The midi has a history of being argued about. When designers and department stores pushed it in 1970, as a skirt hemmed anywhere below the knee and above the ankle, most women said no and kept their own lengths, according to Encyclopedia.com. It took a few decades for the length to win people over, and now it is the one I reach for most. A midi dress works with a flat shoe, a boot or a heel, and it does not need an occasion.

 

I look at the same things on every dress. Where does the hem land when I sit, how does the waist sit, and is the neckline one I can wear with a jacket over it. A midi can be formal without being stiff, and relaxed without looking like a compromise. Below, I have sorted them by what they do best: the Reiss dresses I would wear to work, the embellished ones for evenings, the draped and ruched styles, the sleeveless and strapless cuts, and the shirt dresses I would buy for repeat wear.

Reiss opened its first store on Bishopsgate in London in 1971, selling men's tailoring, and only launched womenswear in 2000. You can still feel the tailoring in the dresses. The Concordia is the polished one, the Kenzie Drape has movement at the skirt, and the Nayla and Lucy are the clean, easy shapes that go straight into a work week.

 

The Rita Knit Woven is the one to look at when you want texture to do the styling, and the Pointelle Knit Panelled adds a softer detail. The Lola is the simplest, a dress I would wear with boots and a coat. If you are petite, look at the Petites Hazel Cut Out, which is cut with a shorter frame in mind. Try the dresses with the shoes you already own, and check that the hem still looks right.

Embellished midis are for evenings when the dress is the outfit. The PatBO Gabriela and the Altuzarra Betsy are the sculpted ones, and the Veronica Beard Kimberly is covered in sequins. The Alice + Olivia Delora is strapless and beaded all over, the Karen Millen is crystal-embellished jersey, and the Mac Duggal has beaded trim on bouclé with a short sleeve.

 

The Miss Circle Paola, with its Peter Pan collar and beaded sequins, is the playful one, and the Sunshine 79 Studio Swirl is a lighter cover-up for a beach dinner. Keep the accessories quiet, since the dress already has plenty going on. Sit down in it before you decide, because beading can catch on a chair and sequins can sit stiffly at the hip.

Draping and ruching give you shape without a stiff construction, which is why I like them for long dinners. The Veronica Beard Charissa is ruched at the waist, the NIA Thomas is sleeveless with contrast trim, and the NIA Aria is printed. The Donna Karan New York halter gathers at the neck, and the SIR is ruched in printed mesh.

 

The Vince knit is ruched at the side, the Black Halo Jacqueline is draped off the shoulder, and the Rixo Arlette is draped velvet for winter. James Perse's Ruched Long Sleeve and Rails' Claudia are the easy drape for colder days, Staud's Davina wraps at the waist, and Le Bop's Gwen has a knot front. Check the gathers when you stand and again when you sit, because drape should stay intentional instead of bunching in one spot. If the fabric clings in a place you do not like, a slip underneath usually fixes it.

These are the dresses where the shoulders set the mood. The Donna Morgan Sleeveless Hardware is the straightforward one, the ASTR the Label ribbed knit keeps the shape simple, and the Rails Sorra is relaxed. The Mac Duggal embellished lace is the occasion choice, and the ASTR Faux Two Piece Halter plays with the neckline.

 

The Nocturne is sleeveless with a button front, the Veronica Beard Freja has an asymmetric hem that deserves a plain shoe, and the Staud Wayfaring is gathered and strapless. For something plainer, Sea's Roni and L'Agence's Rima are the black sleeveless midis I would wear with a coat, while Rails' Solene is satin and Reformation's Bellin is a knit. Strapless only works if it stays in place without constant adjustment, so move your arms and walk across the room in it. A blazer or a long coat over the shoulders makes any of these work in cooler months.

A shirt dress is the midi I would buy for repeat wear. The Theory short sleeve button-down and the Ever New Hazel are the clearest versions, the Toccin Gail has a belted waist, and the 'S Max Mara pleated cotton poplin shirt dress is the crisp one. Wear any of them open at the neck with a coat on top.

 

Further down, the Theory long sleeve belted shirtdress and the Tibi tropical wool are the two I would wear to the office, and the 3.1 Phillip Lim utility dress has the flap breast pockets of a work shirt. For autumn, the Polo Ralph Lauren corduroy and the Birds of Paradis tartan look right with boots, while the Zimmermann and Favorite Daughter polo dresses are the ribbed knit versions, softer than poplin.

 

The Self-Portrait Lace Collared and the Navy Ramie Collared are the more decorative takes, the Leo Lin Aubrey has appliqué, and the Teri Jon by Rickie Freeman is metallic jacquard for evenings. Past the shirt dresses, DL1961's Esme denim, Ganni's ribbed merino zip dress and the Xirena Louisa are the easy everyday versions. Button the dress one button lower than you think you need, then check how the placket sits when you sit down. If it gaps, move on.

The midi length is forgiving only when the hem works with the shoe. I would try each dress with the flats, boots and heel height already in the wardrobe, then sit down and check that the fabric does not catch around the knees. Ruched and draped dresses need careful hanging, while embellished pieces deserve enough space that their surfaces do not snag.

 

Petite shoppers should not assume a standard midi is hopeless, but alterations can change the balance of a dress, so check the waist and neckline before shortening the hem. My preference is one plain midi that works hard and one decorative version that makes getting dressed feel different. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Midi Dress Length That Works On Everyone and Mini, Midi or Maxi.