Striped Maxi Dress: How to Style It From Day to Evening

A striped maxi dress looks its best when the accessories come from the stripe itself, and the edit of designer maxi dresses at Coveti makes the case plainly: take one colour from the print for your shoe and bag, mark the waist, and let the lines run unbroken from shoulder to hem. Stripe direction decides how the dress reads on the body, so check it before anything else. For a worked example, the new Cruise 2027 pieces at Zimmermann at Coveti pair a bold black and cream stripe with a flat cork sandal for day and a laced pointed pump for night.

By Coveti Editorial. How we research and write: our editorial and AI policy.

The anchor of this guide is the Zimmermann Clash Stripe Sheath Dress, a viscose maxi with a striped placement print, slim straight sleeves, a removable pussybow necktie and a self tie waist belt. It shows every decision a stripe asks of you, from the neckline to the shoe. If your plans lean towards long lunches and coastal towns, read it alongside our guide on how to style cork sandals, which covers the flat shoe that suits this dress best by day.

Key facts

• Vertical stripes draw the eye up and down; wide horizontal stripes draw it across the body.
• A placement print sets the stripe in a fixed position on the garment, so it falls where the designer intended at the bust, waist and hem.
• Take accessories from the stripe colours: cream, ivory and black all work with a black and cream stripe.
• The Clash Stripe Sheath Dress is 100% viscose, lightweight and non stretch, cut for a close fit and true to size.
• Zimmermann sizes 0P to 4 convert to UK 6 to 16; their size 0 is a UK 8.

How does stripe direction change the way a maxi dress reads?

Stripe direction controls where the eye travels, which in turn controls how tall, how broad and how busy the dress looks. On a floor length dress the effect is magnified, because the print covers so much of the body in one uninterrupted plane.

Two practical points follow from the table. First, the width of the stripe matters as much as its direction: a broad, high contrast band reads as a graphic statement, while a narrow tonal stripe reads almost like a texture. Second, a stripe always reveals the fit. When cloth pulls across the bust and hip, the lines bow, and the eye goes straight to the strain. That is why a close but easy fit, with room through the skirt, keeps a striped maxi looking deliberate.

How do you style a pussybow and tie neck on a striped dress?

Treat a pussybow as your main accessory and keep everything near the face quiet. A bow at the throat already frames the face, so a necklace competes with it and earrings should stay small. The Clash Stripe Sheath Dress has a removable pussybow necktie, which gives you three distinct looks from one dress.

• Bow tied high. The most formal version. Tie a soft, slightly uneven bow so the loops sit flat against the collarbone, and pair it with a slim heel.
• Ties left loose. Knot the necktie once and let the ends hang. This reads relaxed and lengthens the torso with another vertical line.
• Necktie removed. The neckline opens up and the stripe takes over completely. Now you have space for a statement earring.

You can also borrow the necktie for something else: knot it through a bag handle, wrap it round a low ponytail, and tie it as a slim belt over the self tie waist belt for a doubled line at the waist.

Which shoes work with a striped maxi dress?

Choose the shoe by setting first and colour second: flat by day, a modest heel at night, and always in one of the stripe’s own tones. A maxi hem sits close to the floor, so the shoe shows mainly at the toe and ankle, and that small glimpse needs to feel intentional.

1. Flat leather sandal for daytime. The Zimmermann Riviera Sandal in milk is a flat nappa leather sandal with a cork outsole, contrasting edges and leather covered buckles, made in Spain. Its milk tone picks up the cream in the stripe, so the foot reads as part of the dress.
2. Pointed pump for evening. The Zimmermann Solstice Pump 65 in dusk is glossy patent leather with a pointed toe, corset inspired lacing, gold hardware and a 65mm heel, made in Italy. A pointed toe peeking from a long hem extends the line of the leg, and the moderate height lets the skirt fall cleanly. Our guide on how to wear pointed toe pumps covers heel heights in detail.
3. Thong mule for warm evenings. A low heeled thong mule such as the Zimmermann Idle Thong Mule 65 in black repeats the black of the stripe and suits terrace dinners.
4. Ballet flat for city days. A black ballerina like the Zimmermann Carousel Ballerina in black keeps a long dress practical for walking.

Hem length decides the heel. If the dress skims the floor in flats, a heel lifts it to the ideal point just above the ground; if it already falls at the ankle, flats keep the proportion. Check the hem in the shoes you will wear most.

What bag and jewellery suit a bold stripe?

A bold stripe needs a solid bag and one point of jewellery, because the print already supplies all the pattern a look can hold. Texture is the way to add interest without adding noise: velvet, patent leather, woven leather and brass all sit well against a flat printed viscose.

For evening, the Zimmermann Cloud 91 Small Clutch in black is the natural partner. It is worked in velvet and sequin with a leather tassel drawstring over an internal magnetic snap, plus an adjustable and removable leather strap, and it measures 20cm long, 12cm high and 10cm deep. The black ties it to the darker band of the stripe, and the soft gathered shape is a welcome curve against all those straight lines. Our companion guide on how to style a sequin clutch goes further on carrying it.

For daytime, a roomier bag in a soft finish takes the edge off the graphic contrast; the Zimmermann Goldentime Small Tote is the house option for that role. To add a single note of colour, clip the Zimmermann Jewel Bag Charm in ruby red to the handle. It hangs gold tone brass charms from a red sheep leather cord, so it brings warmth and a little movement to a black and cream palette.

With jewellery, pick earrings over necklaces. Gold earrings with some presence, such as the Zimmermann Volute Chandeliers, sit beside the face and clear of the print. Long layered chains tangle visually with stripes, and a busy bracelet stack competes with the cuff line of a slim sleeve. One gold cuff is plenty. For more on the principle, see our guide on how to wear statement earrings.

How do you take a striped maxi dress from day to evening?

Change three things: the shoe, the bag and the neckline. The dress itself stays exactly as it is, which is the great appeal of a long printed dress for a full day away from home.

1. Morning. Necktie off, flat cork sandals, woven tote, sunglasses. Belt the waist loosely so the skirt moves as you walk.
2. Lunch. Add the necktie knotted loosely, and a single pair of gold earrings. A cardigan over the shoulders handles air conditioning.
3. Evening. Tie the pussybow, step into a pointed pump, switch to the velvet and sequin clutch, and tighten the waist belt a notch for a cleaner line.
4. Late. Add a cropped jacket in black for cooler air; the Zimmermann Clash Velvet Cropped Jacket keeps the stripe visible below the waist and echoes the velvet of the clutch.

How do you wear a striped maxi dress on resort and holiday?

On holiday, let the stripe do the dressing and pack around it in its colours. A single long printed dress replaces two outfits when the accessories change, which matters when luggage space is short.

Start with neutrals that live inside the print. A black and cream stripe asks for ivory sandals, a black evening shoe, a natural woven bag and gold jewellery, and every one of those pieces works with plain linen and denim later in the trip. Avoid a second print on the same day; if you want pattern elsewhere, keep it to a silk neck scarf in a tonal colourway tied to a bag handle. The broader principles of packing a resort wardrobe are covered in our guide to luxury resort wear, and our guide on how to wear stripes covers stripe mixing at length.

Lightweight viscose is comfortable in heat because it is soft against the skin, but it creases when it is packed tight. Roll the dress rather than folding it, and hang it in a steamy bathroom on arrival. The Clash Stripe Sheath Dress comes with a separate slip, which is useful in bright sun: the slip gives opacity under strong light, and it can be left off for a softer drape in the evening if the light allows.

How should a striped maxi dress fit?

A striped maxi should skim the body without pulling, so the lines stay straight at the bust, waist and hip. If the stripe bows, the dress is too small; if it collapses into folds, it is too large.

Zimmermann describes the Clash Stripe Sheath Dress as designed for a close fit in a lightweight, non stretch fabric that fits true to size, and the silhouette skims the body before falling through the skirt. Because the cloth does not stretch, take your bust measurement seriously. The house size chart lists bust measurements of 79cm for size 0P up to 104cm for size 4, and size 0P to 4 converts to UK 6 to 16. Invisible shoulder zip openings make it easier to dress in a close cut. Full conversions sit in the Zimmermann size guide, and our overview of Zimmermann mini, midi and maxi dresses compares lengths across the label.

If your shoulders are broad, the slim straight sleeve is the point to check: there should be room to lift your arm without the stripe twisting across the upper back. If you are between sizes, Coveti’s stylists suggest sizing true for a tailored line and sizing up one for a softer, more relaxed line.

The pieces at a glance

How we measured: prices are read from the Coveti catalogue and compositions from the house composition on each Zimmermann product page. Sizes are the sizes Zimmermann showed in stock on 15 November 2026, given in UK sizes (Zimmermann 0 is a UK 8) and in EU sizes for shoes. Stock moves daily, so the product page is the final word.

Striped maxi dresses around the world

United States. Coveti prices every piece in US dollars. Zimmermann runs boutiques on Madison Avenue, in the Meatpacking District and in SoHo in New York.

United Kingdom. Coveti lists every piece in UK sizes. In London the house has boutiques on Bruton Street and Sloane Street.

Europe. In Paris Zimmermann sells from rue François 1er, the Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Galeries Lafayette. Sizes convert directly: a UK 10 is an EU 36.

Gulf. The first Middle East boutique opened at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai in 2024, followed by Atlantis The Royal, The Galleria Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, The Avenues in Kuwait and Marassi Galleria in Bahrain. Our Zimmermann guide for the UAE and Saudi Arabia covers the region.

Boutique locations are from the house and trade press, checked October 2026. Shipping terms are in the Coveti logistics and returns protocol.

Frequently asked questions

What shoes go with a striped maxi dress?

A flat leather sandal suits daytime and travel, while a slim pump with a modest heel suits dinner and events. Choose the shoe in one of the stripe’s own colours so the line of the dress stays unbroken.

Do vertical stripes make you look taller?

Vertical stripes draw the eye up and down, so on a floor length dress they add a sense of height. Wide horizontal stripes read broader, though on a fluid maxi skirt the effect is softer than on a fitted top.

Can you wear a striped maxi dress to a wedding?

Yes, for a daytime garden wedding and a resort wedding, provided the cloth and cut feel considered. A graphic stripe with a pussybow, a slim heel and a small evening clutch reads dressed rather than casual.

What jewellery suits a bold stripe?

Keep jewellery to one focal point, usually gold earrings with some weight, because a bold stripe already supplies plenty of pattern. Skip long layered chains, which tangle visually with the lines of the print.

How should a striped maxi dress fit?

The stripe should lie straight, so the dress should skim rather than pull across the bust and hips. The Clash Stripe Sheath Dress is cut for a close fit in a lightweight, non stretch viscose and fits true to size.

Is a striped maxi dress good for travel?

A lightweight viscose maxi packs into little space and covers a long day with nothing more than a change of shoes and bag. Roll it rather than folding it, then hang it in a steamy bathroom on arrival to release creases.

Curated by the Coveti Studio.