How to Tie a Maxi Dress

Co-authored by Dina Scherer

Last Updated: June 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Maxi dresses can be stylish, comfortable, and highly versatile – especially if you use a few knotting and tying techniques to change up your look. To shorten a maxi hemline and make your outfit more casual, you can add a knot somewhere along the side or hemline. See which methods work well for your dress and soon you’ll be able to easily update your outfit on-the-go. If you’re wearing a convertible maxi dress for fun or as part or for a bridesmaid ensemble, experiment with different tying and twisting methods until you find a style you love. Later on, you can tie it off another way, throw on a different set of accessories, and you’ll have a brand new outfit!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Knotting a Maxi Skirt

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1
Tie a single knot at the base of the skirt to raise the hem on 1 side. Pick up the skirt’s hem at the point where you want to tie the knot. This can be at the center-front or to the side. Pinch the fabric together to form a tube-shaped bundle. Grab about 1 ft (0.30 m) of fabric or add more if you want the knot to sit higher up on your leg. Wrap the bundle over itself to form a single knot.^{[1]
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- Tug the knot to secure it. You’ll be left with a little tail of fabric which you can leave hanging or tuck into the folds of the knot.
- Try this out with stretch-knit maxi dresses to shorten the hemline and make your outfit more casual.
- This is a great trick for getting the fabric out of the way, especially if you’re doing a lot of walking or if you want to paddle your feet.
2
Create a knot at your thigh to create a cascade of fabric. Pinch the fabric at knee-level and gently pull it away from your body until you can gather about 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) of fabric in a tube-like bundle. Pass the end of the fabric over the base of this bundle to create a loop, then pull the end through the loop so you form a single knot at thigh-level.^{[2]
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Research source} Tuck the tail into the folds of the knot to create a pretty rosette shape.
- This is a useful way to shorten the hemline on 1 side while still allowing the skirt to flow around your legs. It works well on dresses with single side-slits, too.
- The rosette-shaped knot will quickly add some pizazz to a plain stretch-knit maxi. It could also look chic on a woven maxi as long as you carefully arrange the knot so that the fabric drapes elegantly.
- Aim to pick up more volume from the bottom half of the skirt so the knot sits high on your leg.
- Try placing the knot at the front or side of your thigh for different looks.
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3
Use 2 knots to create an asymmetrical look out of a maxi with 1 side slit. Start by tying the first knot at the top of the side slit. Bunch up about 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) of fabric around the top of the slit and fold it over itself to form a single knot. This will shorten the hem at the side of your dress. Next, pick up the corner of the front panel of the skit. Tie about 3 to 4 in (7.6 to 10.2 cm) of fabric into a small single knot and tuck this towards the inside of your skirt to hide it.^{[3]
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- With the small knot in place, the front of your skirt will fall in an asymmetrical drape.
- If the knot doesn’t stay in place on its own, use a small safety pin to hold it towards the inside of the skirt.
4
Knot the front panel of a maxi dress with 2 side slits. If you have a maxi dress featuring slits at the left and right sides, this is an easy way to change up your look. Bundle up the fabric from the front panel into a tube-shaped bundle. Then fold it over itself to create a single knot below your knee. Adjust the knot and tail so that the front panel of the skirt drapes evenly over your legs.^{[4]
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- Try this casual look with a woven or stretch-knit maxi dress.
- If you want to show a little more leg, tie the knot above your knee.
5
Make a small knot at your waistline to create a form-fitting style. If your maxi fits loosely around the waist but you want to accentuate your figure, pinch the fabric at your waistline, at the side or in line with your hip bone. Pull it out from your body and create a tube-shaped bundle of fabric. Once you’ve bundled up about 6 to 10 in (15 to 25 cm) of fabric in your hands, fold it over itself to tie a small single knot. Tuck the tail into the folds of the knot to create a little rosette-shaped knot.^{[5]
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- Focus on bringing most of the volume from the skirt rather than the bodice.
- This technique works best on a stretch-knit maxi dress.
- Knot up more fabric to create a faux-slit look.
- Try to keep the knot as small as possible so you don’t add too much bulk to your waist area.
EXPERT TIP

Catherine Joubert
Professional Stylist
Catherine Joubert is a personal stylist who works with a wide range of clients on refining their style. She launched Joubert Styling in 2012 and has since been featured on Buzzfeed and styled celebrities such as Perez Hilton, Angie Everhart, Tony Cavalero, Roy Choi and Kellan Lutz.

Catherine Joubert
Professional Stylist

Expert Trick: If your maxi dress is still too long, you can take your dress to have it hemmed so it's the right length. You can also find shorter maxi dresses in the petite section.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Tying a Convertible Wrap Dress

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1
Wrap the straps around your torso for a Grecian-inspired style. Bring the 2 front straps over your shoulders, passing the fabric over your bust along the way. Lay 1 strap over the other in an “X” at the back, then draw the straps toward the front at your waistline. Cross the straps over each other again at your belly-button, then extend them toward the back. Overlap them 1 more time at your lower back before securing the ends in a double-knot in front.
- Twist each strap so it looks like a rope and arrange the knot off to the side to give your dress an elegant Grecian goddess look.^{[6]
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- If the straps on your maxi dress are short, you can simply tie them in the front without wrapping them around your torso. Or, if the straps are really long, pass the fabric around your torso 1 more time.
- For a little more coverage, tug the fabric so it covers your shoulders or wear a bralette to compensate for the plunging neckline this style creates.
2
Arrange the straps around your neck for an open-back halter style. Bring both straps up over your bust. Once you get to the nape of your neck, overlap the straps and bring them around to the front of your body. Arrange them downwards across your bust, overlapping the fabric that’s already there, then crisscross them in the front. Pass the straps around your lower back and bring them to the front again. Finally, ie them off with a double-knot or a bow at the front.^{[7]
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- For a sleeker look in the front, tie the straps in a double-knot at the small of your back.
3
Create a high-neck, open-back style by twisting the straps together at the back. First, crisscross the straps in the front. Arrange the fabric so that it sits smoothly over your bust and forms an “X” at the base of your neck. Then bring both straps over your shoulders. Once you’ve brought them to the back, twist the straps together in a coil that extends down the center of your back. When that’s finished, wrap the loose ends around your waist and tie them off in a double-knot at the back.^{[8]
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- Depending on how open you want the back to be, you can extend the coil all the way to the small of your back or finish it just below your shoulder blades.
- For a modification to this style, crisscross the straps at your back, too, and wrap them around your waist as with the Grecian-inspired style.^{[9]
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4
Crisscross the straps at the front and back for an off-the-shoulder look. Start by bringing 1 strap over the other in the front. Pass them to the back and overlap them once again. Bring the straps toward the front and wrap them 1 more time around your waist until they reach the front again. Finish this look off with a double-knot or a bow and arrange the straps in an elegant off-the-shoulder style.^{[10]
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- Use small safety pins to secure the fabric to a strapless bra or bralette if you’re worried about the straps slipping down.
5
Arrange both straps to the side for a 1-shoulder style. Rather than passing the straps straight up over your bust, bring them both over 1 shoulder and smooth out the fabric so it completely covers your bust. Depending on your desired style, you can tie the straps together in a single-knot at your shoulder, or you can twist them into a coil that runs down your back. Either way, finish off the look by wrapping the ends around your waist a few times and tying them off in a double-knot in the back.^{[11]
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- If the straps of your dress are overlapped where they connect to the waistline, arrange them so that the outside strap covers the other. So, if the right strap overlaps the left one, you’d bring them together over your left shoulder. This will create the smoothest drape over your bust area.

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Tips

If you knot the skirt of your maxi dress, you might want to keep it that way for the rest of the day. Once you untie it, it will probably stay wrinkled for a while.

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After tying your convertible maxi dress, move around in it to make sure it’s secure and you feel comfortable in it before going out.

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When wrapping a convertible dress, focus on smoothing out the straps around your waist so you don’t end up with a bulky look.

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