The decade we thought we never would have missed – the feared 1990s – is back with a vengeance. By now, everybody must have noted the relentless shopping-era trends – from grunge to wearing underwear as outerwear – are very much in style. While underwear as outerwear mostly evokes the vision of Madonna and her cone corsets, a much more demure garment was re-introduced in the 1990s, gaining instant success: the slip dress.
A slip dress is a thigh or floor-length gown, first introduced in the 1930s and meant to be worn underneath sheer dresses, preventing them from revealing too much. The slip dress is traditionally cut on the bias, while its key element are the signature spaghetti straps. In the late 1960s, the slip found new popularity especially thanks to Emilio Pucci’s kaleidoscopic designs, which gave the slip a slightly bigger role in women’s wardrobe, though not a leading one. It would take other 30 years for the slip dress to gain fashion momentum, with one of the first John Galliano’s designs for Dior being a lace trimmed, dark blue, slip dress famously worn by Princess Diana in 1996. While the slip dress became a ‘buzz garment’, other designers followed Galliano’s suit, with Calvin Klein and Narciso Rodriguez introducing their own designs. With fashion icons – like Kate Moss – seen wearing the slip dress, it finally became the timeless piece we know and appreciate today.
For 2015 Resort collections, designers like Marc Jacobs, Nina Ricci and Ralph Lauren all presented their take on the slip dress covering it in sequins, creating it from chiffon or sensual black lace – all rigorously kept at thigh-length. The contemporary version of the slip dress is particularly revealing, with a constant play of minimalism and decadence demanding from its wearer not to fear being in the spotlight. At the same time, lightweight fabrics and effortless flair make the dress comfortable and almost casual. In the digital era, making the slip dress work out and about is by layering a contrasting piece. A chunky cardigan worn with a lace trim slip dress creates a stylish and nuanced ‘rolled-out-of-bed’ look, making it more 2014 than 1990.
