Trend Alert: Maxi Skirts!

I absolutely love skirts for spring. Every year when the weather starts to get warm, I find myself loading up on skirts and dresses and getting tons of use out of them all through spring and summer. Spring is definitely in full force as I’ve been seeing a multitude of different skirts for in every store and all of my favorite online stores by everyone from Forever 21 and H&M to Marc Jacobs and Diane von Furstenberg. The two most popular lengths are either the mini skirt, or the maxi skirt. But which should you choose? The answer is:  BOTH! I love the fact that these two styles are so drastically different, yet are both such versatile pieces that can be worn with so many different tops to create many different outfit options. But by now almost everyone already owns at least a few short skirts. This year everyone needs at least one maxi skirt in their wardrobe.

Everyone needs a basic black stretch maxi skirt. This is absolutely my must-have item for spring. The maxi above is by Stem from Nordstrom ($68). The stretch maxi can be found in many different colors and prints, but once you have basic black, you have the easiest clothing item to just throw on and dress up any top you pair it with. Start with that style, then you can branch out to other printed options as well as other fabrications.

While the mini skirt is a classic piece which can be worn by girls of all heights, the maxi can be slightly trickier. Yesterday I wore my long black maxi skirt, and all day long I kept getting compliments on it. I’m 5’2”, and all of my short friends were shocked at how I was able to pull off the maxi skirt and they asked me for advice on how to wear this trend. My trick is to get a maxi with a wide waistband so you can fold it over. This makes the skirt extremely versatile as it can also be unrolled to wear with a great pair of wedges for an easy boho look. Simply roll the skirt when you want to wear with flats and you don’t have to worry about it dragging all over the ground all day. If the maxi skirt is long enough, it can even be pulled up and worn as a dress! When looking for a great maxi dress, look for one with adjustable straps if you don’t want to have to get the bottom of your dress hemmed. Adjusting the straps will also allow you to slightly change the length. I also found that most of my friends didn’t know what kind of tops to pair a maxi skirt with. The trendiest way is to pair with a great crop top (remember to layer a long tank underneath). But you can also wear a tee or tank tucked into the skirt. Check out a few great looks by Free People:

Whatever you do, don’t be scared of the maxi skirt! While I admit there are many trends out there that not everyone should try, the maxi skirt is a definite must.