How To Wear a Midi Dress For Any Occasion
With longer days and warmer temperatures on the horizon, it’s time to switch from coats to dresses. The most wearable of them all? A midi dress. A versatile piece that you can wear from day to night.
A midi dress can be worn at the office, dinner, a date, the theatre - almost any occasion. It always looks appropriate. Old-style rules stated that the midi length wasn’t for anyone on the shorter side but that simply doesn’t hold. The beauty of the midi dress is that there’s a fantastic style for every height - it’s proportions, not length, that need a little consideration.
Read on and discover the different styles of midi dresses, how to choose one and how to wear them this season and beyond.
How To Choose The Right Midi Dress
With spring just around the corner, it makes sense to start with lighter materials. While light cotton is great for summer in the form of sundresses, heavier cotton works well in transitional weather. The trick is to look out for darker washes and sleek silhouettes that add a feeling of formality to an otherwise casual fabric.
A silk cotton blend fabric keeps some of the silk’s signature lightness while the cotton reinforces it with additional weight. The resulting fabric is sturdier, retaining more structure. Day and evening dresses look great when made out of this blend and the fabric is also breezy to wear.
Crepe is another popular fabric for midi dresses. It has a deliberately wrinkled appearance and is thin to the touch. It’s lightweight making it very wearable, so it’s often used for elevated day pieces or evening wear.
You’ll spot that quite a few LK Bennett dresses are made from EcoVero™ viscose. It’s a greener version of viscose, made using sustainable wood from controlled sources certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) in Europe, in place of bamboo or eucalyptus, which are commonly used in normal viscose production and are considered a less green option. The benefits of this viscose include that it’s highly breathable, lightweight, and ultimately biodegradable too.
Silk is a very well-known fabric and one usually associated with luxury and evening wear. It’s a natural fibre that can be woven into fabrics with different qualities, like chiffon, georgette, organza, satin, charmeuse, and even velvet. Incredibly delicate, silk needs to be worn with care and looked after in a dedicated manner, like only ever handwashing and taking any silk garments to specialist dry cleaners.
When choosing the right fabric for your midi dress, you should of course consider the occasion. A delicate and luxurious silk is best suited to events and occasions. Fabrics like cotton and wool tend to be the most versatile, with accessories carrying them across different situations. Opt for the fabric that you know you’ll wear most or one that you’re comfortable caring for. It will ensure that you get the best wear out of your dresses, making an investment and long-term addition to your capsule wardrobe.
The Best Midi Dresses For Versatility
Let’s start with the shirt dress. There’s not a daytime occasion that it’s not suitable for; from work and lunches to any kind of weekend activities. For example, a pair of trainers and a basket bag is a timeless spring and summer look. For chillier days, a denim jacket or a trench pair beautifully. For more formal occasions, chunky-heeled sandals or espadrilles are all that’s needed to elevate its feel.
The floral midi dress is another classic interpretation of the style. It’s impossible to go wrong with a floral midi dress - it’s the quintessential look of warmer days and a great way to inject some colour into your wardrobe. While there are no definitive rules around the print itself, bigger florals can look more dramatic and formal, hence better for evening wear. A smaller and cuter print appears more casual and can be worn just about anywhere during the day.
To show off a bit more skin, there’s the strappy midi dress. If you wanted a little more coverage, they work well with light knits too. While it’s still chilly, a thin roll-neck can look great under a strappy dress. You can go for a print if the dress is plain to add some interest or go for a solid shade if it’s printed instead. Try a white t-shirt under a strappy sundress for a look that’s comfortable, modern, and modest too.
Effortlessly Elegant Evening & Event Dressing
Another reason to look forward to spring and summer is all the events on the horizon. From garden parties and weddings to evenings out with friends and, of course, events of the season like Royal Ascot.
Why choose a midi dress as your evening attire? There’s so much versatility within this style that you’re bound to find one that’s best suited to your personal taste. The length also means that you don’t have to choose between looking elegant and feeling comfortable, whatever the occasion.
Attending a wedding is great fun though finding the right dress to wear can be somewhat stressful. It’s best to avoid very dark colours, especially black, unless you know those shades are welcome and, obviously, white. Pastel shades tend to be a safe and stylish choice, like this lilac and green silk midi dress - beautifully delicate, the subdued animal print is also a lovely twist on a classic.
Heading to Royal Ascot this summer? As an official sponsor of Royal Ascot, we know how important it is to get the look just right, with all our collection suitable for every enclosure.
The Boyd red and lilac cherry blossom print midi dress is elegant and luxurious, crafted from jacquard silk - it nips in at the waist, without clinging, to softly define the silhouette. If a long sleeve is preferred, consider the Eloise meadow silk dress , with a flattering high neck and a lovely tie detail at the back. The buttery cream shade is great if you don’t want anything too bright or pastel.
Prints aren’t for everyone and sometimes a solid colour can look more like a style statement - the Kline jade crepe tie-neck midi dress comes in ivory or dusty jade. A solid colour dress means that you can make a statement with your accessories, be that jewellery, shoes, or a sculptural headpiece.
Having a midi dress in your wardrobe means never again wondering if you have something to wear to any occasion that seems tricky at first - the midi dress is always a chic and stylish option.