Styling a Slip Dress for Over 40
It is genuinely hard to believe that the time has come to think about the transition to fall. In San Diego, fall is actually our second summer. By mid October however, the mornings and evening are cool but the middle of the day reaches some of its highest temps of the year. A slip dress is the perfect transition piece regardless of where you live but it is a must for our extended summer in So Cal.
You are likely thinking, “A slip dress for women our age?” Absolutely! is my answer. I am sure you all remember Kate Moss wowing the crowd in a simple slip dress at the Met Gala back in 1995. At the time, I was in my mid-twenties and I figured only a super model could pull off the body conscious look. I definitely didn’t have a model body back then, but now I would happily take my 20’s body back with no complaints. The benefit of hindsight is a gift of age. The 1990’s are back in a big way and so is the slip dress. This time I am not missing out. I am jumping straight in on this trend.
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Slip Dress Envy
Just as the name implies a slip dress is a dress which resembles an undergarment, cut on the bias and often with spaghetti straps. The dresses come in a wide variety of fabrics but most have a sheen and feel silky. Because slip dresses are available in so many fabrics it is easy to find a beautiful slip dress at every price point. The thing that makes this particular dress so wearable is that you can buy it fitted or more loose to fit your taste.
I recently picked up two slip dresses to try: the first, is a Satin Leopard Slip Dress by & Other Stories in 100% Viscose, the second, is CAMI NYC The Ravel Slip Dress in 100% silk from Nordstrom. As you all know, I have been toying with animal print dresses all year looking for the perfect print. It is just my luck that I find two prints I like at the same time. I prefer an animal print with black instead of brown because I wear so much black and I find it easier to accessorize and just more my style.
The Leopard slip dress is a tad large at size 10 but I feel if I sized down it might be tighter than I want in the hips and booty. I have tried other dresses from & Other Stories and my usual size 8 is often tight in the bust. I think I will take this dress to my tailor to take it in just at the waist a bit. The CAMI NYC dress fits just right but feels a tad short. #tallgirlproblems
& Other Stories Slip Dress
This dress can easily transition from a casual day to dressed up evening look just by changing shoes. The dress is made of Viscose and can be washed on gentle at home. It is only $99 so definitely priced to take the risk on a new style. It is pretty long. I am 5’9″ and it hits mid calf.
Styling for Fall
- If you want a bit of modesty, add a t-shirt under the dress. This is going to be my fall uniform: slip dress, t-shirt and sneakers. It looks effortlessly pulled together and is beyond comfortable. BTW – The sneakers are from One Twelves which repurpose Nike Air Force One sneakers with designer fabric. Mine are Gucci black leather. They also have Louis Vuitton options and Off-White. Super cute!
- For the transition to fall, treat the dress like a skirt, add a sweatshirt, jacket or both. My sweatshirt is the Lightweight Shrunken Hoodie by Everlane. It is the perfect transition layer and the cropped style is perfect for wearing with your summer dresses. My jacket is Anine Bing Sawyer Military Jacket. I love military jackets for fall and this one is my favorite.
Styling for Winter
- You can add just about anything under this slip dress to change up the look. For cooler weather, I will add a black turtleneck and a versatile sweater jacket. Both are from J.Crew. The boots are Tamara Mellon and they are perfect with midi skirts and jeans. I am so happy I splurged on these boots. They are perfect!
- Even when the weather is finally cold, a slip dress is a perfect base layer for building an outfit on. I added this salmon turtleneck sweater from J.Crew and the Madewell Oversized Denim Jacket. Add your favorite boots and you are good to go! I am wearing the Aquatalia Tilly Weatherproof Booties from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. They are on sale for a fantastic $299 until Aug. Have you shopped the sale yet? See my picks here.
Slip Dress for Work
- A slip dress can work for the office too (see what I did there). Add a structured blazer and heels or a soft sweater and boots. If you are inclined to get warm, make sure to add a shirt under the dress. I am old school and spaghetti straps aren’t appropriate for most offices.
CAMI NYC The Raven Slip Dress
I had every intention of only keeping the & Other Stories slip dress but then I tried the CAMI NYC Slip Dress. It is 100% silk charmeuse and fully lined and fits perfectly. The straps are adjustable so you can adjust as needed to fit your modesty requirements. For someone so tall, I am extremely short waisted so adjustable straps are a huge plus since I often need to have straps altered to fit. The price reflects the quality. This dress is priced at $297 but I feel this one can be worn to a party or other special occasion where the & Other Stories dress is more casual.
- You can wear this silk dress in all the same ways you wear the viscose dress. Wear alone with sandals or add a t-shirt and sneakers. I am wearing a size L. Being silk, this dress will require more care but will last you forever.
Snake Print the Season’s Obsession
- Snake print is THE animal print of the season. This snake print has black details which is perfect for adding to my existing wardrobe. I added a linen blazer and my Aquatalia boots for a perfect night out outfit. If you notice, my boots aren’t true black but a bit off-black. This slightly muted color works best with light colored clothing. You can easily wear these boots with your favorite all black outfits as I plan to do this winter.
- A slip dress can easily be worn casual even if the fabric is lux. I am wearing this silk dress with my favorite Oversized Denim Jacket from Madewell and some slip on kicks from M.Gemi.
Sexy, Yes. But So Much More…
A slip dress is undoubtably sexy but it more than just a one trick pony. A slip dress can be casual, playful, elegant or glamorous. My style is more casual elegance than straight up sexy. If you need some sexy slip dress inspiration check out these Iconic Slip Dress Moments. No matter what your aesthetic, a slip dress is a multi-functional wardrobe staple which is having a major moment but really never goes out of style.
If an animal print version isn’t your thing, there are a ton of pretty florals, geometric prints and jewel tone options on the market. Slip dresses come in every length and every price point. There is definitely a slip dress for every women. I love dresses that are universally flattering and you know I think everyone looks good in a body-con dress.
Check out wardrobe in action on Instagram or follow me on Pinterest to see my inspiration. Drop me a comment below. How are you wearing your favorite slip dress this season? Happy Styling Dahlias!
