Kelly's pick: maxi dresses for summer

Summer 2011 is all about channeling your inner hippie.

To me, that means looking cool, effortless and living today like it’s 1974.

I try to evoke that kind of style vibe by wearing floor-grazing dresses by one of
my favorite designers — Diane von Furstenberg, whose looks emote richness and are the epitome of cool.

No, you don't have to be a bra-burner or a tree-hugger to be a spirited dresser — and
that's what I love about DvF.

I’m a big fan of her vintage collection of print dresses as well as her modern approach to the maxi.

I wore DvF’s “Agantha” dress, from the current collection ($525; at DvF, 874
Washington St.), to the TV Land Awards this spring (pictured above). If you think the dress is a one-hit wonder, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It has taken me to dinners in New York and even to a wedding in the Hamptons.

My other maxi loves this season are the Helmut Lang muted-toned racer-back ($175; at Intermix stores) and Jay Godfrey’s bright orange ruffled dress ($395; at Intermix stores).

Ironically, men seem to love maxis — sometimes showing less is actually more.
Long dresses dare men to dream about what's under all that material. It’s not how
much skin you show — it’s who's showing the skin.

Tip: When panty lines are visible through your maxi dress, wear the Calvin
Klein seamless thong ($12; at department stores).

Follow Kelly Killoren Bensimon on Twitter @KellyBensimon or visit kellykillorenbensimon.com.