Girls' slips can still be considered a wardrobe essential. Although fashion trends continue to emphasize casual wear, when it comes to formal events, the slip always manages to resurface as a necessity. Moreover, girls' slips are easy to find at most children's stores that sell dressy apparel.
About Girls Slips
A century ago, slips were a staple item within both girls' and women's wardrobes. In fact,it was considered gauche to ignore the importance of a slip, and important it was. Fabrics were heavier, and protocol was higher. However, modern fashion is far more casual. Little girls are not hitting the streets in petticoats or dress clothes. They are now stepping out in sweatpants or the light airy styles of t-shirt companies like Splendid. It's not that slips have failed in their function. It's simply that the need for such items are not as prominent.
Their Purpose
Slips can fulfill a variety of functions. First and foremost, they fight the sheerness of a garment. Wearing a slip beneath a moderately sheer dress can provide a nice opaque finish. Many fabrics such as voile and silk are sheer, and these fabrics are often used in formal apparel.
Slips can also fight static and clingy materials. Lighter fabrics have a tendency to attract static in droves. Even without the static, these airy materials will often cling between the legs, which suppresses the floating quality of a dress. Placing a slip underneath such garments will restore shape to the dress and fight the cling. In climates where severe static is a problem, soaking a slip in Downy is your best defense against the impending cling.
Slips also accommodate wool fabrics very well, though girls' dresses that employ heavy wool are few and far between. Still, if you're looking to suit your daughter up in 19th century apparel, then don't forget to add a slip before she traipses across your carpets. Otherwise the amount of static electricity she'll generate could fuel NASA's next shuttle launch.
Styles and Colors
Similarly to women's slip, girls' slips come in the standard half and full slip varieties. Both slip styles can be found in differing lengths and classic colors such as white, ivory, nude, and black. The color choices represent your most complicated slip decision. In general, nude colored slips will be the most versatile. Nude does well under white and can also be worn under dark colors. White slips can be tricky because they can often look stark under sheer white dresses. They also do a poor job of concealing undergarments. However, the edge of a slip often becomes visible when a child sits down, and a white slip looks nicer than a nude slip when placed under a pastel dress. This decision will ultimately weight heavily on how much coverage is needed and the amount of visibility this slip will receive. If you only plan on buying one slip for your daughter per season, the nude half slip will likely be the most accommodating.
Girls' Full Slips
The full version of girls' slips is ideal for fighting scratchy materials. Unlined embroidered dresses can be uncomfortable on the skin. Upscale clothing lines will properly line such items, but if you're shopping on a budget, a slip can overcome a variety of wardrobe woes. The full slip is also an excellent choice for pairing under communion dresses. Again, nude or ivory full slips will look more subdued under a stark white dress than an equally stark white slip. Full slips also work well under jersey dresses which have been known to cling abominably. Many girls' dresses are made from jersey blends and a full slip is necessary for optimum cling prevention.
Where to Buy
A department store will be your best friend when it comes to tracking down girls' slips. Since these items are growing more and more scarce in the fashion world, you're unlikely to find them outside of stores that carry formal apparel. You can find all varieties of girls' slips both online or in-store at:
- JC Penney
- Macy's
- Nordstrom
- Saks
- Neiman Marcus
If you and your daughter are fans of more vintage slip styles, there are a few boutiques that cater to such tastes. Target offers full and half slips. These styles are a testament to the underslip's longevity and will work wonderfully under your daughter's 19th Century revival apparel.
