1930s Satin Slip Trial

Hi all!

I have a few more outfits photographed, but this week I'm interrupting my original plans in order to show you my most recent project - my very first fancy slip in all my years of sewing garments.

 

I've done a few simple cotton ones for everyday in the past, but they don't open down the front. I have a favorite (newer) vintage one with elastic shoulder straps that I wear all the time, and often wish I had more than one. So when I was shopping an Instagram sale and saw this lovely slip pattern, I had to add it to my purchase. 

I immediately made plans for it, and actually was so exciting to start that I cut out the slip the very next day after the pattern arrived in the mail all the way from the UK. 

 

The first problem of course was suitable fabric. I don't usually keep lingerie-appropriate fabric on hand, and I don't like polyester next to my skin, but needed something limp and slippery. And of course it has to be a pale shade so it doesn't show through. I really wanted a pale pink slip, but then I remembered this length of light sage green rayon satin that I had listed on eBay a while ago, after coming to a realization that it wasn't a good color for me and I was never going to make a formal gown with it. Well, it would be perfect for slips! Thankfully it hadn't sold. 

 

The pattern is a few inches too small for me, and I couldn't size it up the usual way without injuring the pattern lines, so I added a few inches onto the side seams instead when I cut it out. This was a trial version.

work in progress photo 

 

It was really fast and easy, even though the instructions were so vague that even with all my experience I still had a hard time figuring out what they were telling me to do. I ended up winging it a lot. The hardest part was getting the top V nice and pointy while leaving a seam allowance out on the top pieces. I ended up doing a better job on the back, so I added a little bow to cover the less perfect front. 

 

I just serged all the seams, and covered the top ones with top stitched lace. For fun, I added insertion lace on the skirt.

 

One feature I like so much about this slip is all the options possible with those cute inserted panels on the bottom skirt. You could just sew them on and still give it some bias V detail front and back, or use a contrast fabric, or stitch trim to outline the V...or try insertion lace like I did. I used some thicker cotton lace I had on hand, so it actually doesn't hang as well as it should - the stiffer lace and all that stitching makes it stand out a bit even with the drapey fabric. If I used insertion lace again I'll want to choose heirloom lace, or something more delicate. 

 

Since it was already so long, I just turned up the hem and top stitched it with a decorative stitch on my machine. As you can see, the V doesn't meet at the hem, so next time I think I can be more precise. But it's still pretty.

 

I thought the pattern was 1940s from the illustrations, but it's pretty long even when hemmed, and very fitted through the hips, so I'm going to revise that to 1930s. It's ok - I can sometimes use a longer slip. Next time I will shorten it by folding the pattern piece below the bust, which should give me more room at the hips as well as shorten it. I prefer it to hit just below the knee.

 

The elastic lace for straps give me nursing access, without keeping it from regular wear. I had picked up the elastic lace for a few cents at the thrift store not long before the pattern arrived, which was serendipitous. 

 

So there's my first fancy slip! It's far from perfect, but certainly a wearable trial. I have enough fabric left for another one, and hope to make that one a better fit and fix some of the bobbles now that I know what I'm doing. If it turns out nicely I'll dress it up with embroidery, like the sketch!

 

 

Comments

[Carla]

Lovely! I remember my mother and my grandmothers wearing pretty slips. At one point Mother had a matching bra, panties, and slip in red! Your pale sage is such a beautiful color and will work beautifully under your dresses. You're going to enjoy this. There's nothing like feeling as if you're dressed pretty from the inside to the outside!

[Frau Buttonbox]

What a very pretty slip! I love nice slips, they always make me feel beautiful and feminine, although almost noone is going to see me wearing them.
I agree, the pattern illustration looks much mor like the forties than thirties - maybe it was meant for a long evening dress?
I read your blog for quite some time now, and enjoy it very much! Thank you for sharing!