Lately I have been dissatisfied with my underwear. Well, actually, just with the slips. They have been uncooperative, to say the least, and occasionally downright recalcitrant. Not the gorgeous vintage full slips (like this one, click on the pic to visit the eBay auction), the ones I found a whole mint new-with-tags lot of a couple years ago — those are fine, content to be used as nightgowns and to occasionally have a day out under a dress. It's the half slips that are giving me trouble. Well, the half slips and the tights, who together are having a little static electricity festival that Must Be Stopped. Not to mention that the half slips are deciding, en masse, either to revolt against the tyranny of elastic or to join the low-rise movement, and so their waistbands are getting saggier and saggier.
I keep hunting around online for nice heavy nylon slips, but they seem to have gone the way of the dodo — there are only a few specimens left, and they're all very expensive, or fugly, or both. (I should have paid more attention when The Sewist did her poll on slips.)
So I think I'm going to make some half slips. Heavy silk (from Thai Silks and Dharma Trading Company) are surprisingly cheap, especially in the quantities you'd need for a slip. I can find some nice lace trim, too, that will help weight down the bottom of the slip, and, not incidentally, look nice.
In fact, I think (since I have more than a month before I have to travel again) that I will spend this next little bit of sewing time making a few slips, and also sorting through the Large Plastic Bin of Tights to separate the holey goats from the whole sheep, and also arranging them by color, so that I don't spend the night before my next departure turning things upside down looking for the one pair of thick lycra tights that I *know* I had in teal …
Anyone have any slip-sewing tips, or sources for really nice lingerie elastic? I will make a followup sources and tips from the comments … and, with any luck, a picture of the slips I've made!
A Dress A Day 
Consider casing the waist elastic – a small amount of extra bulk, but more comfortable. And it’ll make it easier to replace the elastic (which is ALWAYS the first thing to go) in the future.
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This is my favorite way to make a half slip – Cut a rectangle of fabric the lengh you want it to be and your hip measurement plus 6-8 inches. Cut a freehand curve trimming off the two lower corners. To sew the half slip, add some lace or hem the fabric from the top (waistline) edge, down the length, around one curve, along the bottom, and up the other side. Overlap the top edge a couple of inches at the waist, and add elastic. To apply lace to the curves, nylon or polyester lace is surprisingly easy to shape with a warm iron and steam. This makes a slip with a built in vent so it never sneaks out from under straight skirts and has plenty of walking ease so that it never restricts movement.Amy
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I really enjoy your blog. I look forward to reading it every morning.I thought I would share a source for lace. laceheaven.com I have never ordered from their web-store. Their store is in my town. I have only been there a couple of times, since I have not sewn much that I needed lace for. They have more lace than I have ever seen in my lifetime, and the lady there was very helpful.
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Sewsassy.com carries items specifically for lingerie. They have several types of elastic, including plush elastic, in a variety of widths. They also have info on dyeing.
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Kwik Sew’s Beautiful Lingerie has inspirational photos and starter patterns for all sorts of lingerie (including half slips), in case you decide you want more than just half slips.
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Oh, it’s never occurred to me to make a slip. You’ve just blown my mind, Erin. As usual.Then again, I’ve been doing pretty well with some heavy nylon satin slips that of course I can’t remember the brand of. I’d be wearing one today, but the skirt I have on is already lined. Can’t find them online, either. I’ll post the name when I get home.
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I have thought about making under garments but I always thought I had to have a serger for the seams. Of course, I don’t have a serger but I don’t use one when I am putting lining in skirts so I suppose I should have thought of that. Plus I have to have an excuse to buy some things I wear, such as sweaters (I don’t knit – yet). My big problem right now is the tights – do you recommend a brand? I usually go for the no-name and then find the crotch slides down to my knees and they get all linty and ugly and uncomfortable. I have a couple of tights right now that work well but of course, I have no idea where I bought them and I cut the tags out so that’s no help.
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Gosh. I don’t think I even own a slip anymore. I suppose this is something I must take into consideration for all of the dresses I’ll be making.
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Juliar,As someone who has tried alot of tights I can tell you the ones I am currently in love with are DKNY. The fit is good and they seems to last a long time. I’m wearing a pair today I got two years ago.
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I inherited some of my elegantly dressed grandmother’s slips. They are a joy to own, and I linger in them when dressing just to enjoy seeing them. Maybe that is why they are called “linger-ie”?I always have last minute dressing drama trying to remember which slip is the right length for which dress (I wear a variety of hemline lenghts). My friend’s grandmother always insisted on a new slip to co-ordinate with each new dress she acquired. Now that’s luxury!And a new sewing challenge: Make a slip for each dress. The ladies in the Great Depression had silk or rayon slips. Why can’t we find them easily in stores? Ebay has them in vintage, but old silk is delicate. I’m considering cotton tights to avoid static. Has anyone used them and liked them? Are they warmer?
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All my tights are cotton or wool–with enough lycra for oomph. We’re spending our first fall/winter with a corn burning stove that leaves the 2nd floor kind of frosty. I haven’t longed for jeans yet.My half slips are, I’ll be the first to admit, fugly. They’re made by Mennonite women who know their slips: heavy nylon tricot that Stays Put. I never have cling-n-climb problems. I have 2 full slips that are pink rayon, circa late 40’s. I’m guessing they were everyday slips-no trim or anything. But they also stay put and aren’t too hot under summer dresses. I’ve seen lots of these at 2nd hand and antique stores.Can’t wait to see what you come up with, Erin!
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I find I do pretty well with the tights I get from L’eggs (the kind that come in a cardboard package and NOT in Little Plastic Eggs). Standard Size B, usually black (with a couple of pairs of navy and a couple of pairs of brown for the Interlopers in my wardrobe). Every once in a while I get a bizarre run of them, and they don’t hold up well; but generally, they’re sturdy, stay up, and look and feel decent. I find that if I get a run that doesn’t have tags, they’re more likely to give up the ghost easily. Remember that those tights with holes are really good for cutting up and reinforcing repairs on delicate garments! You cut a patch out of the torn tights material, and you sew the each side of the tear to the patch behind it, instead of sewing the torn weakened material to torn weakened material, and expecting it to hold.I have one “half-slip,” which actually started out life as one of those teeny short silk skirts for women who are a lot younger than I am. It’s a very nice silk charmeuse, with a lace edge and a drawstring hem. So don’t forget to look at the Teeny Skirts that LOOK Like Half-Slips at some of the trendy stores for the young. I have a wrap dress which occasionally flings itself open, and I am perfectly covered underneath by my Little Black Skirt. Most of the time, though, if I need another layer, I’ll wear a full slip, otherwise known as a Silk Nightgown. It’s virtually impossible to find a silk full-length slip these days, but not so difficult to find a full-length silk (or even those nice old rayon) nightgowns, which work just fine, thanks, plus often have shoulders wide enough to cover bra straps. I find that I don’t want to wind up with too many layers of elastic at the same place around my waist, what with tights, underwear, slips, petticoats, and skirts. The tights sit at or above the waist, the lace briefs just below (they’re really good – neither the waist nor the legs have nasty elastic that bites or leaves VPL), and the skirts, admittedly, wander a bit, but I manage to not have four or more layers of elastic in exactly the same spot, binding like a tourniquet.For fun, though, and under a full skirt or dress, I would just as soon wear a petticoat – and a decorative one, at that. Or I’ll stack my skirts; today I’m wearing a burgundy silk peasant skirt under a black gossamer cotton peasant skirt, with a black velvet tank top. I have a burgundy sheepskin jacket and burgundy sheepskin gloves, and a burgundy felt cloche with a spray of black feathers. Peasant skirts stack very well under each other, and you can get a really nice effect with the different layers.
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*I should have mentioned that I get the L’Eggs opaque, regular tights – that is, non-control top tights. Control-top tights, and control-top pantyhose, are the invention of the devil, IMO. They bite into the legs and the waist without rendering any noticeable improvement, as far as I can tell, and doctors have reported a significant increase in problems with dyspesia, gas, and bloating among people who wear restrictive undergarments on a regular basis! If I can’t control my parts myself, I’ll wear my clothes a little less snug.
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I have made several super half slips for myself out of heavy silk and from a coulotte skirt pattern. These are wonderful for us bigger gals whose legs rub and chafe! I use bound flat lace as part of the casing for the elastic at the top, keeps it less bulky! I LOVE your site!
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Julia: I second Anonymous 9:46 on the Donna Karan recommendation. My favorite style (Matte Jersey Hose) was discontinued about eight years ago . . . but I’m still wearing them. Nearly all her tights that I’ve tried are very, very sturdy, and they Stay! Up! I can’t remember when’s the last time I had to throw a pair out (though I do have “nice” ones and “long-skirt-days only” ones). The only thing I do to make them last is wear Peds underneath to protect the toes.
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As far as the static problem goes–I’m with you. I HATE WINTER because I spend my days shocking people when I touch them and tugging on my clothes to make sure the static keeps my skirt below my waist!The two best defenses are Static Guard spray (I use tons of this stuff) or if you can’t find that, just rub your clothes with any dryer sheet. Both will help you win the war against static!Good luck with the whole slip construction thing. I can’t sew, but I truly admire those who do.
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I haven’t seen slips in the stores in years. When I needed a new one the nylon fabric I found to make one was nasty. So I used stretch black nylon for athletic clothes. It turned out wonderful! Very comfortable. Never too hot in summer or too cold in winter. And the stretch means no binding. Dresses and skirts glide over the slick material. I really love my slip with four way stretch and will be making more of them. My girlfriends call it my “power slip.” I see the Vermont Country store still sells slips. Not sure of the quality. I am really tall so it works better for me to just make the length I need. Besides, the spandex makes me feel like a secret super hero.
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I haven’t bought from them, but everybody swears by Sew Sassy for bra-making supplies; they also sell lingerie elastic.http://www.sewsassy.com/LingerieProducts/lingerieelastic.html#anchorLingerieElastic
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I’ve often wanted to make my own slips, but have yet to get around to it. I think the trick is finding a fabric that is heavy enough, but not too heavy. I’ll be curious to hear about your luck with the silk. I think it’s a great idea and may even have to use it. Though I do like KMs idea of the stretch nylon and the subsequent ‘secret super hero’ feeling. I could use that some days. 🙂
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Someone already mentioned Vermont County Store. They do carry many undergarments that are not commonly available — cotton bias-cut culotte slips, tights that are fleecy on the inside, veryveryvery soft bras for those of us who consider bras to be devil’s spawn. Check them out.
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Juliar – for tights, I used to always get Hue:http://www.joyofsocks.com/hueopti.htmlRecently, though I went for a couple pair of E.G. Smith tights, like these:http://www.sock-dreams.com/_shop/pages/socks_detail_ProductID_172.phpMuch. Better. Yay tights!
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I’ll be eagerly awaiting the results of the Great Slip Making Experiment! 🙂 I’ve been frustrated with the slips that are currently for sale, and have entertained the idea of making my own. The regular ol’ nylon ones are too staticky, don’t come in the right lengths, and are just too thin half the time.Silk, here I come!
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Okay but what about washing silk slips? Do I have to hand wash them? Hang dry? Will they be wrinkled? Erin, what do you mean by “heavy silk” — what KIND of silk (there’re all these different names). I am a silk newbie…. I’m REALLY glad we are talking about this, because I have been thinking about slips recently as a way to add warmth under dresses, and I know you can’t buy nice slips any more.
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Becky, if you wash the fabric first in hot water and dry it in the dryer (maybe even a couple of times, if you’re nervous) you will be able to wash the finished product the same way. I’m thinking about getting the heaviest weight of charmeuse from Dharma Trading, or from Thai Silks. Also, if you don’t want to sew your own, I found a source for silk slips:http://www.wintersilks.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=3~25~&ProductDisplayID=507&dept=Silk+For+Her-camisoles+slips&prod=926+a-line+half+slip
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My favorite tights in the world are Baryshnikov brand. As the name suggests, they are made for ballet dancers. Thus, they are comfortableto move in and tough enough to stand up to abuse, and the crotch stays put pretty well. The disadvantage is that they cost more than regular tights and they only come in ballet-dancer colors. But since that includes black, they serve my needs.
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Apart from how lovely the slip looks, I have to say I really love the ornaments and mirror in this pic, too.I’m not a slip person. I’ve never seen the point as they always ride up and wrap around the legs. I have to admit to owning only one pair of tights (opaque) which I wear under the only short skirt I possess (and this year, I’m debating whether I’m now too old to get away with such a short skirt – but I REALLY like it). Otherwise I’m strictly a stockings and suspenders (garters) gal.Esther A.
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I have some experience with silk slips and have one note to add — Resist the temptation to get slips made from silk tricot, jersey or other knitted material. The stretch may sound comfortable but the effect is less than ideal — first, it doesn’t stretch THAT much, and second, for some reason it is hugely staticky. My silk slip I bought in China is close to useless for this reason. I’d buy something woven with a satiny finish, and cut it on the bias.
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I WAS JUST THINKING THISactually all month long i have been mulling over making slips. i watched amelie and the sight of audry tatou just kicking it in a slip made me hunger for that kind of subtle romantic life. i am making slips too – i just ordered from simplicity and i went to the garment district and bought some silkys for the task… yay!!!
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If you sew your elastic directly on the slip waistband and not in a casing, if you dont already, you might try using sewing machine needles made for stretch fabrics. I went to a workshop that involved making elastic waistbands, and the teacher said the right needle made all the difference with elastic application. Havent tried it yet myself, but it sounded like good advice.
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I made a slip once from a pattern (can’t remember which, but from a major company). It had a yoke and the bottom piece was gathered to that. I made it out of Bemberg rayon lining fabric. The latter was slippery and ornery to work with, but, once finished, the slip worked beautifully under my skirts (all ankle-length and peasant-style). It never clung, never rode up or twisted around, and it lasted for many years until I outgrew it. I finished it with lace on the bottom.My next comment may not really fit into a discussion about tights, but I can’t stand clingy clothes, and have never found a pair of tights that I could wear for more than a minute. (Although I admit that I haven’t tried some of the favourites others of you have recommended in this discussion.) To keep warm while wearing one of my long skirts in the northern Winter, I wear Duofold long underwear pants. They’re the old-fashioned kind of long underwear, not one of the new “tech” kinds made of various engineered fibres, and they’re not silk. They’re double-layered, with cotton on the inside to be comfortable, and a wool-nylon blend on the outside to be warm and to endure. They’re harder and harder to find these days. I think llbean still has them, but their ones with the “Duofold” label on them I think are for only for menthese days. They do have a similar kind for women, but apparently without a label name. I want the real thing, but I may have to try the no-name ones out if I can’t find the others!Long skirts and high-enough boots cover long underwear completely. Warm, warm, warm!
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Another good source for lingerie supplies is http://www.bramakers.com/–good supplies and fabrics and prices!!
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This post was perfectly timed! I have been searching for slips for over 2 weeks…I just wanted a full slip to wear to a wedding this weekend. I finally found a cute slip made of sweater material (weird, I know) but it is a silk wrap dress and this will keep me warm and covered when the dress inevitably blows apart. I am beginning to think I am the only 20-something who even considers slips.
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Thank you! I suffered through Fabric Week and was rewarded today!
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I’m going to chime in on DKNY tights. I’m wearing a pair today that are at least 5 years old. No crotch sag and they’re pretty durable. sock-dreams.com also has some great funky tights. I really would love some of the MP tights that are wool and cotton. (My daughter has some MP cotton tights that are really nice.If I’m not wearing tights (summer only) I’ll wear a divided slip to prevent “chub rub.”
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I LOVE Dkny tights!!! Back when I wore fishnets alot, hers were the best too…no knee-sag halfway through the night. Someone asked how to wash silk….you can handwash it, gently with a mild soap. Slips are what started my vintage passion/collection and eventual career in selling it. I cringe to think of what gorgeous slips I sold in a moment of desparate need for cash…..however, I would never have known it was what I wanted to be doing had I not! There really is nothing like lounging a la Liz in a slip on a hot summer evening. I’ve got my own ridiculous amount, and then an even MORE ridiculous amount in inventory. I just can’t pass them up! Ang
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There is information on making slips at http://hearth.library.cornell.edu/ and at http://vintagesewing.info/ ; I love looking through the old sewing manuals there. Would you consider doing more on winter dresses? I keep looking at lovely wools in eggplants and rubies, but just have a hard time wrapping my head around a winter dress that looks nice rather than just drearily practical. The summer dresses are lovely, but I’d love to hear more about the crepe one you mentioned. -a different Lydia
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I haven’t had time yet to read everything so if I’m repeating someone, sorry.Until you get your fabulous new silk slips made, turn your nylon tricot ones inside-out. It feels very inelegant, but takes care of the static problem. Why it does, I don’t know. But it does.
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I am beginning to think I am the only 20-something who even considers slips.No you’re not Cessair. I wear slips all the time, I adore them and I am only 28 (slip wearing started when I was 26).Honestly, nothing to make one feel sexier than a good slip.
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Buy vintage. Save your sewing time for the dresses! Really, they are wonderful. Each brand had its own unique style and signature elements. My favorites are old Van Raaltes and Lady Lynnes, because they tend to have lots of darts for good shaping and high-quality nylon.
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I love slips,and I’m only 18! They feel so nice that I often wear them under dresses and skirts even if they aren’t necessary. And I love for the lacy bottom of a slip to peak out. I like Vintage ones best, so lovely like the one pictured, I find them cheap at thrift stores, and they fit better too. I’m more of a full slip girl though.To get rid of static, spray tights down with hairspray. I get that problem with tights and skirts too.
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Victoria’s Secret has a whole section on their website for slips & chemises. It’s all full slips or completely impractical stuff, but I’ve used this one for years now, and it hasn’t given me a lick of trouble.My problem with slips is that they’re all made of non-breathable material, and I live in Texas. I get heat rash in the summer if I wear a slip! Same goes for polyester dress linings. I have so many dresses that I can’t wear for nine months out of the year.
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Wow Erin, this is exactly the post I have been needing!!! The last couple of weeks I have been having the exact same problem with every half slip I own. Either the elastic is gone or the slip crawls up my tights and defeats the purpose of wearing one. I have been looking for new ones but what is out there, if you can find it is awful. Until I get the good vintage ones with the bad elastic fixed I have been wearing a thin summer silk skirt as a slip. Thanks to you too La Belladonna, I got the idea from you, I believe, in a previous post. I sew too, but never thought to sew my own slips. The possiblities are endless!! Thanks for the great links, I will be sewing new slips too as soon as the fabric arrives from Dharma Trading. 🙂
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BEST SEWING INVESTMENT EVAH: the bra-slip. Seriously, make (or buy) a good bra, and then sew yourself the rest of a full slip to it. First saw this idea back in Threads many years ago (just looked it up – issue 69, Feb/March 1997.) Makes for a very smooth line under dresses. I don’t know why they aren’t more widely available, IMHO they’re incredibly useful and can be so sexy, especially for the bigger girls amongst us… because multiple layers of lingerie straps? Ewwww.
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I’m glad I’m not the only one who wears vintage slips! I have several that were my grandmother’s, and I love them! As for the new ones I’ve had to purchase, I’ve found JCPenney’s to be very reliable. Lots of sizes, lengths, and some decent fabrics. They have some cotton ones in their catalog that I’m eager to order for summer. I would love to make some chichi slips myself from a classy vintage pattern, but I fear that opens a whole new can of worms to buying way more fabric than I can ever possibly sew and adding it to the existing pile.I second dance tights. I love, love, love Danskins. Wear them like crazy. Great support, and the fishnets are nice and sturdy and they have smooth bottoms so your feet stay nice and comfy. I also have some I’ve purchased at Penney’s that I’ve been very happy with. They are the store brand. My crazy colored tights I buy whenever I see some in a color I must have. Back in the day Target had some fabulous tights (like 10-15 years ago) which I still have and wear. Makes me sad they don’t have anything close these days.
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To the poster who thought that she needed a serger to sew slips – any zigzag machine can sew knits that aren’t too stretchy, and most machines built in the 1970s and later have special knit stitches on them. Also, bias seems can be sewn with a straight stitch, so if a person is making a slip from bias cut woven, any machine should do the job.KWIK-SEW patterns have the best slip patterns. I also second the previous poster who suggested KWIK-SEW’s lingerie book.
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Okay. The half-slips I recommend are made by Farr*West; I have four. They’re not fancy to look at, but they’re well made, and I find that the “exclusive cling free Charmeuse” really is cling-free.
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Oh, and they’re polyester, not nylon as I said above.
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RE: Anonymous and Texas humidity, slips and lining:Nothing fills me with greater disgust than finding an adorable cotton print dress or linen sheath LINED IN POLYESTER!!!!What is the point on a hot humid day of wearing sweaty polyester against the skin under the nice cool cotton? Grrr…I always had lovely smooth cotton slips as a child. Now that was comfort.
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Winter dresses… Think sleeves. A long sleeve, possibly with a belled wrist would be nice this season. Instead of wool crepe (the bane of the modern dress department), think lightweight wool twill, or a mix of silk twill and a sheer silk or cotton fabric. A heavy silk shirting, or a fine wool plainweave could be nice also. Wool flannel can be excellent as well, tho beware of lint. A somewhat puffed long sleeve in a sheer fabric (the puff is for wearing ease and to capitalize on the Victoriana that designers are currently pushing), with lace insertion or other details to make it look designed rather than just saggy and bland might also work. Another option is a short jacket to go over an otherwise short sleeved or sleeveless dress. Make it to suit the style of the dress (particularly the waistline!) and trim it for the love of all that’s holy. The obvious choice for winter wear would be a band of velvet around the edges. Satin bands, piping, a clever pleated trim… the ideas are endless. Work the trimming details into the dress to go with the jacket.Additionally, if you typically wear knee length skirts for summer, shift to mid calf for winter wear. Those extra few inches of fabric help make a skirt much warmer. You will need a critical and intellegent assistant to get the hemline length right on a longer skirt, because hitting at a pretty part of the narrowing from calf to ankle rather than right in the fullest part of your calf will make a huge difference in the impression. Do the hemline measuring one day, and let the dress hang a few days. Check the measurement again to make sure the fabric doesn’t stretch from the weight.The right undergarments also *matter* with heavier weight winter fabrics. Things just look desperately wrong if you’re wearing a calf length or ankle length skirt and it clings or doesn’t hang right. A lining alone won’t solve the problem, you need a slip, and if the skirt is on the fuller side you may need a crinoline.
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Hee! Now I’m going to be eeeevil. Especially for you ladies who are feeling experimentally inclined, and want to try making your own slips: Don’t forget, you can make it in any kind of silk you want. You can make a silk satin slip … or a silk brocade slip, full of dragons or butterflies. However, you can experiment with other fabrics as well: what about a nice, bias-cut flannel slip (full or half), in a pretty print? What about a beautiful wool gauze, with a wool lace trim? What about a stretch lace full slip? What about a lovely drapey snuggly wool and cotton blend, in a twill? Or a sumptuous silk-and-wool blend? You can always use some of those not-enough-for-a dress bits of your stash to practice on, too; after all, you ARE allowed to wear a cotton print slip or half-slip, even in the winter!Becky H, in my experience, silk is, ounce for ounce, the warmest insulator available – followed closely by cashmere.You’re very welcome, Kelly. It’s nice to be able to stretch the wardrobe and get a little unexpected usage out of different pieces, isn’t it?Emily, what do you not like about wool crepe? I have a couple of wool crepe dresses, which I love, and a herd of wool crepe jackets, which I also love, and a number of wool crepe jumpers on the horizon, in my mind’s eye. I love a wool twill, as well, but you seem to have had unpleasant crepe experiences, and I was wondering what happened.
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