It was an unhappy moment last week when I received “The Must-Get Maxi Dress” hints of Spring mail from Nordstrom. They’re advertising the maxi or “patio dress” as the new length frock that you’ll wear now and as the weather warms. Banana Republic is sending a similar message about new chic dress lengths. Oh no.

Floor-sweeping, daytime maxi dresses in casual fabrics are not my idea of style. And it’s not a question of adapting the eye – I did not like the look in the 70’s and 90’s and I don’t like it now. To me they look unflattering, clumsy on all but the tallest gals, and inappropriate for casual settings because the length screams “formal”. Fabulous floor-scraping ballgowns, worn with heels for extra height, are the right place for this silhouette.

There are a small number of fashion items that I completely oppose because I don’t think they look good on anyone. The maxi dress is in this category. I was relieved to see that they were less popular in America this past year than they were in Europe, but that seems to be changing. I will be skipping this trend.