Maxi dresses: Not for the short and stubby

Most people think that when they wear a Maxi dress, they will look as great as the tall, thin models in the ads (see the sexy Daria Werbowy above.) Trust me, I have had these delusions before when buying clothes but when I look in the mirror and I see imperfections (love handles, straining seams, pants that cover my feet) then I know not to buy that item.

Unfortunately for the general population, most girls and women do not trust their instinct, and buy clothes that look great in the magazines but do not translate well in real life with real bodies.
Now, I love the Maxi dress. I think it's perfect for summer because it's flowy, light and can be beautiful as a simple mono-colour frock or wild with colours. But the Maxi dress is tricky because it generally does not look good on short and full-figured women.

If you are short, the Maxi dress overwhelms your body and can make you look a bit too much like a child playing dress-up. Put the Maxi on a full-figured woman and it will make you look...full-figured. Not in a good way.

Women believe that the dress will cover up their flaws; that pouch, those thighs, those hips and that butt. But in fact, it only enhances those body parts. So if you are graced by Mother Nature and are tall and thin, this is the perfect dress for you because it gives you a waist, shows off your toned arms and enhances your height. You lucky she-devils.

Celebrities have been wearing Maxi dresses all of this summer. Here are a couple of the good ones and the not-so-good ones.

Not-so good: Hayden Panettiere
Hayden has a gorgeous figure but she is too short for this dress. Her arms look chubby and her cute figure is just lost in this. The neckline is not flattering either.

Good: Alex Curran
Alex looks stunning. The dress emphasizes her small waist and hips and shows off her toned legs. The jewel colour tone is beautiful for the summer. Damn her!

Not-so good: Melissa Joan Hart
Again, here is another short, not super-thin person wearing a Maxi and it does not look good. She looks frumpy instead of sexy and the Granny print doesn't help.

Good: Kate Hudson, Kristen Bell, Carrie Underwood
All three of them look fabulous. I love the exotic print of Carrie's dress. The neckline is still elegant, not skanky. Kristin's dress is simple but the bustline gives is more va-va-voom. And Kate looks really sweet and cute.