OMG just tried a maxi dress on

[miche8]

and fell about laughing, i just look so funny.

I can wear pink girly flowery tops and feel fine, but when it come to dresses and skirts just cant pull the look off.

I'm a size 14/16 and most of the weight is round my middle, my arms and legs are skinny, i can even wear shorts and look fairly good, so the problem isn't my legs. I even down sized on the maxi dress so there wasn't excessive fabric flapping about. I've even seen other women of my size and i think they look really good. My mum and partner agree it wasnt a good look so its not just in my head.

Anyone else have this problem, really wanted a cool summer dress.

at expat - no ones going to change you're mind on this one, are they?

I am tall and thin and titless, I looked like I was going fancy dress as a 70s era hippy.

I had black rimmed glasses at the time, BIL called me nana Mouskouri.

That is not a look I would recommend, girls.

I have a jumpsuit and it is a more flattering look
More people should try those than the maxidress

I think we should put our body description in and then the maxi revivalists can find us dresses.

Me:

Short - 5'2"
nice, quite dainty slim shoulders
very tiny back (32)
Large norks (DD)
Curvy in a good way arse
not a very long neck but not short either - dangly earrings are often too long though
short hair
blancmange belly but narrow waist
thunder thighs in context of narrow shoulders and average hips
varicose veins to ankle
flate feet that are too big
fairly good legs if you ignore the thighs and veins

OOh Tracey I own a jumpsuit as well.

They are great. really flattering. I have got a black silk one from French Connection and it is brilliant, hides a multitude of sins.

Is a bugger slithering out of teh damn thing when you want to go to the toiler whilst pissed.

Miche8, I bought an AMAZINGLY flattering black, simple maxi from New Look for £15! Really. I am a size 12/14 but in this look about 6' 9" and skinny as a rake. Just try on more.

And buy Spanx! TK MAxx have them for £6.99...

yeah but i don't think the Spanx have much point if your tits are making the fabric billow out about three streets ahead of you

You should all try this one from - NEXT

It looks good on me- and all the reviewers say it looks good on them too- the pattern hides a multitude of sins, and the ruching on front disguises a lumpy tummy and the bust area makes them look smaller.

New look maxi dress too clingy and material not thick enough, boobs looked ginormous
People, some of the fabric looks like designers have vomited flowers/random abstract shapes over the material

Maybe this is when it'd be a good idea to book a personal-shopping trip? Then the assistant can just bring in all the maxis and you can try them all on, in one exhausting, humiliating - but perhaps, ultimately worthwhile - 2-hour session?

It's like jeans, innit. You've just got to try on a million different pairs.

Nowt wrong with a bit of vomit pattern. Hides a multitude of sins.

Mind you, some prints I have seen lately look like the vomit swirl carpets that covered my gran's house in the 80s. Step too far.

I have a plain black very simple in style thick ish jersey material one from Monsoon that is v.flattering and I am size 14, mainly carry weight around my tummy.

I do have long hair which I think helps for some strange reason!

Beautiful's got the right idea, try loads on a la jeans

am 5ft 6" size 8-10 and unless the maxis go in at the waist and then flow past my rather wide hips i look like a sack of spuds

loads of them seem to have tiny boobage area and gaping waists, yet too tight on hips

I have tried millions of these dresses on and could not find one that suited me and didnt make me look like a whale!

I have finally found this one

www.next.co.uk/shopping/branded/fashionforher/57/5

It looks really good on, doesn't make me look huge or pregnant. It is worth a try, and the reviews are all great on it.

Although Phase8 actually had quite a few gorgeous ones that I tried on
[remembers that they looked lovely]

Ooh, this is one trend I won't be following... I think they look awful on - even tall people. Like wearing a 70s tent if you ask me. Get the Demis Roussos look.

I bought a vintage one at the weekend and it looks great i am size 12 with big boobs and am only 5'5 but do wear mega heels! All the 'new' ones I tried looked awful on me.

Trouble with these is that they feel lovely on (I'm guessing haven't tried one) so people think they look fab because they feel great.
I am still haven't seen one that looks nice in RL on anyone - good fun looking though.

Nope, not seen anyone looking good in them. I saw plenty looking like draped lumpy doughnuts.

'So would you never wear a long dress expat - not for a ball or when you got married?'

Not all long dresses are maxi dresses.

Sorry, I just don't think they look good on anyone who is short.

If people think they look good, more power to 'em.

But IMO, and it's only my opinion, they don't look good on short people, no matter how slim.

I didn't even wear a long dress to get married, i wore a long skirt with a top.

Maxi dresses look dreadful on me, so maternal, and I'm 5ft6 and 12/14 - they just make me look so girls and pregnant. And I'm not either.

i didn't wear a shift dress to get married, either.

i wore a shift dress from Episode.

the only balls i've been to were when i was competing in ballroom dance with my grandfather (who was a Texas state champ in Argentine tango several times, as well as all-around champ more than once).

believe me, those dresses showed some leg.

It's not just the shape of the Maxi dresses, it's the blinding designs. Or Laura Ashley.

They look good on so few women, like most fashions.