Maxi Monday

I didn't know there was such thing as #maximonday but as soon as I read the tweet yesterday from Megan of Frugalista Diaries, I started planning....

It was a short planning session because I have only two maxi dresses (and no maxi skirts until one dares cross my path at VV Boutique) - one quite casual and the other more dressy.  I decided it was high time to test out the heretofore theoretical concept of wearing a "dressy" maxi dress for everyday mom life, on a hot day, doing errands such as buying school supplies and dying a slow painful death by Walmart.  Despite the well-established precedent (see another favourite Megan at Everyday Mom Style and the ladies from Ain't No Mom Jeans), I hadn't attempted to wear this maxi on an ordinary day...until today!  (Thank you for the round of applause I'm hearing in my head.)

Max Studio maxi dress $26 Winners

Let me share my inspiration behind this ensemble.  First the knot!  I would never have attempted this without the suggestion from ANMJ to change up the hem line.  YOU CAN DO THAT!  In their post, the knot helped to dress up the maxi and show off some awesome heels.  Here, I felt the knot made my maxi more casual and, er, allowed me to wear it with flip flops instead of heels without it dragging on the ground!

Second, the Frugalista Diaries' recent posts on maxi Monday and draping have been on my mind. This dress is pretty and comfortable all on its own ...

But, draping has been keeping me awake at night!  MUST DRAPE THIS DRESS SOMEHOW.  And then there's ANMJ and their suggestion back in April to layer a short dress over a maxi.  I didn't even have a maxi dress then, but the chic yet casual pictures kept popping to mind, begging for a chance to live in my real life.  Lastly, I wanted to somehow make the layered bodice of the dress (sounds very fancy, doesn't it) more casual.  So, today, I reached for my long loose StyleMint Violet tank to layer and drape and dress it down in one fell swoop.

StyleMint Violet Tank $40, bracelet $15 The Rock Shop at Invermere

Unless you have a wind machine follow you around to gently reveal the contours of your body, drapey and layered is simply not going to be the slimmest look.  I put my hands on my hips here to make sure you know they're there.  But really, I think we all get that, right?  We as women can all make a pact that says: "I know you've got curves Sister and they are glorious even if they don't show under your awesome layered maxi."  A mutual understanding, that's all I ask.

 Here the layered maxi reclines happily at Ikea after a gourmet meal.

Okay, I was really just admiring my bracelet.

Where does VV Boutique join Maxi Monday?  In my necklace of course!

 Necklace $2 VV Boutique

Remember this gem from my Linen dress and the towel dress on day one.  Are you counting, because I am and that makes 3 wears since I purchased the necklace on August 10th and a cost per wear of 70 cents already!!!!  That is good value, and I'm no where near done with this fabulous necklace!  Thank you VV Boutique necklace for being a part of Maxi Monday!