress type of dresses that I bought last summer that look much better for my figure.

That said, my 15 y/o dd, who is slightly taller than me, bought a maxi dress and looks really cute in it.

I've always loved them and worn them. I think long skirts for women will always be present, in some form or another.

I am short and fat and still wear them. I have a long black skirt that I wear for travel, and also sometimes for work. the maxi dresses are always too long, so I cut off the bottoms or hem them.

I hate pants and wish I didn't have to wear them as much as I do. But now with the "no nude pantyhose" rule, it gets harder to wear skirts to work.

No nude pantyhose???

totally passe. It's hard to even find them in the stores anymore.

I went shopping for a maxi dress yesterday, did not find any. I was looking for something not billowy or drapey, more like a long tank top, not too fitted though and in black, no print.

I would wear it in Florida around the house, but it's something I could hop in the car and run an errand in.

Oh I see now what you mean Violet. I thought you meant your work had a no nude pantyhose rule!! LOL

I can't help but think of 60's hippie wear (my generation), and it's not in me to revisit, even though I'm tall and thin. I did buy a mid-calf skirt for summer and took it to Hawaii a couple of years ago and I've worn it a few times since. I like it with a long-ish tank-type shirt but it needs a wrap of some sort if it gets chilly. The skirt is a bit full at the bottom but fitted in the hips. I really don't care for maxi-length dresses at all, especially those with straight skirts.

Interesting some can't find them-its pretty much all you can find where I am. Capris and long dresses are warm weather staples.

Theyre not called maxi dresses tho! Floor length. I have a couple knit sleeveless ones I love. My office freezes in the summer so theyre a great choice. I wear adenim jacket and chunky jewelry and am rright in style.

I wore knee length knit skirt last summer and loved them so much more than shorts. I just bought my first full length at Marshall's. It fits great and I hope to love it this summer.

My 5'4" daughter has been wearing them for a couple of years now, and they look great on her. The first few I tried on I didn't like, but last year I made a tank style maxi dress, and it is cute on. I'm almost 5'9", and I wouldn't wear anything with a full skirt - too much fabric - but that's not what I've been seeing in the stores. For a recent trip to Mexico I wore a slim-ish maxi skirt and tank top on the plane. It was a great traveling outfit, as my legs were kept warm from the chill of the plane's air conditioning, but it was much more comfortable when I got off the plane than pants would have been. But since my legs are still my best asset I do prefer shorter dresses. :)

Trying styles that are out of the comfort range can be fun and enlightening. I think of of it as staying young as I age. I bought a pair of screaming, deep yellow skinnies to wear under a short navy printed dress in Autumn and it will look current, stylish and cool with my motorcycle boots!

It's just clothes, have fun.....

Love them, and always have. I have several in denim - flared or almost straight - and many others in gauze "boho" look.

At my age, I've seen maxi, middy and minis come in and out of style often. Personally, I think they should all be available all the time so each of us can wear what looks best on our own body.

I have many.. Have been wearing them for as long as I can remember (under different names). They come in many styles. I have a straight dressier shirt-dress style black maxi that comes to my ankles that I just love-- alas, it's two sizes smaller than I am currently wearing. I generally prefer cotton but so many in the stores now are some sort of synthetic fiber.

Love them for sitting on the patio, a casual dinner or running to the store. I find them cool, comfy and easy going.. I am more likely to wear them with flat sandals, flip flops or even (gasp) keds.

Hardly a fad in my book-- but i think people tend to call a lot of things they don't like "fads".

Love your style pesky1! Long dress, denim jacket and chunky jewelry - wonderful current style.

Bumblebeez, you are so right about staying young with fashion and I so agree that âÂÂIt's just clothes, have fun...âÂÂ

Justgotabme �" in a perfect world it would be so! âÂÂPersonally, I think they should all be available all the time so each of us can wear what looks best on our own body.âÂÂ

Funkyart �" IMO you nailed it - âÂÂHardly a fad in my book-- but i think people tend to call a lot of things they don't like âÂÂfadsâÂÂ.â I find that's likely true with both fashion and home decor.

Have been remembering some of my past fashion choices and I've worn quite a few long skirts over the last 50 years. While I had great legs when I was younger and still have pretty good ones it's not something I feel comfortable showing off in public except at the beach or pool so never wear shorts or short skirts in other situations. IMO there are too many women of all ages who don't seem to realize how unattractive their legs really are and they might look better in a long skirt or pants. Again IMO few women have really attractive knees.

While waiting for a light to change in downtown D.C., I happened to see the back of a woman wearing a maxi. The pattern was diagonal, making her more-lean-than-not body shape seem wider. So, just a warning: Take the dressing room with the 3-way mirror!

I like them on others, but I don't wear them- they remind me of junior high, and also earlier than that when my home state celebrated its centennial in 1967, and we wore pioneer dresses to school!

I ended up finding one great long dress, black and straight, not fitted just body skimming, sleeveless, in a semi silky stretch fabric, it's so perfect now I'm trying to find another identical one and I can't.

lo and behold, I searched again just now and found it, on the Artful Home site, ordered a second one, in black also. It is longer on me than on this tall model but it doesn't touch the floor. This fabric can be crushed in a ball and doesn't wrinkle which makes it great for travelling. I wore it in really hot weather and even though synthetic it feels cool.

I am with those who say it is not a fad. I agree the popularity ebbs and flows some, but there always seem to be some around. As to height, I think that depends on your build. I am 5'3" with a slim build (not quite as slim as when I was younger -sigh) and have always been able to look fine in them. I have a colleague who is about 5' and tiny who wears them a lot and she also looks terrific.

I am not, however, a fan of mid-calf lengths. I think they make legs look terrible most of the time. Knee length that shows the curve looks good to me as does short, but only on young women with nice legs and slim knees.

All that said, I also believe we should wear what we like, what makes us feel good, and what is comfortable. Looks are way down on my list, even though this post doesn't sound like it! ;)

Luckygal....I so agree with you. Was a shorts gal for longer than I can remember. My legs looked great up until 50s. While at an exercise class I realized my knees had "fallen", ugh and do not were anything that doesn't cover them. Now I see they have plastic surgery for knees, nope won't go there.

If maxis are a fad, at least one can shorten them and alter the dress for wearing whatever length is in.

Hmmmm....
As the guy here, maybe my view doesn't matter, but I've never cared for those ankle-length looks on Women. IMO, they don't flatter anyone.
Then there's the mentioned "mid-calf" lengths....>...geez they look like hell.

And yes...I AM Mr. Blackwell! ;-)

Faron