Maxi?…Unmatched?…Whatever Word, One Great Look

There are maybe ten phrases my students hear me say over and over again…I have even seen blogs about them after they graduate and leave my class. One is: WORDS ARE NEVER MEANINGLESS!


There are words which hit different people, different ways…but they always have a meaning. One of those is the word MAXI. I will forever associate MAXI with a pad and not a skirt…to put it bluntly! The times of my life I have needed a MAXI are not necessarily ones I want to remember! Therefore, I have a negative connotation of this word. So, I thought with great depth and longevity, what I would name a skirt that is the opposite of a MINI? I consulted my trusty Thesaurus and the only word I came within inches of liking was UNMATCHED….so here is my UNMATCHED skirt look for today’s Everybody, Everywear challenge. It is UNMATCHED and UNIQUE to me…I am the only one who can bring this particular look for today…UNMATCHED. Would anyone else like a stab at renaming the MAXI dress/skirt?

Two Lips Sandals: Ross


FYI…I also cringe at the sound of the word SWEETIE. Since getting older, some people will call me sweetie…as I suspect they do all of the grandmas in their family. I am not a sweetie…oh, I think I am a nice person, but Sweetie to me sounds like an 80 year old woman who spends her days playing Bingo and going to potlucks with her friends. I do not think I am near the sweetie group yet. So, for me, the sound of the word makes me want to throw up….but for some of you, you may think it is a wonderful word for a woman over 50. Please chime in on either the MAXI or SWEETIE discussion…..or what words rub you the wrong way?

Maxi Skirt: Stien Mart
Pink T Shirt: WalMart
White Belt: Kohls
Brown Camp Shirt: Ross
Pink Coral Necklace: Garage Sale, 50 cents!
White Coral Bracelet: Avenue

JUST A NOTE:  IF YOU DOUBT THE DROUGHT IN SOUTH TEXAS, JUST LOOK AT THE
COLOR OF THE GRASS UNDER MY FEET!!!!  ALSO, I KNOW THIS IS NOT A TRUE MAXI
DRESS…THE TRUE MAXI IS JUST NOT A FLATTERING FIT FOR ME…PUT HIT THE LINK
IN THE SIDEBAR AND YOU WILL DISCOVER MANY MORE!!!!!

35 Comments

  1. You are soooo pretty and soooo chic.

    A had a journalism professor from Columbia who told us: "When you're finished, stop." He wanted to warn us about the "cute wrap-ups" that are so tempting and usually ridiculous.

    I love your advice to your students. How true that is. And, it's a lesson to live by in friendships and marriage.

    Merci for your visits. You make my day.

    He also said, "If you can't say it in words, don't use punctuation to make up for your lack of skill." Ahem!!!!

  2. You lokk fantastic in your maxi. I do hate the sweety, hehehehe.
    I want to join the maxi, but I forgot how, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Help me Pam

  3. Love this! It's an almost 70's Boho look. Love it, love it.

    I would often tell my inmate library patrons about the power of words during National Poetry Month (April…) and they should know after hearing a Judge pronounce a sentence. They would also receive a "word essay lesson" for using the "F" bomb in the library. They had five days to provide me with a list of 10-socially acceptable words to replace that one vulgar slang.

    We're all teachers, aren't we?

  4. Yes! Every time I read the word "maxi" on a blog, I TOTALLY think 'sanitary napkin', not 'item of clothing'. It's a little hard to get used to…

    And the only 'Sweetie' in my life is my main squeeze.

  5. I am with you on the maxi connotation!!!! Sweetie, well that doesn't bother me that much. Maybe cuz I lost my Mom and she was one of those older women who would use that word with love.

  6. Thanks for your kind words on my blog. I agree with the "maxi" connotation. When I told a friend I was writing about maxis she looks at me like I was crazy. We really should rename this.

    As for your outfit, I love the color combination. It's spring-y, but not over the top. The parasol is geat too! We don't need them too often in Seattle, but I have one for the one or two sunny days we have each year.

  7. Oh my goodness, I agree completely; every time I wrote maxi I thought of a pad. It was horrible!

    I love how you styled your "pinnacle" skirt. The belted shirt is a great way to formalize the "unmatched" skirt!

  8. I like that skirt. The print is really fun. I'm not a fan of "sweetie', unless it comes with someone in a parent or grandparent role to me.

  9. I still miss my long Indian broomstick skirts from the 90s… yet I haven't picked up any of the "new" maxis… weird.

    I really love yours!

    Most of people's generic pet names don't bother me at all. The one stupid thing that gets under my skin is that one of the attoneys refers to me in court as "Miss lawyerdoll Supergenius". I'm married to Mr. Hubby Supergenius, and was "Miss lawyerdoll Ordinarygenius".

    So "Mrs." or "Ms" are correct… and the "Miss" is just stupidly irritating. Its totally dumb, but there it is.

  10. I've had a honey or two from waitresses, but I chalk that up to a nervous tic on their part. I would DEFINITELY be irritated by a patronizing sweetie. We need to think of a clever comeback for you. I think this IS a maxi and it looks great on you, parasol and all.

  11. lol, very true…i do associate maxi with pad. i couldn't come up with anything better, but it sounds better just without the i…the max skirt. ma'am (and even lady) makes me feel older, lol! love the print of your unmatched and the addition of the umbrella!

    rockoomph.blogspot.com

  12. I love the pink and brown combo. Fantastic!
    For me when someone mention 'maxi', immediately I remember TJMAxx ad, 'Fashionista and Maxinista'.
    And about 'sweetie', I am ok if someone call me that, but I cringe when I hear 'honey' especially if it comes from an elderly man.
    Thanks for visiting my blog.

    J.
    http://adimpleate.wordpress.com

  13. Loving the look today Pam!
    Your skirt is too cute.
    I know what you mean about maxi and I usually think of it in your description.
    For some reason i dont with the skirt. Weird huh
    My hot word is HUN. I can't stand to be called HUN. It goes back to being a preteen. My grandmother would take me shopping at this particular clothing store and the ladies that worked there alway called me HUN and tried to help me in the dressing room NOT Happening with a preteen girl! lol

  14. lol, Pam, maxi does it for me too on a few levels–one, the PAD; and the other well, its just not a flattering length. It looks ok with boots. And yours is better–that length is more flattering by far! You look just marvelous darling! ps dont mind sweetie or honey–dont get that here in NE much!

  15. Pam,
    I remember them being called midi dress in the 70's. I had a really cute midi dress that my Grandmother made me that had matching slacks to wear underneath. I thought I was might cool when I wore that outfit.

  16. Sorry, I meant midi skirts. For some reason every now and then I write a post and it just disappears. That happened and when I retyped it, I wrote the wrong word.

  17. Sweetie = condescending. And how about naming that skirt after a fashion trend-leader, like Diane Keaton, Sierra Miller or Stevie Nicks? Annie Hall skirt? BellaDonna Skirt?

  18. Love the skirt, love the parasol! As for sweetie or maxi, that made me laugh, I don't have bad associations with either of those words. I do hate hearing anybody calling anyone else "dearie." Cringe!

  19. Oh my gosh – I didn't even think of that connotation of maxi! Now that's all I can think of….time to think of the Unmatched skirt!

  20. Wow, do I love the outfit. The pink, the brown, the belt, the way the colors and the pattern pop. Fab!

    I don't like the word maxi, either. But boring me, I'd just call it a long skirt! I love words but don't naturally think in "marketable" ones.

    As for my hated words…. most professional buzzwords set my teeth on edge.

  21. Okay, I'll try it again…

    I love the outfit!

    I have the very same association with the word maxi. It will forever be a pad not a dress. I just can't get past it.

    My personal peeve word is ma'am. I know it's often used as a sign of respect but in my mind it means I'll never be a Miss again. I equate it with being old. Sigh.

  22. I hate being called sweetie by other people too!! It makes me feel like they are trying to create some false intimacy. Honey is another one.

    Love the maxi on you. 🙂

  23. Wow, this is enlightening! I have a bad habit of calling people sweetie, honey, and dear heart. Young. Old. Male. Female. I was raised in the deep south and I'm going to do what women do and blame their mother. 😉
    She did it so I picked the habit up. I'm sorry and will try to hold back.
    Hugs!

  24. "maxi dress" is a phrase that fashion magazines and throw-away TV filler style shows have been trying to make happen for the past few years. I have never heard someone use the phrase in person. What's wrong with "full-length"? Fullness has a positive connotation.

Comments are closed.