Great lengths: the best maxi dresses for party season

Thought Christmas parties were all about itsy-bitsy hemlines? Maxi dresses offer a more grown-up take on party season

If there’s one time of the year to get carried away with your wardrobe, it’s Christmas. In the spirit of the season, it’s not just our homes we decorate with all manner of sparkle. We also make the most of the occasion by adorning our bodies, in plentiful sequins and beads.

For the more demure dressers, there isn’t much on the racks amid the seasonal glitz blitz. This autumn/winter, however, thanks to a softer mood for the season and the Seventies trend still going strong, floor-length dresses offer an unadorned antidote to all that excess,

There’s a tendency to get a bit muddled when it comes to maxi hemlines; either they are associated with the heady days of summer holidays or with more formal, black-tie dress codes. Neither makes for good partying clobber.

A new middle-ground, however, was proposed at the fashion shows back in March; Chloe offered a characteristically bohemian take on the look with billowing chiffon numbers; Lanvin an eclectic selection of multicolour print and lustrous brocade, while Victoria Beckham presented sleek, monochrome variations.

To take on the trend, the first rule is to avoid brights. Citrus palettes should be avoided for their warm weather links; instead invest in autumnal shades of burgundy, forest green and metallics.

Accessories should also be carefully considered; killer heels and matching sparkly clutch bag will risk taking the look into gown territory. Flat pumps or even boots give an added edge of grunge. There’s nothing precious here, nor anything prim or proper.

A final word of warning is for the length of the dress itself; the high street has excelled itself with budget-friendly options, but this not a trend where one-size fits all. Alteration is usually sensible. Heading off to a Christmas party with a treacherous hemline is not advisable, regardless of how many eggnogs you plan on drinking.