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Dress (Regular / Plus) // Cardigan // Shoes
Trends never really die. They hibernate. Being 40 I have seen my share of trends come back in style. Some of them I have loved seeing return and a few I would have been happy leaving in their undisturbed slumber. The thing with trends is that they are always going to cycle back through and currently that cycle is on 1990.
When I was in high school it was hard core 90’s fashion. Those were the days of Beverly Hills 90210, Clarissa Explains it All and Blossom. If you lived anytime in the 90’s you can probably distinctively remember the styles from these shows. Some of the best parts of the 90’s style were things like the mix of feminine and grunge, all things plaid, and platforms. Some of the worst were and still are brown lipstick, butterfly clips and denim on denim. I will be ok if brown lipstick stays gone forever.
Currently with the 90’s resurgence it looks like they are bringing back a lot of my favorite looks but in some new and interesting ways. One of my favorite 90’s essentials was the slip dress. Oh the slip dress brings back so many memories! Nothing makes me want to chant, “Donna Martin Graduates!!” like wearing a slip dress.
Slips were traditionally worn under dresses to keep them from sticking to your body and also to help the dress lay correctly. During the underwear as outerwear trend of the 90’s the slip dress became a staple in everyone’s closet. It is still one of the sexiest style of dresses to date.
There are a few changes…
They dropped the hem line. In the 90’s slip dresses were short, tight and made of silky materials. The perfect thing for your 18 year old self to be wearing when you were a size two. Now that all of those 90’s kids are in their late 30’s and early 40’s we want all things midi. Loving the longer length on the dresses.
They changed the fabrics. Like I said above in the 90’s slip dresses were made of satiny fabrics that were beautiful but really unforgiving. I love seeing some heavier weight fabrics being used that are easier to wear and flattering on a variety of figures.
Layering. Interestingly enough layering was a huge trend in the 90’s but not one you commonly saw with slip dresses. Now we are layering them over light weight tees or wearing them under a long cardigan or jackets.
Sneakers. Circa 1998 we were wearing our slip dresses with sky high platforms or Dr. Marten boots. Now we are wearing them with sneakers. I specifically styled this look with Vans as another nod to the 90’s.
Tips for buying the right slip dress for you…
Slip dresses have traditionally been cut on the bias. This means that getting the right size was exceptionally important because a bias cut dress fall close to the body. Making sure that you try on the dress with the appropriate undergarments will help you know that the dress is right for you.
When in doubt, size up. If I try on a slip dress and it is not falling with that beautiful slinky drape I am moving up a size. Life is too short to be tugging on your dress all evening long.
A good rule of thumb is if you can easily slip the dress over your head and it slides on your body it is the right slip dress for you. Slip dresses should look fluid so this will ensure the right look on your body.
