Slip dress
A slip dress is a lightweight dress inspired by undergarment slips: often bias-cut, usually made from silk or satin, and sometimes sheer. It hangs close without heavy structure and reads as intimate or sensual depending on styling.
Slip dress
A slip dress is a lightweight dress inspired by undergarment slips: often bias-cut, usually made from silk or satin, and sometimes sheer. It hangs close without heavy structure and reads as private, intimate, or casually seductive depending on context.
History & cultural notes
- The slip dress became a prominent fashion item in the 1990s as lingerie-as-outerwear aesthetics took hold; see 1990s. It can oscillate between vulnerability and confident display.
Materials & fit
- Common fabrics: silk, satin, chiffon, and lace trims. Bias cuts allow the dress to skim the body, and lining choices govern opacity.
Narrative uses & writing tips
- Use slip dresses for scenes that blur private/public boundaries: the ease of the garment allows tactile detail and warmth contrasts.
- Sensory detail: cool silk against warm skin, whispering hems, and the way the dress clings when damp or warmed are vivid cues.
Example
"She wore the slip as if it were an afterthought — thin silk, a breath between clothes and skin; when she laughed, the fabric moved like an answer."
Why it works: emphasises the borderline quality of slipwear and uses texture to anchor intimacy.
Related
Narrative uses & writing tips
- Slip dresses are useful where scenes need a sense of ease, private intimacy or ambivalence between public and private.
- Use temperature and texture contrasts (cool silk vs warm skin) for sensory detail.