DAY TO NIGHT ~ THE SLIP DRESS

Slip dresses are one of the most easiest looks to take from day to night ~ I forgot how easy they are to wear!

My idea for styling this look, came to me over the last week from two separate sources; as part of researching Style Gazer, MERCER7 Instagram account featured Erna wearing a black slip dress and her advice about ‘stay at home styling’ with ease.  And then as part of lockdown, I’ve decided to re-watch old episodes of Sex and The City, I’m still on Series 1 and Carrie on several occasions headed out simply wearing a slip dress.

So this week I’m showing you how you can wear a slip dress and take it from day to night. Now I’m already hearing “well when will I need to do that…?” Firstly to get as much cost-per-wear from your purchase, but also it’s a great way to help you travel light.

TRAVEL Chic Styling

• Imagine a weekend away in Paris… You go out for a romantic dinner on the first night and then on the Sunday you travel home on the Eurostar in pure comfort of trainers and a dress that’s as cosy as your nightie!
• Imagine you are on a two-week all-inclusive holiday in a hot location like Mexico…. You can wear it to dinner, you can wear it causal with pumps on a day-trip activity and then on the last week you can use it as a beach cover-up to dress effortless chic for lunch.
• Imagine you are on holiday in the city of Rome… a lot of the sight-seeing locations you need to cover your shoulders and your knees, but you want to stay stylishly chic and be comfortable in the heat…. and then later in the week you want to dine out in one of the plazas in the hot city, yet stay stylishly chilled.

 

Have I sold it to you yet?

The Day Look

The day look involves wearing a t-shirt bodysuit under the slip dress. What I particularly love about this slip dress is that is has adjustable straps. I personally prefer it, when you were a solid style top under a slip dress ,that you wear the straps slightly longer to show off more of the top. I feel this makes it look more put together. I would recommend a bodysuit more than a t-shirt to give good shape to the dress, as a t-shirt can easily roll up. If you must wear a t-shirt then wear one as slimline as possible (downsize if needs be).

I’ve styled it here monochrome, so as I am wearing a white t-shirt and opted for white trainers – this is more likely how I would wear it to travel in or to walk around a city sight-seeing. Pounding the streets to take in all the glorious sights can really play havoc on your calves and feet, so support them with trainers. If you prefer a more sophisticated look then opt for sliders or lovely leather sandals.

Poppy is a hip bag by INYATI – a brand I have collaborated numerous times before. A hip bag is a great option if all you want to carry are your keys, phone and little cash. I think they are perfect for any city styling where you need easy access to your phone. More on Poppy to follow in a forthcoming blogpost – but she’s absolutely perfect for this look.

 

The Night Look

This is all the simple glam! Now you could go super chic and have all black accessories too… I would love this, but I really wanted to show you this with nude accessories – that’s because when I need to travel light, nude accessories are my go to items – because they will go with any colour including navy and metallics (whereas black sometimes really doesn’t work).

Styled here with my quilted square-toed mules and Lottie by INYATI, here she is in peach from INYATI’s SS20 collection. More on the mini handbag Lottie to come, but she works really well here as she features a gold chain which matches in with my gold jewellery. When styling evening, you have to style it up with jewellery and then it doesn’t matter how simply the dress is.

The straps need to be worn tight, there is nothing stylish about loose straps that you need to keep putting back. Get them altered if they don’t fit you properly, if you can’t adjust them.

I am going to share the bra I am wearing; I often hear that slip dresses are only for those that have a small bust – that is not true. It’s for those that wear the correct underwear. It’s true some very lucky ladies can go out and about braless, but there are those, like me, that can’t. I am a 32FF so if I can wear it… so can you.

I only ever by my bras from Bravissimo – I haven’t shopped anywhere else for bras in the last 10-15 years. I love the advice, support and generally the staff at the stores. I either shop at the one in Oxford or Milton Keynes and occasionally one of the London stores. I’ve recently been checked for my sizing, so I can confidently shop online.

This Cleo bra is not underwired, so it’s no good for full-on activity day in, day out, because it simply does’t offer the support. However it is perfect to wear at home for comfort and on a night out when you need a lower back, and more of deeper-V front.

Bravissimo – Cleo Bra £27

Sizing is DD up to a H

 

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Shop the look

The url link below is an affiliate link which basically means should you click through and purchase I potentially earn a small commission but you will not be charged any extra for the product.

 

Tall Satin Slip Dress – Was £22, Now £16.50