Make This Tiny Tweak To Your Maxi Dress Game

There are few items that changed the game for you as drastically as 2012's maxi dress. You know the type: body-hugging, made of jersey, and cut so it skims your body but doesn't stick to it. It made you feel like a goddamn princess all summer long and was as comfortable as your sweatpants. There are few pieces that achieve that magical alchemy of deceptively cozy and deceptively glamorous.

But today, you want something with a little bit more, and we're here to deliver the good news that the maxi dress is still around, as popular as ever, and still packs that two-punch power. It just looks a little bit more fairy-like. Achieving "fairy" status can come via a variety of routes: You can find a dress with a slightly wider skirt, a fabric that feels more floaty (look for cottons and silks instead of jersey), or a dress that's a touch more enchanting, courtesy embroidery, print or color.