Dress Up, Dress Down: Maxi Dress

Getting bang for my buck is important, and so is packing light. I took a look at a maxi dress in my closet and decided to dress it up and down to see how many looks I could create. By adding different pieces with this dress, I stretch my fashion dollar but I also lighten my suitcase. If you’re going away for a long weekend, a dress like this could keep you going for days. Throw in a pair of jeans, some white capris, and you’ll be mixing and matching like a pro.

I’ll start with the dress. It’s light cotton, was under $30, and is a great poolside dress or beach coverup.

Dress: Fred Meyer’s
Clutch: Crystalyn Kae
Sunglasses: Target
Sandals: Naturalizer

For an afternoon of sightseeing or shopping, pick one of the colors in the dress and find a T-shirt in that shade. I tucked the top of the dress into the waistband, which gave me less bulk under my top and added length to my now-skirt.

T-shirt: H&M
Bag: Shiraleah
Earrings: Claire’s
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Time for lunch? Find another color in the dress and pick a tank top and blazer to match. The light cotton blazer is great for summer. It’s cool in air-conditioned restaurants. Eating on a patio? Ditch the blazer and rock the tank.

Blazer: Forever 21
Tank: Charlotte Ruche
Necklace: Santa Fe street vendor
Belt: Roxy
Shoes: Payless

Fancy dinner in a dress from Freddy’s? You bet! I added a wrap for a more elegant look. Choose your shoes and accessories to fit the venue.

Wrap: Michael Stars
Earrings: Claire’s
Purse: Shiraleah
Shoes: Payless

Most of the items I used to change the look of the maxi dress are very affordable. The lunchtime heels were on sale for $3 at Payless. The blazer was $20. The T-shirt was $5. With all of these pieces (and jeans and a pair of capris), you’d have loads of mixable options for travel. How would you style a maxi?