In Hawaii and Craving Maxi Dresses

So, as y'all know by this point, I'm in Hawaii at the moment.  I'm really not a "frolicking in my swimsuit" sort of person (although I am loving my new Delia's swimsuit, yes, I bought something from Delia's and it was awesome).  I'm a 'let me wear adorable cover-ups on the beach and not get too close to the water because I watched too much Shark Week when I was little" person.


My favorite cover-ups so far: this random T-Bags Pucci-print tunic I got in ninth grade, menswear button-ups, and maxi dresses, specifically maxi dresses.  They're just so fun to swish around the beach in!  So of course, this got me philosophizing about maxi dresses, which led to a massive online shopping hunt, and I just wanted to share a few of my favorites with you guys.


Mara Hoffman Long Open Back Column Dress, $342 at shopbop.com, Topshop Embroidered Mesh Maxi Dress, $135 at topshop.com, Winter Kate Damien Dress, $225 at shopbop.com: The print on that first dress is just so delicious--very modern geometric meets '60s Pucci meets Murano glass meets kaleidoscope.  The upside to a crazy print like that is that it will completely draw attention from any areas on your body that you'd want to camouflage.  All anyone will see is your silhouette and that print, nothing else.  It seems like it would draw attention to a squishy stomach or wide hips, but it's really the ultimate, chic distraction.  The slim, clean lines of the dress are the perfect contrast to the vibrant print (is this a maxi dress?  Shopbop thinks so, I have mixed feelings, but it's pretty so whatever), and the deep-cut back is the perfect, cheeky little surprise.  I love Topshop.  I wish LA had a Topshop SO BADLY.  Ugh.  Whatever.  This dress also has a deep back, with a slightly scandalous v-shape.  I love the sheer maxi dress over that little slip dress.  I wore that combo once and loved it to pieces.  You get all the sex appeal of the slip dress with all the drama and fun, summeryness of the maxi dress.  The pattern on the sheer dress would almost look like tattoos, which just makes it even cooler.  This last dress is the most casual.  Again, the print is fun and distracting, but not over the top.  What I really like is the cut.  It's flowing and voluminous, but the way that it hugs the waist and the hips ensures that all that volume in the skirt won't be overwhelming or unflattering.  Nice going, Nicole Richie (this is her second clothing line).

As for the styling with these, they all have a lot of fabric, and adding too much to all that fabric can make the overall look feel very heavy.  I'd keep the focus on the dress by doing a simple pair of sandals in a neutral tone, and then one piece of jewelry--a pendant necklace, a cuff bracelet, one piece that won't be overwhelmed by the dress but won't fight with it.


Image Sources:
shopbop.com, topshop.com, shopbop.com.