Six of the Best spring maxi dresses

Maxi dresses continue into spring offering perfect trans-season dressing teamed with cardigans, jackets and coats. Later in the year, add a glam '70s broad-brim hat and make like Faye Dunaway. Stephanie Smith selects her favourites.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Feb 2011, 14:55 BST
Updated 2nd Feb 2011, 15:01 BST

Multi-colour candy stripe maxi dress

From: Monsoon.

Price: 75 (available from this month).

DETAIL: This is going to be a surefire winner for the coming spring and summer, as it keys into major trends, from Seventies' glamour to candy shades and fabulous stripes. The vertical stripes should be flattering, but might look better under white jacket or long white shirt. There might be a danger of looking ever so slightly like Andy Pandy, however.

Suits: Medium, slim and slim pear shapes.

Key accessory: Red ribbon sun hat, 4, in store end February at Primark.

Cap sleeve paisley print maxi dress

From: Marks & Spencer.

Price: 45.

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DETAIL: Lightweight and chiffony with lovely floaty little cap sleeves and a fabulously airy print. This is a long dress that will look great for day events and really good with brown leather, but will also dress up fantastically for evenings with heels, updo and beautiful cardi or jacket, and lots of lovely embellishment. Simple and effective.

Suits: Slim to medium and toned.

Key accessory: Floral-print scarf floppy hat, 14, at Next.

Green print chiffon wrap top maxi dress

From: Next.

Price: 68.

DETAIL: Okay, so maybe there is a touch of the Abigail's Party about this dress, but there is a strong Seventies' vibe going on this spring and summer and this dress is wonderful, in a lovely print, with arm-covering wide half sleeves and flattering cross-over style bodice. It's in two layers for floatiness. Fabulous for a garden party with big floppy hat and glass of Pimms. Steer clear of barbecues.

Suits: Tall and statuesque, larger sizes.

Key accessory: Striped wide brim hat, 25, in store March at M&S.

Blue floral print strappy fitted maxi dress

From: Arlene Phillips for www.marisota.com.

Price: From 70.

DETAIL: The print is like the rampant borders of an English country garden, while the cut of this dress is quite clever, in that it gives reasonable supported bust coverage, but looks sexy with the shoe-string straps. It would also look good teamed with cardi (I fancy bronze or gold) or jacket for dressier occasions. Designed with the more mature in mind.

Suits: All, especially curvy.

Key accessory: Floppy hat, 18, at Next.

Purple/black paisley print maxi dress

From: Monsoon.

Price: 75.

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DETAIL: This is a gorgeous dress, wonderfully flattering, as it nips in at the body where it's slimmest and creates a lovely long silhouette. The pattern is gorgeous too, slightly Moroccan in feel, and fabulous colours, rich and deep, but perfect for summer. It's available from this month and would look fabulous treamed with nudes and metallics.

Suits: Slim to medium and pear shapes.

Key accessory: Striped wide brim sun hat, 7.99 at New Look.

Floral print belted cap sleeve dress

From: George at Asda.

Price: 18.

DETAIL: This dress is really pretty in a Little House on the Prairie kind of way (no need for a bib and apron over, though, or a lace cap). It's worth all shapes and sizes trying as the small floral print can be flattering, especially in a relatively dark shade and elongating shape. This dress will accessorise well, so play around with it and try adding metallics, white, black patent and brown leather.

Suits: All (see above).

Key accessory: Black/red stripe wide-brim hat, 18, available March at Marks & Spencer.