Choosing the right dress length is as important as its color and fit. Different hemlines are suited to certain occasions, and the look and feel of your outfit can be significantly altered by the length of your dress.
Prom dresses are usually on the longer side, whereas homecoming dresses are often shorter.
We’ll help you pick the perfect dress for every occasion, so you never get home to realize you need to return a new dress because it’s shorter or longer than you expected. If you want to be precise, check our dress lengths guide.
From flirty ultra-short minis, to floor length ball gowns, this guide explores the different types of dress lengths. After reading, you’ll understand how each one suits specific styles and occasions. It includes practical tips on choosing the right length based on body type, event, and personal style.
Let’s find the perfect dress from different dress lengths suited to your event that flatters your figure.
7 Most Common Dress Length Types
Wondering what are the most common types of dress lengths?
We’ve listed them below:
- Mini dress
- Above-the-knee
- Knee-length
- Midi length
- Tea length
- Maxi length
- Floor length
Let’s see what sets each dress apart, when to wear them, and what features they enhance.
In a study of working women, 33.2% reported preferring maxi-length dresses, making it the most popular length among participants. Other key results showed 39.0% favored classical cuts, and 45.2% preferred set-in sleeves.
Mini Dress Length
Ah, the mini dress! This classic design is flirty and fun. A mini dress falls above the knee, typically around the mid-thigh, or slightly above. Giving off a youthful vibe, they’re ideal for showing off your legs, and flaunting your confidence.
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Occasions: With a flowy or figure-hugging outline, mini dresses are perfect for parties, especially in warmer weather. They suit informal events like shopping or birthday parties, as well as cocktail and summer parties.
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What it highlights: By drawing attention to the legs, mini dresses can actually create the illusion of longer legs, making shorter women appear taller.
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Body types: Flattering on most body types, mini dresses are suited to curvy and slender figures, particularly highlighting longer legs.
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Styling tips: To style a new mini dress, add ankle boots, sandals, or pumps, and a statement necklace to encourage attention to the upper body. For formal events, add a clutch, or a cross-body bag for parties.
Above The Knee Dress Length
Above the knee dresses are classically elegant. The next step-up after the mini dress, above the knee dresses is the mid-point between mini dresses and knee-length dresses falling just above the knee, giving a more flowing and whimsical silhouette than the flirtatious mini.
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Occasions: Fusing the playfulness of a mini and the sophistication of a midi dress, above the knee dresses can be dressed up or down to suit a variety of events. In short, they’re ideal for daytime events, and semi-formal occasions.
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What it highlights: Cinched at the waist, these dresses show off your figure, accentuating your curves.
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Body types: Particularly suited to those with defined waist and toned legs, hourglass figures are highlighted as curves are defined. Pear shaped women with wider hips also look fantastic in above the knee dress lengths, ideally A-line styles that balance the figure.
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Styling tips: For a polished look, add a cardigan or blazer, and heels or wedges. Statement jewelry will also elevate your look.
The Knee-Length Dress
It’s all in the name, falling just above or on your knee, this style is timeless. Terry Costa knee length dresses collection showcases this versatile length that looks great on all body types.
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Occasions: Perfect for formal events, they’re also suited to semi-formal events such as graduations, prom, and homecoming.
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What it highlights: Knee-length dresses elongate the legs, suiting taller women, but don’t show off too much, making them ideal for formal events.
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Body types: Knee-length dresses look good on most body types, including petite frames. If you have a pear-shaped body—where the hips are wider than the shoulders—you can achieve balance between the proportions. They also really suit hourglass figures.
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Styling tips: Style with ballet flats, or loafers for an elegant daytime look, pumps, or ankle boots to refine your look, or sneakers when you’re shooting for a casual vibe. A belt can help enhance the natural cinch that this dress is known for. Add a classic stud earring to top off this sophisticated look.
Midi Dress Length
Sitting between the mid-calf and below the ankle, midi dresses are in vogue… Our midi dresses collection is stacked with cute looks from leading designers. Both sophisticated and comfortable, these dresses are ideal for lengthy events, especially those held in the summer.
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Occasions: This chic style is suited to many occasions, such as weddings, garden parties, and other semi-formal events.
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What it highlights: The goldilocks length! These dresses are neither too short, nor too long. They highlight your legs, while giving you a decent amount of coverage elsewhere.
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Body types: Suited to most body types, they particularly flatter hourglass bodies, making your curves pop.
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Styling tips: Adding heels elongates the legs, giving you a more flattering silhouette, and preventing you from looking frumpy. Added height will balance your look, making it more sophisticated, especially for shorter midi dresses which fall just below the knee.
Tea Length Dress
If you’re wondering what this style of dress is all about, here’s the tea! Tea-length dresses are shorter than full length gowns, and slightly longer than knee-length dresses, falling around the mid-calf, just above the ankle. Often confused with maxi dresses, tea length is differentiated by being the middle ground between midi and maxi lengths. Explore our tea dresses collection.
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Occasions: Wear to semi-formal daytime events like galas, weddings and homecoming, where elegance and practicality are valued. They’re great for vintage-inspired looks, and can suit more informal events like garden parties.
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What it highlights: Tea length dresses are universally flattering. The mid-calf length elongates the legs, and the fitted bodice and flared skirt create an hourglass silhouette.
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Body types: Pear and hourglass body shapes are flattered by this style, as they emphasize the waist and create a balanced look.
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Styling tips: Classic pumps, summer sandal, or peep-toe heels help enhance the retro feel of a tea length dress. Pearls or other vintage necklaces can help complete your look, and add a handbag for a touch of sophistication.
Maxi Dress Length
Floor length gowns that sweep the floor, and show a peek of ankle, maxi dresses are effortlessly graceful. With flowing fabric, they’re both comfortable and elegant, giving you ease of movement all day and night.
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Occasions: Our maxi dresses collection is ideal for prom, a glamorous garden party and other semi-formal events when you want to look your best.
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What it highlights: A maxi dress that flares at the waist highlights your curves. Scoop and v-necks draw the eye up to the neckline, while adding a high belt creates an empire waist to lengthen your legs.
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Body types: Maxi dresses are a good option for most body types, suiting taller women, emphasizing their height and providing an elegant silhouette. For petite figures, high-waisted or slim-fitting maxi dresses can create a lengthening effect. Women with hourglass figures can showcase their curves with a wrap maxi dress which cinches at the waist. Pear and apple shaped figures look great with A-line styles, as this creates a balanced silhouette.
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Styling tips: Pair with heeled sandals or heels. A statement belt adds shape and structure. Long, layered necklaces help highlight your neckline, and a wide-brimmed hat can add a boho vibe to summer events.
Floor Length Dress
This is the most dramatic and formal dress length. The hem brushes the floor, with an unbroken line from top to toe. Maxis show your toes, but floor length dresses cover all, including your shoes. Explore our stunning floor length dresses collection to look your glamorous best.
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Occasions: Suited to formal events including more formal weddings, black tie events, and balls.
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What it highlights: Some cuts are more formal than others. Floor length dresses can highlight the waist or neckline and shoulders depending on the cut. Some styles elongate the body.
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Body types: Suited to most shapes, certain cuts made be more flattering to your body type. Fitted or high-waisted styles flatter hourglass bodies, while pear shaped bodies can be balanced with A-line or empire-waisted dresses which draw attention up.
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Styling tips: Adding heels, statement jewelry, and a clutch can elevate your look. Belts and hats can also help make the look your own.
How to Measure Dress Length
Dress length is measured from up to down, from the highest point of the shoulder down to the hem.
For a strapless dress, it is measured from the dresses’ highest hem down to the dresses’ bottom.
Asymmetrical dresses are measured from the shortest point to the hemline.
Dress length chart:

Shop your ideal dress length in the Terry Costa collection.
FAQs
What are the lengths of dresses?
There are 7 main types of dress length:
Mini dress
Above-the-knee
Knee-length
Midi length
Tea length
Maxi length
Floor length
What length dress for 5'2”?
If you’re 5’2” the most flattering dress length include: above knee, knee-length, or slightly below knee-length. Mini dresses can create an illusion of added height.
What is the golden ratio for dress length?
The golden ratio is approximately 1.618 for the most flattering dress length. It creates two segments from shoulder to toe, the shorter segment is 1/1.618 of the total length. This creates a dress length just below the knee, or at the narrowest part of the calf.