What Is A Midi Dress & Why You Should Have One

The wonderful thing about midi dresses is that you can wear them throughout the year just by changing your accessories. Midi dresses are flexible, flattering, sexy or office worthy. Basically, they are the dresses everyone should have in their wardrobe alongside a white shirt dress outfit and a maxi dress or two.

Any dress above the ankles but below the knees is a midi dress. This mid-calf length is flexible depending on your height, body shape and the fashion statement you want to make. When shopping for midi dresses, the length of the midi should be either above or below mid-calf. 

Mid-calf is the widest part of your leg. Placing your hem there can make you look boxy and the dress longer than it is, for most women having the length just below the calves so that your ankles can be seen or about 2 inches below the knees gives the illusion of height.

Midi dresses are staples that never seem to go out of fashion, in fact they have a long history.  

Midi Dresses From The Early 1900s

This was the era when women wore what we would now call a maxi dress, a dress that had to cover a woman's ankles. However, if you were working class, your dress length would be shorter and worn with sturdy boots— a necessity in those times, not a trend.

Moving on to the 1920s, women were making a statement about who they were. Dresses got shorter, starting at midi length around 1927. The Flapper girls of the period wore dresses to their knees, quite scandalous for the time. The 1940s saw the emergence of the midi again in an elegant and feminine style.

The 1960s then saw a fashion explosion, with dress and skirt lengths from mini to midi and maxi, which ebbs and flows to this day.

Buying Your Midi Dress - Feel Your Best Self

There is not one style you can say, ‘this is a midi dress’, as many varieties of midi dresses offer many ways to show off your features. Consider strapless, sleeveless options to display your neckline or choose a low back cut. Don’t forget to buy the dress that makes you feel good about yourself, giving you confidence every time you wear it. From flirty and floaty to bodycom style there is a midi dress for you. Before you shop for a midi dress, here are a few suggestions to bear in mind.

Check Where The Length Finishes

There needs to be clarity about what is a midi vs a maxi dress or mini dress. It doesn’t matter if you’re petite or tall. You can wear a midi dress, although you need to bear in mind that depending on your height, where the midi dress length lands can be different for every person.

Emphasise Your Waist

If you want to, you can flaunt your curves by adding a belt to your midi dress. 

A Midi Dress To Wear Again & Again

This is about buying something you love. Choose a midi dress you can style using accessories like belts, jewellery, boots and shoes, jackets or coats and get plenty of wear out of it.

Styles Of Midi Dresses

What style of midi dress would suit you? One that makes you feel great! There are different styles that you can put your own stamp on by the accessories you choose including shoes, boots, jewellery and jackets.

Bardot Style Midi Dresses

The sexy look of an off-the-shoulder midi dress looks and feels sensational and is great for summer weddings and special occasions. Look for one that cinches your waist. Consider adding a belt to emphasise your curves.

Bodycon Style Midi Dresses

These are a tighter-fit style of dress, showing your silhouette, which you can wear with or without a belt. Wearable from office to party, you can accessorise with a jacket or a shawl for cool evenings. If it’s cold enough for a coat, a same-length coat works best.

Wrap-Around Style For Midi Dresses

A flattering style for all women, a wrap dress is easy to customise to suit you. Usually fastened at the side just over the hip, these dresses allow you to cinch your waist as relaxed or tight as you are comfortable with. These dresses can also be sleeveless, short or long sleeved.

Fishtail Hem Midi Dresses 

This style of midi dress can be Bardot, wrap-around or bodycon style. These are dresses that add a touch of glamour to your look with their longer, curve-enhancing shape. A fishtail hem also feels feminine and sexy, so they’re perfect for any special or formal occasion.

Lace Midi Dresses

Lace midi dresses are versatile. They can be feminine and elegant but also give you a romantic, edgy or casual look. They can also come in different styles, including bodycon, Bardot, and shift dress styles. These are also perfect for showing a bit—or a lot—of skin.

Adapting Your Midi Dress Style For Different Looks

The benefits of buying a midi dress are numerous, and you can wear them in several different ways. These are dresses you can have fun with and wear multiple times, getting more for your money.

• Dress down with a pair of sneakers, or dress up with a pair of heels
• Team with beautiful accessories to complete the look 
• Let your dress pop by choosing a bold colour 
• Neutral shades mean you can play around with shoes, bags and jacket colours, jewellery and make-up in bold colours
• Pair a denim jacket or leather jacket with your lace midi for an edgy look

You can quickly go from work to a night out by changing your accessories. What shoes should you wear with your midi dresses? Try them with boots, heels, sneakers, and mules; they all work. Although, remember, unlike what shoes to wear with a maxi dress, shoes for a midi dress are visible and part of your outfit. Another benefit is buying your midi dresses in different fabrics, from denim to satin, silk and lace. Check out the collection at NA-KD to see the variety you can choose from and discover how versatile a midi dress can be.