Maxi lengths when you’re 5″

For years now, summer is all about maxi dresses and maxi skirts. Great if you’re tall as a tree, but if you’re short like me, wearing a maxi length item can be a feat. However, over the years I managed to collect a few maxi items that work for me. Things are always a little bit longer on me to begin with, so anything that is marketed as midi fits me as a maxi item should. That’s why I also feature two midi skirts that, on me, are full or at least nearly full length. All five of these outfits are quite casual, apart from the last one.

1.) Say it with plaid

Spaghetti strap maxi dress (H&M)
Men’s plaid blouse (Primark)
Grey flats (Primark)

I love pairing greys with plaid and when I found this maxi dress at H&M last year I knew I had to have it. I had bought maxi dresses in the past, but none of them fit right. This, in a size XS fits me perfectly, as it is not too long and I can wear this without heels. To not make the whole outfit too bland, the plaid adds a nice pop of color and covers you up at the same time.

2.) Black vs red

Black v-neck tee (Forever 21)
Red sheer maxi skirt (American Apparel)
Black mary jane heels (H&M)Silver necklace (Primark)

An item I should wear more often is this red sheer maxi skirt by American Apparel. I bought it after I saw tons of people wearing it in lookbooks and I decided I wanted to have it in red. So far I wore it twice. Since it’s completely sheer it shows off quite a bit of leg, which instantly makes it less appropriate for a work situation. The item is also flashy enough to easily be overdressed or seem a bit risky in more casual every day situations as well. So far I haven’t found the perfect way to style this, and so far I haven’t taken this skirt beyond adding a plain black top on top.

3.) Blacker than black

Spaghette strap maxi dress (H&M)
Black lace cardigan (H&M)
Tan belt (Primark)
Leopard print shoes (H&M)

This black maxi dress is the same as the grey one in the first picture. It took me ages to hunt this down, but because I found the grey one to be of such a perfect length, I knew I had to get it in another color. I now also regret not also buying this in the cobalt blue color they did last year. Since the straps are barely there, adding a lace cardigan shows just a little bit of skin for some added shape. The belt helps too in that category. It prevents the outfit from becoming frumpy. However, when keeping it all in one color, you do end up looking massively tall. And that, is always a good thing when you’re short.

4.) Color explosion

Rust colored knit cardigan (Urban Outfitters)
Grey v-neck t-shirt (Forever 21)
Burgundy maxi skirt (Asos)Tan brogues (Ebay)

Whenever I prepare these posts I tend to pull out things out of my closet hoping it will work. And that’s how this combo came about! I knew I wanted to use this burgundy skirt, because it is super comfy and oh so fun to wear. However, what to put with it. A neutral is a safe bet, but I wanted something bolder, more daring. And so came out the rust colored cardigan. Paired with some brogues to have a semi-matching color elsewhere in the outfit, I think this combination is a tad weird, but it works.

5.) Semi-casual

Pink blouse with heart print (H&M)
Black maxi/ midi skirt (H&M)
Flats with cap toe detail (Primark)

I couldn’t do this post without featuring my favorite skirt. This midi skirt by H&M is much longer on me, but it still works. It hits me just below my calves, which technically makes this a maxi skirt on me. I love pairing this with blouses and for the occasion I decided to pair it with a fun blouse for a more casual touch. The pink blouse was tough to track down when I finally found it. It wasn’t available online and the only H&M near me didn’t carry my size. Lo and behold a shopping spree with my mom a few weeks later and it was the only one left, in my size. Some finds are simply meant to be.

Any other suggestions on how I could make maxi items work?