Six tips for wearing a maxi skirt for cold weather (plus six outfit ideas!)

I have been living in maxi dresses and skirts all summer long, but now it's getting pretty dang chilly and all my summer clothes are headed into storage until spring. The maxi's, however, I just couldn't bring myself to put away! It just killed me to putting that much of my wardrobe into storage all winter long.

So I just decided not to! I resolved to make them work for fall and winter even if it meant some chilly legs. Today I'm going to show you how to style a maxi for fall, and my top six tips to make them work for you. Surprisingly there were no chilly legs at all!




1. Dress it up:

Skirt: Made by ME (As seen in this post)  //  Sequined top: Vintage, thrifted // Shoes (not seen): Coach, thrifted // Earrings: Old, World Market

Maxi skirts are actually a great date night option for fall, when it gets cold enough that wearing a short skirt without tights is too cold for being out and about. You can still wear maxi's for a dressier occasion, just add sequins! To keep this look dressy but not prom-y, I paired my vintage 80's sequined shirt with my plain black maxi, and tucked the shirt in for some more casual flair. Keeping the bottom simple let the sequins really stand out. I also wore minimal jewelry, but dramatic makeup. This is a great date night look, I know my husband is going to love it!


2. Treat a maxi like jeans:

Skirt: Old Navy dress refashioned by ME // Tank: Made by ME // Cardigan: Ancient (2003!!) Caslon // Necklace: Piperlime.com // Sumglasses: thrifted

This leopard tank and crocheted chunky cardigan with nude booties (which you can't see) is something I would have paired with jeans on any cool fall day. And they look fine...but this time I decided to mix it up and throw on my neon yellow maxi skirt instead! By taking an outfit and adding the maxi instead of my usual jeans, it feels fresh and fun but I'm still warm and cozy.

3. As you add layers, don't forget to define your shape:

Skirt: Made by ME! // Tank: Anne Taylor LOFT // Cardigan: Target brand // Belt: thrifted // Bag: la Bagagerie // Feather earrings: Made by ME (tutorial here!)

Both this look and the one below feature belted waists. A maxi skirt can be a little bit overwhelming, and when you add the layers you need to stay warm, you run the risk of looking like you're swimming in fabric! But by the simple act of belting your waist--under or on top of the outer layer--you suddenly have a shape again. I also really like to play with mixing textures and patterns, so I combined my gold sequined tank with a casual striped cardigan for a fun day look with new basic blue maxi (tutorial coming soon!).


3. When in doubt, throw on a denim jacket:

Dress: Vintage, thrifted // Shoes (not seen) Fred Meyer // Bracelets: Thrifted // Bag: La Bagagarie // Denim Jacket: Gap // Belt: Online (can't remember where) // Necklace: F21

Just like with transitioning any other summer dress into fall, the ubiquitous denim jacket works magic! I threw one on over my vintage '70s black maxi dress, and suddenly it was perfect for cooler weather! This staple piece just screams fall, and begs to be paired with a chunky scarf or soft sweater. Pretty much any of my current maxi dresses suddenly look fall appropriate when paired with a denim jacket, even the bright summery orange dress below!


5. Wear a maxi with closed-toed flats or boots:

Dress: Old Navy // Shoes: Old Navy // Clutch: Vintage, thrifted // Denim Jacket: Thrifted // Scarf: Made by ME (pattern and tutorial are here)

For all of these looks (except for #3), I paired my maxis with closed toed shoes. They're way more practical in fall when it's cold! Flats or boots also work better for changeable weather in the cooler months, which can sometimes turn to rain or snow in a moment. And because the maxi is usually a summer piece, sandals can just look awkward in the cold. You want shoes that leave no doubt that it's fall!


6. The giant sweater + scarf makes anything look fall appropriate:

Dress: Vintage, thrifted // Sweater: Thrifted, handmade // Scarf: Vintage, thrifted // Bag: thrifted

This advice that is pretty much true of any outfit. You can throw a big chunky sweater over anything and add a scarf and boom! Instant fall outfit! Well, the same is true of a maxi. For this outfit (from my five favorite summer to fall outfit transformations) I took the same dress from outfit #3 and swapped out the denim jacket for a giant sweater, big bag and leopard print scarf. I felt fabulous and like I was wearing pajamas at the same time!

There you have it, my six tips for wearing your maxi skirt in cool weather! What about you guys, do you all have any great tips for transitioning this summery piece into fall? Leave us your awesome ideas below, and if you're looking for more style tips/tricks, you can visit our style page!

~Jessica