SS24’s take on maxis is less boho and more office-friendly – even denim iterations are styled with a neatly tucked shirt and smart mid-heel slingbacks. Phoebe Philo’s edit 2 (the latest drop of her namesake brand) features a maxi-length deep-plum tailored skirt. The skirt is stern and the hemline is about as far away from the viral Miu Miu mini as possible, while at Marni, Francesco Risso showed a sky-blue leather floor-grazing style.
Treat a tailored maxi in the same way as a suit and style with a matching blazer and plain T-shirt for an out-the-door-in-10-minutes look. A black maxi pencil skirt can be a blank canvas for any look. Try styling with a simple vest or heavyweight T-shirt (Arket’s are great) and pair with a loafer and leather jacket or an oversized stripe shirt (ring the changes from blue with Whistles’ taupe and black style, £79). Alternatively, adopt a sleek modernist look by teaming with a black rollneck and leather belt.
Aside from the pencil silhouette, the maxi comes in numerous versions, from Jigsaw’s black or brown leather (7, below) to a sleek satin from H&M (10, below) or Massimo Dutti (4, below). Get reacquainted with a belt – it’s a key styling accessory. Cos’s plain black with gold buckle (£45) will always prove useful. You don’t have to be tall to shop the maxi look. If you’re petite, look for midi skirts that are the right length for you or take them to your dry cleaners for hemming. Keep footwear fuss-free: pointy-toe boots, slingbacks or ballet flats all work. The same applies to jewellery. Simple gold or silver earrings, thin bangles or a sculptural ring will do the trick.
1. Khaki £119, arket.com
2. Pink £320, ninetypercent.com
3. Wool £235, eu.thefrankieshop.com
4. Silk £149, massimodutti.com
5. Cream £110, cos.com
6. Dark denim £29.99, zara.com
7. Leather £350, jigsaw-online.com
8. Slit £25.99, newlook.com
9. Light denim £256, motherdenim.com
10. Satin £27.99, hm.com
11. Striped £359, rusthebrand.com
12. Knitted £30, riverisland.com
