Should I give this maxi dress the chop?? - YouLookFab Forum

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Should I give this maxi dress the chop??

Bijou

Veteran

I bought this dress not really realising that the model was 5 foot 10 - so five inches taller than me. So when I wear the dress, it is almost floor length.

Given the dress has tiers of ever increasing length, I don't think I can chop the bottom tier to a length shorter than the preceding one. So I pinned the dress to see if shortening it by this much would make much difference - and it does a little bit, but not very much and not to the ideal length.

So another option is to chop the dress up to the second tier. To see how this would look, I tucked the dress up within itself - so it looks a bit odd, because there was a lot of material to tuck up. I didn't think this looked too bad.

I also kind of like the maxi dress effect, but don't think having it shortened a little will make much difference. I am currently thinking to either leave it or give it the big chop.

I do have to confess that I fell in love with this dress when I saw Mary Orton post 30 Dresses in 30 days (photo 7). Of course it does not look nearly as good on me which I expected, but just I did not expect the dress to be quite so long. I got the dress on sale from JCrew and the material is just so lovely and cool to wear, I can see me wearing this on hot summers days, for which I have a lot of and a bit of variety is nice.

I would love your feedback on whether
1. Leave it as it is (photo 1 & 2)
2. Chop up to 2 inches (pinned up in photo 3, but not all over)
3. Chop up to the second tier - making it a sun dress rather than a maxi dress. (photo 4 & 5)
4. Return to JCrew

Photo 6 is my maxi skirt that I wore yesterday. This has an asymmetrical hem and a side split, so despite the long length I like the effect of this one.

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46 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

jussie

Veteran

I vote leave as is. Gorgeous!

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I vote leave as is too. The extra layer adds the drama.

Is your skirt from Seed? I saw a similar one today.

Bijou

Veteran

Jussi - thanks for the advice, so much easier to leave as it too!

Londonkiwi - it does lose something by being turned into a sundress, so I am happy to leave as is. My skirt is by Viktoria & Woods which is an Australian brand. My skirt has an extra panel of material at the side which gives it a nice sense of movement when I walk. I do think these longer length skirts are coming into the shops, so I am sure the Seed one is good.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Yes, there seem to be quite a few around. I will need to decide whether or not to re-live my teenage years fashion wise

3style

Veteran

The dress style, as it appears at full length, seems like a fairly big departure from your usual style. At the chopped off to sundress length, it seems more like something that we’ve seen you in typically. So I think that the question is whether you want to try something unusual. And how likely are you to get enough wear out of it?

Anonymous

Another vote for leaving it as it is. Just shortening the bottom layer does not seem to gain much. To the 2nd layer does not look as cute and special as full length, unless you would wear it more that way. The dress looks wonderful on you.

Anonymous

Definitely as is, it’s gorgeous on you.

Bijou

Veteran

Londonkiwi - I think it is fun to revisit looks that we have worn in the past. My favourite jacket when at uni was a denim jacket and I am now enjoying wearing one again. Last time mine was black and oversized, this time blue and a more tailored fit.

3style - you have made some very good points. I don’t have many clothes for exceptionally hot weather, so this sundress has been purchased for that purpose. I am happy to try a longer maxi dress as I like the more dressy effect of the length.

Joy - I always appreciate your feedback as you look so polished and elegant, yet also inject fun and attitude into your clothing, something that I aspire to in my personal style.

Opaline, thank you.
Looks like the consensus is to keep the maxi length, thanks for helping me make the decision.

cindysmith

Veteran

It looks like each of those tiers is attached to the skirt portion separately, rather than being attached to one another. If that's the case, each one could be hemmed the same amount so that hemming the bottom one wouldn't make the tiers different lengths.

Anonymous

As is unless you don't wear it. It's so unusual to see a maxi dress that's fitted, in a neutral colorway and style. And it looks great on you.

SarahD8

Veteran

The dress as-is looks good, but it looks like maybe you would have to wear it with heels? So you’d lose the practical appeal there.

Personally I really like an “almost maxi” length like in the inspiration photo — keeps the maxi drama but so easy and practical.

Not sure what you mean by hemming two inches doesn’t make a difference. You mean it still doesn’t hit you in the spot you were aiming for? But, it could enable you to wear the dress with flats/casual shoes, which would be a benefit.

I had the same thought as Cindy, you could hem the upper tiers too if necessary.

I vote pin the lower tier to where you want it, and then see what if anything you’d need to do to the upper tiers to balance it out.

The dress fits you beautifully and seems like it would have longevity style wise, so I think it’s worth investing in alterations.

I vote do NOT take off the lower tier altogether, it’s much less special that way.

Anonymous

I too like the look as is but I also see the appeal of lopping off the bottom tier.
Something to consider - when having to do alterations of - for instance wedding dresses with ornate bottoms that cannot be touched - the answer is altering at junction of top with first tier ( but not sure that would make you any happier)
So - since you look great in it as a maxi- leave it and enjoy it.

anne

Veteran

Looks like you've decided, but I'm also in the "don't hem at all camp. I think the proportions are better that way.

I do find the maxis are too hot on our very hottest summer days here though - and in fact any dress that fitted would be anyway. Do you find that? still plenty of days you can wear it though.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I like the shortest version best and the longest version next. But which do you need/want/would wear more often?

karen13

Veteran

I am opposite Barbara Diane - I love the longest length especially with those adorable shoes! Second best is the below th knee length, still quite nice, just not as interesting. I vote leave the length, wear the heck out of it, and maybe take off the bottom layer later if you want to change it up or find you don't wear it as much. I wouldn't bother taking off two inches unless you really want to wear it with flats.

rachylou

Veteran

Leave as-is. It’s gorgeous!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm 100% on Team Hack. GORGEOUS shorter, and you have the climate. You wear it better than Mary.

Bijou, the maxi skirt is KILLER at that length because of the asymmetrical hem. You look SUBLIME.

Katerina

Veteran

FWIW, I like it the best as is in the maxi length and probably more without the belt. The shortest version is cute, but it is an entirely different dress then. You look beautiful in both, Bijou.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Leave it as it is ,it looks stunning on you full length and is a little bit different but in a good way.

Marilyn

Veteran

I'm on team hack as well. Love pics 4 and 5. I think you'll get more wear from it that way.

Love the maxi skirt! The asymmetrical hem is fantastic. It's all in the details.

Sal

Veteran

I like it long (unabashed maxi fan!). I agree the in-between is not worth it. It is fun short but even more fun long. I would definitely give it a whirl long for a couple of wears and then chop if you don't feel right....

Bijou

Veteran

Cindy Smith and SarahD - potentially I could get the skirt resized, but I do think that is a big alteration and would probably cost double the price I paid for the dress. It is a shame that my sewing skills are limited, so any alteration would need to be done professionally.

Isabel - it is a nice dress and I currently don’t own any maxi dresses, so maybe inadvertently I now have got my maxi dress.

Efbgen and Anne, you both make a good point about the chopped version being cooler to wear in the summer heat. Whilst the bodice of the dress is fitted, the skirt is more A-line and roomy, so I could wear it on hot days, maybe not on 40C plus days. Luckily, we only get a handful of those each summer.

Barbara Diane, finally someone on team hack!

Karen13 - the dilemma of the maxi! I think your strategy is a sound one. Try it as a maxi and if I am not wearing it, convert to a sun dress.

Rachy, thanks for chiming in.

Angie, now you throwing a spanned in the works. Initially I was undecided, then going to keep as a maxi and now I am uncertain again. Given my climate, the sundress option is the most wearable. Glad you like the hacked version, because I think eventually this is what I will end up doing with the dress.
Thanks for commenting on the new maxi skirt, the asymmetrical hem and side split, only up to my knees, makes all the difference in wearability and gives this skirt a nice swoosh factor when I walk.

Katerina, great tip on the belt and glad you like the dress in both forms.

Cardiff Girl, this dress is quite different from others I own and I hope it woks at the longer length, at least I have an option if it languishes unworn in my closet.

Marilyn, another team hack member, you are definitely in good company. You are absolutely right that the details are what can make or break an item in terms of whether it works or not.

Sal, you are wise and I think this is what I will do. Wear it as a maxi a few times, just for fun and to summer Christmas parties and then hack it in February when the weather gets incredibly hot and I am thoroughly over the hot weather.

Mia Blue

Hmm. I’m on team maxi. I think chopping it spoils the proportions.

The Cat

Veteran

I thought chopping would spoil the proportions, but this dress actually looks GORGEOUS on you in both versions, so I can't decide. The long version would be fun for a party, but you might get more wear out of the shorter version.

Bijou

Veteran

Mia Blue - Chopping really does change the dress, thank you for your thoughts.

The Cat - I think you are right, the shorter dress is able to be more casual, a sundress that I can wear as casually as walking my dogs, the longer version good for summer night BBQs with friends. Thank you for chiming in, as I always appreciate your insights.

lynn

Veteran

I like it shorter! To me it is overwhelming at the current length.

JAileen

Veteran

I love it as a sun dress! I was looking at the first picture trying to decide what I thought, and then you came up with a surprising and great idea. Of course it is your dress to do what you want, but the sundress would get lots of use, I bet.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm a GREAT spanner when it comes to lengths, Bijou. Lengths are my thing, and I am extremely opinionated about the subject

Dianna

Veteran

I vote leave it as is, it looks fantastic.

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