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How To Wear A Blazer With A Maxi Dress

how to wear a blazer with a maxi dress
blazer: Madewell, dress: Free People (also available here), shoes: Papillo (also available here)

Selecting the correct outerwear for an outfit can be the hardest part of styling oneself. Within this already difficult task, selecting outerwear for a maxi dress is the ultimate challenge.

Best Outerwear For A Maxi Dress

Yes, a denim jacket, cardigan, and shawl all look good with a maxi dress. A shawl aka a rectangle scarf is particularly timeless, but not especially warm, so my favorite outerwear for a maxi dress is a blazer. The structure of a blazer is a delicious juxtaposition to the flowiness and femininity of a maxi dress.

When To Wear A Blazer With A Maxi Dress

A blazer over a maxi dress is an on-trend, stylish look for brunch, parties, and even work, especially if you work from home, which most of us do these days, at least sometimes. A blazer over a maxi dress is one of my favorite Zoom call looks because there is minimal thought to the outfit with only two pieces to consider, but a blazer always looks sharp. Resort meets powerhouse, and only you know what’s below the belt. You can also wear a blazer with a maxi dress at a wedding. More on that below.

What Jacket To Wear With A Maxi Dress For A Wedding

It doesn’t matter if you are a guest wearing a maxi dress, a bridesmaid wearing a maxi dress, or even the bride, a well-designed cropped blazer is the best jacket to wear with a maxi dress for a wedding if you actually want to wear outerwear, versus a shawl or the sometimes overzealous fur stole. Not that I would ever poo-poo a fur stole, it just doesn’t make sense sometimes, both weatherwise and style-wise. Just make sure the blazer you choose does not look professional whatsoever. It should be in a soft or silky fabric with unique details.

How To Wear A Blazer With A Maxi Dress

First and foremost, the key to wearing a blazer with a maxi dress is the blazer itself. Almost any maxi dress will work, but the blazer must be perfect. The number one no-no when pairing a blazer with a maxi dress is boxiness. You cannot wear a boxy blazer with a maxi dress, especially if you’re short. There are exceptions, of course. Here are the few times you can wear a boxy blazer with a maxi:

  1. The boxy blazer is cropped and paired with a maxi dress that is completely fitted at the waist and above.
  2. You are very tall as well as very thin.
  3. The maxi dress is a bodycon dress (aka tight all the way down).

Exceptions aside, the best blazers for a maxi dress nip in at the waist. The hem length of your blazer is also a factor. Shorter is far more flattering, but the longer blazers are more fashion-forward. But don’t go too long. You generally do not want a blazer longer than your mid hip. Unless you are wearing a bodycon maxi dress, a longer blazer with a flowing maxi dress often makes you look frumpy instead of fresh. Your female form will get lost in all that fabric, and you’ll look heavier than you are. Confused? Just scroll down for my favorite blazers to pair with a maxi dress.

You can see me sporting a blazer with a maxi dress in my post What To Wear To Alt Summit.

Best Shoes For A Blazer Maxi Dress Look

The blazer says work, and the maxi dress says play, so the shoe choice can be confusing for most. Let’s cut to the chase. Definitely skip the work vibe. Do not wear pumps or work flats with this look. Instead, go for sandals, chunky heels, or a pointed toe bootie. The shoe choice depends of course on the actual maxi dress and blazer you end up wearing. You can see me pair booties with a maxi dress in my blog post The Long Sleeve Maxi Dress.

maxi dress with blazer
blazer: A.L.C (also available here and here), dress: Farm Rio (also available here, here and here), shoes: Dolce Vita (also available here, here and here)
jacket to wear with maxi dress for wedding
blazer: Naked Wardrobe, maxi dress: Open Edit, sandal: BP
formal maxi dress with blazer
blazer: L’Agence, dress: Ieena for Mac Duggal (also available here, here, and here), shoes: Naturalizer
what jacket to wear with a maxi dress
blazer: Quince, dress: WAYF, shoes: J.Crew
blazer with maxi dress
blazer: Steve Madden, dress: Lovers and Friends, shoes: Billini
blazer with formal maxi dress
blazer: L’Agence (also available here), dress: L’Agence (also available here, and here), shoes: Nina (also available here, and here)
when to wear a blazer with a maxi dress
blazer: Nili Lotan (similar here), dress: AllSaints (also available here), sandals: TKEES
maxi dress and blazer outfit
blazer: Veronica Beard (similar here); dress: Karen Kane; booties: Nine West
jacket to wear with maxi dress for wedding
blazer: Aqua (similar here), dress: BCBG, shoes: Bottega Veneta (similar here)
maxi dress with blazer
blazer: Saint Laurent (similar here), dress: Karen Kane, shoes: Eileen Fisher (similar here; Pair with black booties in fall/winter.)
when to wear a blazer with a maxi dress
blazer: Veronica Beard, dress: Rosetta Getty (this dress works too), sandals: TKEES
blazer with maxi dress
blazer: Smythe, dress: Birgitte Herskind, shoes: Marc Fisher (similar here)
jacket to wear with maxi dress
blazer: Veronica Beard, (similar here), dress: ALC; booties: Chinese Laundry (also available herehere)
How To Wear a Blazer With A Maxi Dress
blazer: L’Agence (similar here), dress: Charles Henry (similar here), booties: Nine West
How To Wear a Blazer With A Maxi Dress
blazer: L’Agence (similar here), dress: Aqua, booties: Alexander Wang (similar here)
maxi dress with blazer, blazer with maxi dress
blazer: Gap, dress: Polo Ralph Lauren, booties: Vionic (also available here, here, here & here)
jacket to wear with maxi dress
blazer: Whistles (also available here), dress: Polo Ralph Lauren, boots: Comfortiva (also available here)
blazer with maxi dress
blazer: Vince Camuto (also available here), dress: Halogen (similar here); booties: Linea Paolo

Blazer With A Maxi Dress Looks From The Past

I originally wrote this post years ago and update it regularly due to its popularity. I’ve left these photos below for nostalgic purposes. Whenever I update older posts, I love to hold on to a collection of images as a bit of a time capsule so we can watch how our style evolves.

what jacket to wear with maxi dress
blazer: Balmain, dress: Karen Kane, sandals: Dolce Vita
maxi dress and blazer
blazer: BB Dakota,  dress: Bobeau, sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 
maxi dress and blazer outfit
blazer: Rachel Comey, dress: Ramy Brook, sandals: Marc Fisher
best outerwear for a maxi dress
blazer: Veronica Beard, dress: Good American (also available here), shoes: Tory Burch
jacket to wear with maxi dress for wedding
blazer: Veronica Beard, dress: Club Monaco, booties: Marc Fisher (also available here)
HOw to wear a blazer with a maxi dress
Felicity & Coco

blazer-with-maxi-dress

blazer with maxi dress

Olivia Moon

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