A white maxi dress has been in fashion since 1968, when Oscar de la Renta showed a long design at the Elizabeth Arden fashion show in New York. The Whanganui Regional Museum notes it quickly suited the bohemian mood of the late 1960s. Here is how to choose a white maxi dress that looks fresh and not fussy.
White Maxi Dress: A 1968 Idea That Never Left the Beach
A length that named itself
The maxi takes its name from its length, and the Whanganui Regional Museum says it became popular in 1968, when Oscar de la Renta debuted a long design at the Elizabeth Arden fashion show in New York. The museum adds that it fit the ethnic, hippie and bohemian styles of the late 1960s, stayed popular through the 1970s and returned in the 2000s. A white maxi dress is that history in its simplest form: one color, one long line, no argument.
How to make white opaque
The only real worry with a white maxi dress is transparency. Hold it up to a window. A good one is lined or made from a thick cotton, a double gauze or a heavy crepe. Choose a skin-toned slip rather than a white one, since it disappears. Ivory and cream are kinder than stark white for most skin tones, and they look softer in photographs.
Styles that earn their place
A tiered cotton maxi looks like a vacation. A satin bias cut looks like an evening. A broderie anglaise one looks like a picnic. Picture her at an outdoor wedding in a linen maxi with a woven belt and flat sandals, carrying nothing but a small bag. Choose a neckline you like, then check that the hem clears the ground in the shoes you intend to wear.
Keeping white clean
White maxis do get dirty, so plan for it. Carry a stain pen, wash cold and air dry cotton versions. Dark crossbody bags and leather sandals look sharp against white and hide fingerprints. Hang the dress after wear so the hem does not pick up dust in the closet.
What I would skip
I would skip a maxi that is too long to walk in and one with a stiff, shiny polyester that traps heat. A white maxi should feel like air, not like a tablecloth.
