I hoped this day would never come…I think the midi dress is actually over

[Bringinguptherear]

I know it’s been known for quite a some time that the midi / midaxi dress has past it’s style peak. But until now I’ve still felt very comfortable with my wardrobe full of long dresses (so easy to wear!).

But yesterday, wearing a long shirt dress which felt totally chic a couple of years ago, it felt a bit dated, a bit bland, a bit boring. I felt everyone who looked cool was wearing something different and the (many) midi dresses being worn all looked a bit sad.

I am devastated. I’ve been a fully signed up member of Team Midi Dress and I’m not ready to give them up!

I'm off to the Summer Solstice celebrations tomorrow at the Chalice Well in Glastonbury as I live there and I will be wearing some gorgeous orange and red harem trousers from Amazon at £12.99 and a fresh white teashirt. Very cool, lovely colours and easy to wear.

@Bringinguptherear I don’t wear midi dresses but out of curiosity (and bed bound boredom) I looked on Zara and the first two dresses were midi’s and as I scrolled down I counted loads more. So clearly they’re still en vogue. I actually liked the first one I saw but that length doesn’t much suit me.

I get what you are saying @Bringinguptherear. I've got tonnes of dresses in my wardrobe, both casual and dressy. I keep trying them on but like you, I feel abit dated in them/not quite right. Some of them I only bought last year, so its not like I have had them for years.

I keep reaching for shorts and baggy tshirt on casual days, nicer shorts, wide leg trousers or linen style trousers with cami on weekends. I do still like dresses, but find myself leaning towards slightly shorter styles rather than the midi style.

I think skinny jeans and long boots are very flattering on some figures. I wear bootcut in the Summer with Adidas Gazelles though.

My niece is 15 and wears skinny jeans. I wear them too sometimes. I think they will always be around and worn by some people, same as baggy jeans were still around and worn by some people.

I know we’re not allowed to say this on this forum, but it is a bit sad when people stop wearing outfits they like due to what they’re told to. Style can be personal, some of the most stylish people I know don’t dress to what is on trend at all, and that is kind of what makes them amazing.

At a recently family gathering I was at the cool young things were wearing wide leg trousers of one variety or another and a waistcoat or short top. The over 40 women were in midi dresses.

This is the problem with trends & SM, everybody looks the same. I'm so tired of the waistcoat now. When i was younger there was never just one trend/look but then the high street shops had their own distinctive handwriting, everything is so homogenous now.

My recollection is that one or two designers have floated some leggings-with-knee-boots in a few collections and the fashion press have gleefully jumped on a jeans shape story.

There has definitely been skinny denim on the catwalks.

Remember how long non-skinnies were on the catwalk and “skinny jeans are over” articles went before anyone normal actually bought a wide or barrel leg? It was probably ten bloody years.

This is the same for most trends, it takes a good few years to filter down to the normals. Look at Adidas Sambas, wider jeans etc.

I agree, everyone looks like carbon copies of each other, it’s so unutterably boring. The most stylish and interesting people I see are those who are completely different and pull it off. Not the ones who looks exactly the same as the other ten. It’s so dull.

Ahem, I think it must be getting on for 10 years since I first bought barrel legs. I didn’t even know what they were called then, I just thought they looked really interesting. I admit I’m starting to feel a bit over them now but they’ve had a pretty good run so I don’t feel too bad about it.

There is a big middle ground between genuinely not caring about fashion, and being a slavish follower.

I’m in my 50s and I have always been very much into fashion.

I know what suits me by now and won’t be persuaded not to wear it. However, if something new comes into fashion, I will have a go if I think it might work. Because it’s fun!

in my 50s I have only just discovered linen shirts. So I have bought three and I’m loving them. I have got bored of my usual cotton T-shirt tight tops.

It’s enjoyable to try new styles for many of us. That doesn’t mean all my old clothes are going in the bin. And it doesn’t mean that I am forcing myself to wear things I don’t like. Fashion is a hobby. And if wearing something a bit different brings people some joy, why not have a go?!

It is not uncommon to get a bit bored of your old clothes. So you can put them away for a while and start wearing some new stuff until you miss the old clothes again!

However, I am not missing my skinny jeans as I did them to death in the 90s with knee-high boots and ballet flats. Though funnily enough I never quite looked like Kate Moss ;-)

It’s funny how we are all different. I am shorter than you and maxi dresses make me look like the pawn chess piece.

Haha absolutely not! Bermuda shorts, 'butter yellow' and Birkenstocks are three of the biggest trends around at the moment, but I do think it's hilarious that you think you're complimenting PP on her individuality 😂

I think @Meetmeundertheclock is spot on saying it's a subtle change. Sometimes certain items of clothing don't look right any more, or certain outfits don't look current. If the PP quoted above wore her butter yellow trousers and baggy t-shirt with stilettos it's not going to look current. That's not particularly subtle, but just an example to illustrate. I used to wear cute playsuits with plimsolls. It was nice 15 years ago at 20, but now I would look dated and I look better when I show less skin. Partly an age thing but partly as fashions have moved on to be looser and more covered.

I don't honestly think midi dresses are 'over' though, but the floral or tiered milkmaid style might be. I'm currently wearing a light cotton midi in black that's perfect for work, but later I'll change into separates (black tank top and linen midi skirt) to go out for dinner.

@FluentRoseQuail I think it's quite hard to look different now though as the shops just have the same versions of things in. I want a pair of specific shaped wide legs that replace an old pair I have, can I find any? Nope.

You can get around it if you have more money but I can only splurge on the odd piece. I really miss Matches as they used to have things priced a little bit cheaper.

I wouldn't wear them with ballet pumps but I have never worn or liked ballet pumps. I do like the look of them with tanned knee high boots & a blazer.

I mostly shop on Vinted and usually find what I want. I also think shopping outside of the usual haunts - yeah in the typical high street stores you’ll get the same stuff but there are other shops and websites around if you go looking!

I do use Vinted but tend to buy stuff I know if that makes sense. Which sites do you recommend?

Depends on what you’re into, I’m quite rock-punk/goth so that’s what I tend to look for!

And @treesfalling Pinterest can be quite good for ideas

I have some at home. Black silky ones I only wear with a specific sleeveless black dress that is similar material. They are attached to a little bra without cups type affair and invisible under the dress. I lost 5 stone very suddenly, I think my arms will improve with weights at the gym but for the moment I wear these. I always match colours with what I'm wearing. I think nude colour would look a bit like a surgical appliance. I have a black and a navy.

Go on vinted and search for the exact trousers that need replacing. Unless they are some super rare item they’ll come up eventually if you keep checking in! It’s what I mostly use Vinted for, rebuying things that I know I love.

Lol, I think the women in France, Spain, Japan etc will continue to wear their well-cut midis made of quality natural fabrics, in decent colours 😁

But I think the UK's general predilection for ditsy floral polyester ones with huge white trainers just aren't the same beast, tbf.

Having said that, no trend will dictate what I wear! I positively revel in some of my clothing choices, which have been variously described as "counterculture", "louche" "sofa cover" "pottery woman" and even the intangible "teenage boy" at various times 😅 💪

Dont be ridiculous.

A single coloured non-tiered midi dress with an interesting neckline is still a good choice imo

Oh who cares whats in. I love them.

It is not uncommon to get a bit bored of your old clothes. So you can put them away for a while and start wearing some new stuff until you miss the old clothes again!

I've literally just got rid of some non-patterned boxy mid-thigh length dresses that I've been hanging onto since the pre-midi years because they felt all wrong and now I'm thinking "huh yeah they'd probably be a good choice right now". Bloody fashion!