How to style trainers with a Maxi dress

Purple maxi dress, pink jacket + white trainers

How to style trainers with a maxi dress. I remember when I first started to wear trainers/sneakers with my formal clothes. It was back in the early 90s. Women in New York were just starting to wear them to commute to their offices. Trainers/Sneakers were beginning to be seen everywhere in the street. Maybe that was the beginning of “street style” as we know it.

Mixing trainers with a more formal outfit

At the time I was working as an image consultant and corporate coach in some of the top accountancy and retail companies. I had to wear very formal business suits and respectable court shoes. Travelling by train, tube or car was challenging in heeled shoes so I adopted the “trainer look” and took a pair of smart shoes to change into when I reached my destination. I have never looked back. I still love the casual with the more formal look.

In these photos have teamed my Pavers Bellissimo chunky trainers (gifted) with my new maxi dress from Arket which is a lovely coloured purple with dark pink spots and is made from recycled viscose.

Purple dress, white hat, straw basket & white trainers

Basket and hat both from St.Tropez market.

Purple maxi dress, pink jacket Pavers white trainers

My trainers are so comfortable. I wore them all day without socks and no blisters.

Pavers white star trainers

Close up of the star trainers. They are ideal to wear with dresses as they are more delicate than many styles.

Pavers white trainers, white hat, pink bag and scarf

Pavers leather lace-up trainers

Arket purple dress and Cos pink cardigan white trainers

The dress and trainer look has now been popular for quite a few years and continues to be popular with all ages. Combining the aesthetic with the practical. Curating the look does take some planning. The trainers need to be in harmony with the dress. Personally, I prefer the more pared-down simplistic trainers in white to the very chunky athletic variety. Although I sometimes wear chunkier styles with trousers.

Pavers leather lace-up trainers Lilac printed shirt dress from Arket. Pink cardigan over my shoulders from Cos (comes up large and is quite long).

Summer maxi dress, scarf, trainers and pink bag

Scarf from St.Tropez Pink bag many years old.

Thank you Pavers for gifting me these comfortable trainers. I will be wearing them all summer long.

Photographs were taken by Laura Hines. Follow her on Instagram

8 Comments

  1. 13th May 2022 / 16:19

    I love this look. Feminine and fun. The colors in this outfit are so lovely on you, and the sneakers are cute with the white star. I, too, loved wearing sneakers (or cozy, faux fur lined boots in Winter) to work and carrying my shoes – especially when going in and out of New York.

  2. Judy in Arizona
    13th May 2022 / 16:36

    I absolutely love the colors you wear, so flattering. You always look comfortable, very classy as well as current, which isnt easy to achieve all at once. Look foward to seeing more

  3. Trudy+Jackson
    13th May 2022 / 17:31

    trainers with skirts is a style I could never get used to.

  4. Eileen
    13th May 2022 / 17:49

    These colors on you are so beautiful on you, so, so , beautiful. Buy more!

  5. NATALIE KELLOGG
    13th May 2022 / 18:59

    You look absolutely gorgeous in this dress!!!

  6. Francesca B.
    14th May 2022 / 13:39

    Wonderful dress Josephine and l love the way you are styling it.l often wear dresses with sneakers as l like to move fast when l am out and about and be nimble on my feet. You look terrific in these colors and l love your hair cut!! Happy weekend 🙂

  7. 14th May 2022 / 14:32

    I love tthe dress on you and I think with the trainers it looks very modern.
    Greetje

  8. 15th May 2022 / 07:52

    Great outfit on you Josephine!

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