Off shoulder maxi dress, maxi bardot dress in velvet

Each off shoulder maxi dress we sew comes in velvet, reaches past your ankles, and is made for evenings when it’s cold outside. The neckline bares your shoulders while the sleeves keep your arms warm. In Britain the same cut goes by maxi bardot dress.

Long sleeve, three-quarter or a single sleeve

Sleeves are the real choice here. Our black maxi has full-length sleeves, which matters at a February wedding when you’d like bare shoulders and no goosebumps. The three-quarter styles stop just above the wrist, so a bracelet or a watch gets its moment.

Some gowns go asymmetric. One shoulder stays bare and a single sleeve covers the other arm. We cut these in black, red, white and burgundy, all with a slit on the leg. With that line you won’t need a necklace, and a pair of earrings is plenty.

The navy one is different again. Its velvet is draped into soft folds, and under warm light the blue turns almost ink-dark. Add some height with heels or platforms, otherwise that long hem will sweep the floor.

Dancing, coats and the slit

Most of these have a slit, and it opens with every step. That’s why we’d always pick thin heels or strappy sandals. On the red and burgundy one-sleeve styles the velvet is dense and stretches well, so you can dance without feeling held back.

A maxi bardot dress needs a plan for the coat check. Your shoulders stay open all night. Go with a long coat that covers the hem, or a little faux fur on a milder evening.

Our two white velvet gowns are meant for engagement parties, a civil ceremony or wedding photo shoots. They’re not for wedding guests, of course. Choose emerald or burgundy for that.

These fit close from the shoulders down, so grab a tape and note your bust and hip numbers, then match them to our XS to XL chart. More bare-shoulder cuts at other lengths live on our off-the-shoulder page, and you’ll find every long hem in the maxi collection or floor-sweeping evening gowns.