The Secret Life of Slips — How Vintage Undergarments Transform Modern Wardrobes

Wondering how to wear vintage slips or petticoats today? These forgotten underpinnings bring new life to both vintage and modern wardrobes.

Sometimes the quietest layers carry the biggest magic. This morning the air was crisp with the coming of fall, and I reached for a dress that I look forward to wearing with the turning of the season. It's a modern maroon plaid midi dress from Mata Traders with a smocked bodice and pockets (!!) that I swooned over for months before finally splurging. Every time I wear it, I feel a bit like a Brontë heroine — perhaps if Jane Eyre had worn Muck Boots while wandering autumn fields with a toddler in tow.

But when my daughter and I left for our walk, the air still felt too cool for bare legs under the dress, and I knew I would regret tights as the sun rose higher. As it was, I came home covered in Queen Anne’s Lace seeds, and tights would only have made me more of a magnet for those tiny prickles. Instead, I slipped on a vintage Laura Ashley petticoat and that small, hidden layer did more than keep me warm — it changed the dress itself. Its hem moved with more fullness, its drape softened, and suddenly the garment carried a new story — one less governess-in-the-mist and more heroine-on-a-country-walk, free to gather asters along the hedgerows and pocket every interesting rock my daughter pressed into my hands, while yellowed locust leaves swirled down around us like a benediction.
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A chilly Autumn morning walk was the perfect excuse to try a cotton petticoat under a modern fall dress

Why Slips and Petticoats Matter

• Structure — Many vintage dresses were cut with the assumption of a slip beneath. A half-slip or full slip smooths the lines, prevents cling, and restores the intended silhouette. (Slips evolved from older chemises — simple cotton underdresses worn directly against the skin. Where chemises were plain and practical, slips often used lighter fabrics or lace trims.)

• Movement — A cotton half-slip adds quiet swish, a nylon slip gives a little glide, and a petticoat can bring a touch of drama. (Petticoats differ from slips in that they’re meant to add volume under a skirt, from a soft ruffle for everyday wear to a stiffer crinoline for full silhouettes.)

• Warmth — On transitional mornings, a slip adds just enough insulation to make bare legs comfortable, without resorting to tights.

• Comfort — Vintage slips are soft against the skin, often more breathable than synthetic linings, and they lend garments a more effortless wear.

From Everyday to Almost Forgotten

Not so long ago, slips were part of nearly every woman’s daily wardrobe. In the mid-90s — even in my own school years — it was common enough that an exposed hem of nylon lace became shorthand for a wardrobe mishap. Teachers joked with each other (“it’s snowing down south”), mothers taught daughters to check hems before leaving the house, and racks of slips lined the lingerie sections of department stores.

So what happened? A few overlapping shifts:

• Fabric Technology — More dresses came pre-lined, and synthetic blends reduced cling. The practical necessity of slips faded.

• Fashion Trends — As denim, casualwear, and body-conscious silhouettes took center stage, the layered ease of a slip felt old-fashioned.

• Cultural Change — Fashion grew more casual overall. What had been a universal staple slowly became a relic of another generation’s wardrobe.

And yet, like so many forgotten details, slips are quietly waiting to be rediscovered — not out of nostalgia, but because they still work. They add warmth, structure, and comfort in ways modern linings rarely replicate.

How to Incorporate Vintage Underpinnings

• With Modern Dresses — Try layering a cotton slip under today’s dresses to see how it shifts the fabric’s weight and flow. Even minimalist silhouettes gain a new sense of depth.

• With Vintage Pieces — A prairie dress comes alive with a petticoat. A 60s shift gains polish with a half-slip. Many silhouettes were originally designed with these foundations in mind.

• Practical Care — Vintage slips are abundant, affordable, and easy to launder. Cotton and nylon varieties wash beautifully, and a few in rotation can expand the versatility of your entire wardrobe.

Buying Vintage Slips

If you’re curious about adding slips to your wardrobe, vintage is one of the easiest and most affordable places to start.

• Fit & Sizing — Most vintage slips are cut on the bias or include stretch panels, which makes them forgiving across sizes. Half-slips are the most flexible, since they only need to sit comfortably at your waist or hips. When in doubt, compare the bust and hip measurements of a slip to a favorite dress you already own.

• Where to Find Them — Thrift stores, estate sales, and the lingerie racks of vintage shops are full of overlooked treasures. Online, look for brands like Vanity Fair, Olga, Shadowline, and Laura Ashley, which appear frequently on Etsy and eBay. Many can be found under $20, often in excellent condition.

• Care Tips — Slips are surprisingly easy to care for. Cotton versions can be washed gently in cool water and line-dried. Nylon dries quickly and resists wrinkles, while lace trims benefit from handwashing or a mesh bag. A little care goes a long way in extending their life.

• Styling Potential — Don’t be afraid to let them peek out. A lace hem beneath a plain dress, a cotton chemise peeking at the neckline, or a satin slip styled with a cardigan — each adds quiet charm. Beyond function, slips can be worn as part of the outfit itself.

• Why It Matters for Vintage Dresses — Many mid-century and later dresses were designed with slips in mind, often left unlined because underlayers were assumed. Wearing one not only restores the intended shape and drape, but also helps protect fragile fabrics, reducing the need for frequent laundering.

✨ In short: slips are both practical and poetic — easy to find, easy to wear, and endlessly versatile.

Petticoats & How to Wear Them

If you’d like to experiment with more fullness, petticoats are worth exploring. Vintage cotton petticoats add a soft everyday ruffle, while nylon versions from the 50s–70s can create real volume. Look for cotton styles if you want subtle lift and ease, or crinolines if you want dramatic swing. They turn a prairie dress into something storybook, or give new life to a modern sundress with just a little extra swish. Like slips, they’re often affordable secondhand — sometimes hiding in the “costume” section of thrift shops, even though they were once everyday wear.

This 1970's handmade prairie dress is transformed by adding a vintage crinoline underneath.

Petticoats & Volume

Not all petticoats are created equal. A modern crinoline — the kind often sold for weddings — can add too much stiffness and pouf for everyday wear. But a vintage cotton or nylon petticoat from the 60s or 70s will usually give prairie dresses just the right amount of lift. I thrifted one for $8, union-made, and even though it’s technically too small to fasten fully on Opal, my dress form, it’s become a studio staple. It lives in my underpinnings tote — a quiet set of tools I rely on to shape garments on Opal, give skirts movement, and restore the silhouettes many vintage dresses were designed with in mind.

🌿 Sidebar: Modern Dresses as Slips

Sometimes the perfect underpinning isn’t vintage at all. A simple modern cotton dress can act as a chemise or slip if the cut is right.

Take this Laura Ashley linen dress I styled recently: on its own, it’s sweet and simple. But layered over a modern white cotton dress, it transformed — the underlayer acted like a vintage chemise, adding body, warmth, and a touch of lace that peeked through at the neckline. Instead of bulk, it gave depth.

A modern slip dress layered under a Laura Ashley blue linen sailor dress adds movement and depth to the silhouette.

How to Shop for Modern “Slips”

• Choose lightweight cotton, rayon, or soft synthetics that move easily.

• Look for simple slip dresses, cotton nightgowns, or sundresses without pleats or heavy seams.

• Match the length of your outer dress, or go a little shorter.

• Stick with neutrals (white, cream, black) for maximum versatility.

• Swish-test the fabric on the hanger: if it moves lightly, it will layer well.

✨ Bonus tip: Many secondhand “slip dresses” from the 90s and 2000s work beautifully as underlayers — a modern echo of the chemises that once anchored wardrobes.

Gentle Recommendations

Next time you’re thrifting or browsing estate sales, peek at the lingerie rack — and don’t overlook the sundress rack, too. Vintage slips, modern chemise-style dresses, and petticoats can all serve the same purpose: transforming how a garment feels from the inside out. Experiment with one under your favorite dress and notice how it changes the story.

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Closing Note
What we wear closest to the skin isn’t always visible, but it shapes everything. A simple slip — whether vintage or modern — can add warmth, alter a silhouette, and shift the way a garment tells its story. Sometimes the unseen layers are the ones that make us feel most at home in our clothes.