The story of a maxi dress

Once upon a time in Charleston there was a maxi dress.

I used to tell my clients that a good reason to make an effort to dress up is that you never know who is looking at you. You never know who you might have the opportunity to inspire, to brighten someone else’s day, to make someone smile.

Not long ago, My husband and I visited a friend in Charleston, SC. We spent four glorious days in America's Southern gem. Charleston is my spirit city y'all. I was heartbroken to leave. All I want is a Southern life. I often find myself in places where I feel like I don't belong. In Charleston, I immediately felt a sense of belonging. I could visualize myself having a life there. I absolutely love it. The city is beautiful, has history, is full of young people, the restaurant scene is fantastic, and the women dress cute, like really cute, so much so that it was contagious. In Charleston, I craved dressing up. It had been a long time since I saw women dress up. I lived in San Diego, CA, where dressing up is not a thing. Casual, laid-back chill is what rules there. When women in Charleston go out, their hair is shiny, their makeup is glowy, and their outfits are well-considered.

On our first night out, we went to Leon's Oyster Shop, an incredible place. Lively, with great ambiance, beautiful people, and delicious food. You get the scene.

While waiting for our table for an hour and a half, I saw a girl go in, perhaps in her mid to late twenties, wearing a red and ivory printed maxi dress in a very soft silk chiffon-like fabric, with a slight transparency. It had a v-neck that very subtly showed her lacy bra. I could not take my eyes off her. She wasn't your typical beautiful girl, but something about her caught my attention. Her dark hair was worn loose, her skin was impeccable, she wore a collection of thin chain necklaces in different lengths, her shoes were flat sandals, and her clutch bag was Gucci. She looked so confident and feminine in that dress that, since then, I can't stop thinking about maxi dresses. It wasn't an exceptional dress; it wasn't fancy either, but the way she carried herself made it seem extraordinary. The dress reminded me of a maxi dress we designed for LIA COHEN for the Spring Summer 2020 collection.

This summer, I want to feel how she looked in that dress that night in Charleston, beautiful, confident, and fresh like she owned the world, and she knew it.

Guys, I've spent hours upon hours going through endless pages of dresses. Searching for maxi dresses can be exhausting because the category is vast, and sometimes websites categorize specific midi dresses as maxi, which is annoying, making it all the more exhausting.

Even though I did not find what I had in mind, I found some beautiful long dresses I would totally wear. Behold my chosen ones:

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By Malene Birger

Left to right: Aia Dress, Parida Dress, Aureas Dress.

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Lee Mathews

Left to right: Bianca Dress, Lillian Cami Dress, Lyndon Cami Dress.

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DVF

Left to right: Pasquale Dress, Amrita Dress, Ainsley Dress

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H&M

Left to right: Oversized Kaftan Dress, Lyocell-Blend Tunic Dress, Pleated Maxi Dress, Pleated Dress.

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Other

Left to right: Oas Kalahara Dress, Rave Review Vida Maxi Dress, Nili Lotan Nelya Dress.

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Ok, guys, I could keep on sharing more styles, but I’m gonna have to stop. It’s late, and I’m tired, lol! This week was pretty eventful. Nick and I finally made it to Miami (where we live now) after being on the road for two months. We spent the first two nights in a hotel. On Wednesday, we moved to an Airbnb. Our house is not ready yet. We have to wait. We’ve been going up and down with all our stuff all week. By now, we’re pros. I promised to tell you more about our two months on the road. Little by little, I will.

I hope you feel inspired by my dress edit. Wearing a maxi dress is a beautiful and liberating thing. If you’ve seen something that you wanna share, please do so in the comments below. I’m curious.

Until next time friends! Thank you for being here. I love you. I genuinely believe in you. Remember to make an effort to dress up. You’ll feel good about yourself, and you might inspire someone.

xoxo

MC

P.S. Here’s a fun song to dance to just for shits and giggles.