Fashion Friday: All About Maxi Dresses

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Maxi dresses are in every woman's wardrobe must-have list this year! That's what you get when you mix elegance and glamour. For the stylish Muslim woman, the maxi dress is Heaven sent because it's trendy and modest. It doesn't matter if you wear hijab or not, it's hard to go wrong with a maxi dress.

We've seen the likes of Mischa Barton and Nicole Richie who wear maxi dresses with such glam and earthiness at the same time. There are various kinds of maxi dresses - plain, print, sleeved, short sleeved, sleeveless, halter neck, strapless, one shouldered and the list goes on. So where do you start? How can a Muslim woman pull it off? Here are some of my ideas.

Maxi + cardi. This is the simplest way to wear a maxi dress while maintaining a good level of modesty.
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Look wise, formalise. If you want to look less casual and smarten up your look, pair your maxi dress with a blazer. It's as simple as that.

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Cover up with a denim or leather jacket. I've also seen some girls wear their maxi dress with a vest or bolero. This is suitable for a day at university or a girl's day out in town.

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Layer with a cropped top. A lot of maxi dresses tend to accentuate the chest. If you want to reveal more of your dress while covering the chest, cropped tops look ultra cute and very bohemian with maxi dresses. Plus you don't have to worry about feeling like you're boiling underneath all the layers as they are loose. Non-hijabis, you can opt out of the long-sleeve top if you want.

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Add some flair to your hair/hijab. We can thank Nicole and Mischa for making us craze over these chic bohemian headbands. They definitely add a sense of mystery and charm to the ensemble. If you don't wear hijab, a messy braid can also complete the bohemian look.



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Hijabis, don't feel left out. You can also accessorise your hijab with a funky headband. I say think Greek-inspired, floral or sequin/bead embellishments. Or you can wear some gorgeous Indian-inspired chandelier earrings or gypsy earrings.


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Glamorise, accessorise. Remember that the main focus is your maxi dress so you don't have to fuss too much over the accessories but they can definitely add some glamour to a simple ensemble. And if it's slightly cold outside, drape a scarf around your neck.

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[Done uniquely by her]


Shoes; a woman's Achilles heel. Open-toed flats, sandals or heels go best with maxi dresses because the casual look is what we're after. But you can definitely wear a cute pair of ballerina flats if it's too cold to leave your little toes bare.


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Most importantly wear your maxi dress with some individuality. When you're comfortable with who you are then nothing else matters quite as much. I hope you found this post helpful! Thank you, Sarah Elizabeth, for the request. If you have any requests/ideas/suggestions for future Fashion Friday posts please send them to me by emailing me at elaiza_(at)hotmail.com, or by leaving a comment below or in the chatbox.

And now it is almost 3 am and I'm so going to bed. Adios!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I like maxi dresses,too.They dress you up in a second :)!
Kisses my dear...
Mina said…
Mashallah you look pretty, the blue maxi dress suits you:) I love how you added your accessories...very cute
Very cute! I´ll have to shop around to see if I can find some! They would be perfect to wear around the house or even to social gatherings!
Anonymous said…
I love I love!! ****Big Hugs****

Maxi's are the best! I have two now that are waiting to be worn in Malaysia :)
Amalia said…
I love them!
I never seem to find one that looks nice on me though. I might try and shop around this summer for one that looks good :)
zahra said…
oh shahirah. you are too adorable! i love the colour and print. i think i like it with the denim jacket the best.
nurinkhairi said…
kinda hv have trouble pulling off a maxi, is that a cotton maxi on that 2nd pic? i think mine sorta hugs onto my chest and tummy so it was kinda uncomfortable for me. i'll try to shop for a cotton maxi to see if that looks better on me :D
ashieBee said…
i love maxi dress too!!!! will definitely go hunt for more of them... after the exams, i mean ;))

oh sha, i was thinking of wearing jumpsuit haritu. but then, ok ke with hijab?

**hugs**
m, said…
Great post! I love the versatility of a maxi :)
Shahirah Elaiza said…
Jasmina: Hi hun, long time no see! *hugs*

Mina: Thank you =) I have way too many accessories. I should consider giving away some!

Rene: Oh you must. They are comfy and they make me feel so feminine and womanly! lol

Sarah Elizabeth: *hugs right back* Malaysia is the perfect place to wear a maxi dress!

Amalia: There are heaps of beautiful maxi dresses out there =) Hope you find the right one for you soon, sweetie.

Zahra: Oh Zahra! YOU my dear are too adorable =) It shows right through your blog posts. Thanks for commenting.

Nurin: Hmm, many maxi dresses place emphasis on the chest so I suggest you wear a cropped top or a jacket whenever you go out. Otherwise, embrace your beauty hun =)

AshieBee: Jumpsuits are sooo cute! I totally want one. I think you can definitely pull it off. If you want, you can wear a long cardigan or a boyfriend blazer to be modest because jumpsuits accentuate the bum lol.

Asma: Thank you =) That's one of the reasons why maxi dresses are so popular!
Nadia said…
Great post! Can you recommend any websites where you can buy nice headbands to accessorize with hijab?
Shahirah Elaiza said…
Nadia: Thanks! You could try Forever 21, Diva or Etsy. Or you could make a simple one yourself using some ribbon, fabric glue and embellishments =) Maybe I'll come up with a simple tutorial one of these days.
Anonymous said…
I really LOVE the idea of wearing the loose cropped shirt on top of the maxi. I think I will experiment with that because I hate maxi dresses with the small straps and v-neck. It doesn't flatter hijabis at all. I love your maxi dresses by the way and that necklace is soo pretty as are you mA!
Sizzling Suzai said…
salam..

hi der...im in LOVE with the maxi dresses too..

check mine here ^____^

http://sizzlingsuzai.blogspot.com/2010/08/maxi-dress-in-2010.html