If I am being honest, up until a few years ago, my first thought of a slip dress was something you wore underneath a dress to avoid “transparency issues” or a garment you wore to bed. Usually short, ill-fitting around the chest area, trimmed with mismatching lace, bordering on sexy but really not, and came in a rather bland selection of underwear friendly colours - nude, black, white, mahogany… mahogony, even the use of that term as a description of colour has (thankfully!) evolved to much prettier sounding adjectives like crimson, ruby, garnet, wine… the list goes on. I digress.
So it wasn’t until I happened upon an Aussie brand, called the Silk Laundry, from my last visit to my homeland, that I really got to appreciate the versatility of a great fitting, midi-length, adjustable-strap, silk, slip dress. The dress is hailed the 90s slip dress.
"To me, the silk slip dress was simply the most perfect item, and was a constant in my wardrobe since I was a teen. The 90s Slip Dress was in my first collection and has been there ever since," Katie Kolodinski, Founder and Creative Director, Silk Laundry.
The great fitting part is because it is cut on the bias and literally can make any body type look phenomenal (worth a mention here is that your body IS phenomenal and this merely embraces it). It sits in all the right places to flatter your form and give off a feminine flow in an effortless way. And you know what else? The colours and patterns they come in are vast and magnificent and yes, beautifully named.
I ended up buying two of the slips in different colours (Peacock and Cedar, if you must know) on the spot (ok, and the blazer too). I had high hopes to snag a black slip, but not surprisingly they were sold out by the time I had to leave the country.
“So what you’re saying is that it’s not a nighty then?”
That is correct my friends. This goes way beyond it. But yes, you could wear it to bed if you really wanted to. From day to night, through the night, it transcends time of day, the seasons, and can look as sexy and formal as you want it to, but also completely casual too.
The best part is that it feels good on the body and it's great to travel with because it is super light and you can get a load of looks out of it. Remember though, it is 100% silk, so be mindful of creasing, but nothing a quick steam or iron with the right silk setting to get it back into form. Another bonus, if you’re expecting, this dress is likely to evolve with you because of its clever bias cut.
Still not convinced? A picture speaks a thousand words.
Here are just a few images to inspire you. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you that these photos were taken over the course of the last eight years - that's how timeless it is.
The best part is that you get to put your stamp on your look. No right way, no wrong way. Your way.
You're welcome.
Photos courtesy of Silk Laundry. All sporting the 90s slip dress in various colours.
