The Women’s Guide to Midi Dress Styling

Bodycon Midi Dress

Skintight and form-fitting, the bodycon midi dress offers the tightest, curve-hugging style. Some dresses even feature flirty side and back splits.

Midi Wrap Dress

The midi wrap dress is when one side of the dress wraps over the other, usually with a tie-waist that shows off the figure. Asymmetrical hems are a popular choice for this style.

Fit-and-Flare Midi Dress

The fit-and-flare is exactly how it sounds – the bodice is fitted and the skirt flares for a slightly curved A-line silhouette. A cinched waistline defines and highlights hourglass figures. Full-flared skirts give a vintage feel.

A-Line Midi Dress

An A-line midi dress is when the dress is tailored at the waist and gradually widens to the hem for a classic feminine shape. The body may be tight, fitted, or blousy, with a more relaxed or structured skirt.

Midi Slip Dress

The flirty Midi Slip Dress is based on a traditional dress that was once worn under women’s garments. Made of light, soft materials like chiffon, satin, or silk, they’re often constructed with spaghetti straps and very little stretch. They give off more of a romantic vibe that can be enhanced or contrasted by your choice of shoes and accessories.

Midi Smock Dress

The midi smock dress’s stretchy material complements many body shapes. It has a relaxed fit that is defined by a full skirt – usually gathered from the waistline or in tiers. Some gather from under the bust or from a dropped waist. This style is a go-to for the beach or an effortless everyday look.

Midi Sweater Dress

A midi sweater dress is the ultimate cosy staple. Usually made of comfy knitted, woven, or jersey material and easy to dress up or down, this dress style gives off an understated modern vibe.

Keep it classy with a simple v-shaped neckline. V-necks usually can be low, wide or deep-plunging, depending on the dress style.

BENEFITS

• Draws eyes up towards the face while elongating the neck and body.
• Can show off bust depending on how much coverage you prefer.

Try a '90s-style neckline that cuts straight across the chest, like a square neck or bandeau-style midi dress, where the neckline cuts straight across the chest. Sleeves or straps produce a square neck. Bandeau midis are strapless, providing a balance of bare skin above the neckline and below the hemline.

BENEFITS

• Defined straight lines contrast and complement curves.
• Provides more coverage for cleavage than other open styles.

Round things out with a minimal neckline, like lower-cut scoop necks that allow you to show off a full range of jewellery against the skin. Higher, wider round necks are also a popular option with midi dresses.

BENEFITS

• Universally flattering and versatile.
• Enhances bust and highlights collarbones.

For a little more coverage, go for a dress with high necklines, like a boat neck or bateau neck – a high, wide neckline that runs horizontally across the collarbone. Turtlenecks and rollnecks are also chic options that come up to the chin and sometimes roll over – designed for a more unique structural effect. Mock neck midis give a high neck look with a less constrictive feel.

BENEFITS

• Offers the perfect canvas for layering garments and jewellery.
• Provides coverage ideal for cold weather.

Show off your neck, shoulders and back with a halter midi dress, where the straps of the fabric meet or tie at the top of the neck. Some halters are a combination of neckline styles, like v-neck or straight cut.

BENEFITS

• Highlights shoulders and creates a balancing effect between them.
• Accentuates arms while breaking up broad shoulders.

Shaped like the top of a heart, a sweetheart neckline adds a romantic element to any midi dress.

BENEFITS

• An open neckline that enhances curves, bust, and collarbones.
• Some are made with structured cups that provide support.

Midi dresses with a natural waistline sit on the narrowest part of your body between your ribs and hips.

Where the waistline tapers through the waist, cinching and defining the slimmest section of your figure to hug those curves.

A straight-cut or flared option for maximum comfort draws attention away from the midsection.

A waistline that starts just under the bust at the highest section of the ribcage, giving a pronounced leg-lengthening effect.

Where the skirt falls below the natural waistline by up to 12 inches, giving a unique silhouette with a vintage feel. Drop waist dresses flatter tall or slender frames.