Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 10:52AM By: Cynthia Anderson Move over mini, Maxi takes hold of hemline trends
The beachy maxi at Adam Spring 2011/Image: S. Whittle for Style Wylde
Women of the world rejoice! After years of the micro-mini reign of terror, designers are finally stepping away from the thigh-baring silhouette and showing longer lengths in their collections. Case in point: maxi dresses and skirts, which showed up all over the Spring and Fall 2011 runways at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
No longer primarily worn as a beach-cover-up, the new maxis go from casual to formal, from country to urban in the blink of an eye. Here are some of our favorite maxi-looks from recent runway collections:
Bohemian Girl Maxi Dress, Adam Spring 2011
Hyper cool in a definite style-comes-to-me-naturally way, the flowing beach vacation white maxi dress with crochet detail was irresistible at the Adam Spring 2011 show. Seeing it come down the runway we felt a sudden urge to pack up for a weekend in Mexico.
The glamour maxi at Ports 1961 Spring 2011/Image:S.Whittle for Style WyldeGlamour Girl Maxi dress, Ports 1961 Spring 2011
Still in a relaxed shape, but with a night-out twist, the glittering black maxi at the Ports 1961 Spring 2011 show was as elegant and modern as it was fitting for a variety of body types. We'd love to see a fashion-forward girl work this look at some of San Francisco's stuffier formal events. Black and White Ball anyone?
Art School Maxi Dress at Timo Weiland Fall 2011/Image:S. Whittle for Style Wylde
Art School Girl Maxi dress, Timo Weiland Fall 2011
With the heady concept of their Fall 2011 collection-- Colonial India-inspired prints loosely representing fictional snow on a desert landscape--it's no wonder the boys behind Timo Weiland have become the darlings of the art gallery crowd. And with their vivid, abstract print Maxi Dress they are sure to win avant-garde hearts everywhere.
Punk Rock Girl Maxi Skirt at L.A.M.B. Fall 2011/Image: S.Whittle for Style Wylde
Punk Rock Girl Maxi Skirt, L.A.M.B. Fall 2011
Upon seeing this look come down the runway, more than one member of the SW team felt the floor-length plaid maxi skirt at the L.A.M.B. Fall 2011 show was "pretty much the best thing ever." Reviewing the collection again now, it's clear pop-star turned designer Gwen Stefani showed her style savvy with this from the mosh-pit to the boardroom look. An obvious choice for both the trend-setting college girl and the past-25 professional that still likes a little edge in her wardrobe, this maxi skirt has mega popularity written all over it.
The Belladonna Skirt from MadewellGet the maxi trend, on a mini budget
Are you ready to try on the maxi trend, but don't have a right-off-the-runway budget? Never fear wyldies, JCrew spin-off brand Madewell has added the Belladonna skirt (pictured left) to their Spring collection. At just $78, this versatile grey jersey piece provides a lot of trend at a little price, and is easily styled in variety of ways to take your from early spring to mid-winter.
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