Maxi dresses are something that many people love. Whether you’re on the taller side or, like me, on the petite side and still wearing maxi dresses using styling illusions that make you look taller, you may be eyeing a back tie maxi dress like this one or already have one in your closet. The back tie maxi dress has become a hot new trend as it allows you to show a little skin while also keeping it classy and chic. It’s become a favorite trend that I have been loving through each and every season and I absolutely loving find new styles within the trend.
Many of the best back tie maxi dresses tend to hit the racks around the holiday season and around the spring. These dresses are great for a variety of events around the holidays and also dresses that you typically see styled as wedding guest dresses or even dresses for bridesmaids.
In this post, I’ll be sharing some great styling tips on how to style a back tie maxi dress along with some back tie maxi dress picks to add to your closet.
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STYLING THE BACK TIE MAXI DRESS
Style Tips FOR BACK TIE MAXI DRESS
When it comes to styling a back tie maxi dress, it all comes down to what event you are wearing it for and what season you are wearing it it. Maxi dresses that are worn in the warmer months are typically styled slightly different than how you would style one in the colder months. Below are some style tips to consider as you style your back tie maxi dress for any upcoming experience that you are wearing yours to.
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SLEEVE LENGTH
A back tie maxi dress can come in various sleeve lengths from long sleeves all the way to sleeveless. Considering the sleeve length, you may be creating a different type of back tie and styling the look completely different. In many cases when you are styling a sleeveless back tie maxi dress, you’re showing off a lot more skin than you would with one with sleeves. In that case, consider styling your look with an up-do hairstyle so that you are taking advantage of the look that you are creating with this type of maxi dress. -
SLIT OR NO SLIT
When it comes to the shoes when styling your dress, you want to consider whether this dress has a high slit that allows you to show off some leg which then essentially lets you show off your shoes. With a slit, where you can show off your shoes, go with a statement shoe so that you are not only making a statement and showcasing your dress, but you are showing off the entirety of your look. -
BODYCON
In some cases you’ll find a back tie maxi dress that is a little more figure forming or bodycon than the flowy maxi dress. Most of the time, you’ll find this style of back tie dress as a midi dress, but some midi dresses end up being maxi dresses for those on the petite side. In either case, consider styling this type of maxi dress with simplistic shoes and with not too many accessories. Let your body stand out since that’s what the dress is supposed to be doing.
Creating the BOW BACK MAXI DRESS LOOK
The back tie maxi dress aka the bow back dress is not always a dress that you have to find that already has a bow and it doesn’t need to have an open back as you see with the dress in this post. In some cases, you may find a bow back dress that is not open back but has a cute bow near the neckline or in the center that accentuates the look in different ways.
- Bow at the neckline accentuates the neck and creates a more statuesque look as the rest of the dress is typically flowy. With a bow at the neckline, whether it’s a maxi dress or a mini dress, you’ll also see that the dress makes you look taller and showcases the leg in a direct way or in an indirect way. In the maxi dress, when you can’t see the leg, it gives an illusion that your body is longer than what it may actually be.
- Bow at the mid line accentuates the torso and also creates a style illusion that makes you look taller and thinner. Depending on the tightness of the bow, you can create more curves in your look than you would create with other dresses even if it is not a bodycon.
A dress with the bow in the center of the back doesn’t typically accentuate much but creates a more dynamic, stylish look. But in the case when the bow is in the middle of the back the dress is made with the bow connected. In the other cases when you want to create a bow back maxi dress, but can’t find a dress that you like that includes a bow or sash, you can do it yourself.
In order to create your own back tie maxi dress, look for a sash or scarf that compliments your dress. A sash would be what you would use for tying the dress around the midline while a scarf would be used for tying the dress at the neckline. If you’re looking to go an extra step, consider buying multiple sashes or scarves that compliment the dress so that you can change up the style of the dress for various occasions. Then once, you have found the sashes or scarves that you want, you can use the steps below to tie the perfect bow on your dress.
How to Tie a Bow ON A BACK TIE MAXI DRESS
- Make sure that your bow is centered and that each side of the ribbon has equal lengths.
- Cross the left side over the right side, and then pull the left under the right ribbon then tighten the tie.
- Create a loop with the right side of the ribbon.
- Hold the loop and bring the other side of the ribbon and bring it under the original loop and pull through the middle..
- While pulling the ribbon through, create another loop and pull both sides of the ribbon tight.
- Adjust the loop sizes to keep both sides looking even and pull tightly to secure.
Shop BACK TIE MAXI DRESSES
There are so many great back tie maxi dresses that you can find in various stores and online boutiques to shop. Whether you are styling the look for a Christmas party or whether you’re looking for a great dress to wear as a wedding guest, this style of dress is one that you can wear over and over again and never get tired of the look. When it comes to shopping for some great back tie maxi dresses, two of the online stores that I lean on are Lulu’s and ASOS. Both of these shops tend to have amazing bow back maxi dresses that can fit a variety of different personal styles. Below, I’ve rounded up a collection of back tie maxi dresses for both cold weather and warm weather months.