Layered ruffles are in, but they may add volume to your body if attached to the wrong places. So, let's choose ruffles that are far away from the waist and hips. The midi dress in this photo is a good example. It has the bodice and hip area in solid black to provide a slimming effect exactly where you want it, plus a colorful ruffle hem.
I wore this dress on a day trip to the Fresno Blossom Trail last weekend. It's actually a great idea to wear a midi dress on a day trip, especially to a scenic spot with lots of flowers. When you get photographed with vibrant flowers around, your pictures will come out prettier if you are wearing a romantic dress rather than jeans. In the meantime, a midi dress with a flared bottom like this one or an A-line silhouette can allow you to walk quickly, even to jump and run, just like a pair of jeans, whereas a maxi dress would restrict movements, and a mini dress may make you worry about it getting blown up by the wind. Even though mini skirts are on trend at the moment, they are not cut out for outdoor activities, unless they are skorts, which we will talk about later.
Now, let's discuss how to style a midi dress for a day trip in spring. When the weather calls for a cardigan sweater, pick a short one that hits above your waist. This is particularly important if you have proportionally wide hips. You wouldn't want any bulk around there.
It's fine to put on a pastel colored cardigan if you have relatively thin and toned upper arms. If not, then a darker one would work better. Or you can go for a cropped jean jacket in any color. The stiff denim won't show the contours of your upper arms no matter what color it is.
Last but not least, your shoes. Flatform boots would go very well with a casual-looking midi dress. I will discuss what boot shaft height will flatter your legs most in my next post. See you in a couple of weeks!