Slips and sizing
These are a couple of things that can make an enormous difference to the way something looks on us.
Let’s take sizing first. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as standard sizing for women’s clothing in Australia. Each brand uses their own system and you will find sometimes things are labelled as 1, 2, 3 and 4 or Small, Medium and Large for example. Other brands count in even numbers from around 6 upwards extending into the 20s. Still others use European sizing so their sizes are frequently even numbers in the 30s and 40s. Then there is the US system that begins at 0.
My point is, never choose clothing based on the label sizing alone. While it may be a good starting point if you think you know your size, but it is the actual garment dimensions that are important.
If you’re looking at clothing in store, definitely try the piece on before buying. You never know if the thing is cut for someone with a long torso or a short one, a curvaceous hip or a straight one, a round bum or a flat one. Often the designer has the piece cut to suit their own body shape, which makes sense, but if yours differs from theirs then the piece probably won’t work for you. I’ve frequently tried on pants that are too tight around the waist but with excess fabric around the hip area, but other shapes find pants tight around the hips with the waist swimming on them. This is all down to hip / waist ratio; some of us have a big difference between the two and for some of us there is minimal difference.
Sizing alone will not help you with this stuff, regardless of what system a brand uses. I recommend you always try the thing on to see if it fits you the way it should.
If you need to buy online, try obtaining the vertical as well as the horizontal dimensions of the garment. When considering a dress, you need both to understand where the waist sits on you and if that is much higher or lower than your own waist. Ideally, the waist on the dress will sit where your actual waist is.
Also, very importantly, if measurements are listed online, ensure you know whether these are the dimensions of the actual garment or recommended body dimensions as something that is exactly your dimensions will be very tight (if you can even get it on)!
Never be afraid to ask the seller questions. It is their responsibility to describe the piece in as much detail as possible.
SLIPS
Now onto slips; these used to be worn with dresses as a matter of course. They allow a dress to slip over our curves and angles rather than cling to them. They give a dress (and the wearer) a good shape and can help the dress to keep its shape over a longer period.
Slips are typically made of silk, polyester or cotton and are available at every price point. If you don’t like the feel of polyester against your skin, a cotton or silk slip makes it feel much better, particularly in the summer when polyester can feel clammy. On the other hand, a polyester slip can offer extra warmth on cooler days if you need it to.
In theory, a lined dress doesn’t need to be worn with a slip, but it can feel better to wear one anyway to prevent the dress from sticking to you. Wearing a slip with your dress may result in you washing or dry-cleaning it less as you can simply wash the slip. This is useful for structured and delicate dresses.
And if you have mistakenly bought a dress in the wrong size, before discarding it, try it with a slip to see if it flows over your body more smoothly rather than settling into places you don’t want it to. This can be particularly effective if the dress is any kind of knit fabric. A slip can give you a feeling of freedom. Slips can work magic!
