AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN, WASHINGTON EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS IN COOPERATION WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE April, 1963 E .H . 22 80 BUYING A SLIP Hazel L. Roberts Extension Clothing Specialist Fashion, fabric, styling, decoration and serviceability are blended into a neat combination of desirable qualities in petticoats and sl i ps. In their supporting role, petticoats and slips carry out the current fashion silhouettes. One fashion note or fad is the pettipant which was introduced for short fitted skirts. Another fad is the eye appeal­ ing prints as well as bright colors in undergarments. We each want to develop good taste in dress. Taste is based in part on skill in wardrobe planning, which in turn de pends upon how wisely you spend~ur money in carrying out your wardrobe plans. Good selec­ tionsof slips and petticoats help to stretch the clothing dollar. Many eye-catching colors and attrac­ tive trims in a variety of fabrics are available in both slips and petticoats. Your choice may be both practical and pretty. It must be something for both you and your clothes if it is to be a satis­ factory addition to your wardrobe. The type and style of the garment you choose may be a full length slip, half-slip or petticoat, or it may be a combination pettisliP. What you like, as well as your outer garments,should be considered in making your selection. With sheer blouse or with the dress that has neither a waist seam nor a belt, a full length slip is best . A straight half-slip or a petti­ slip is suitable to wear with seperates and belt ed dresses. .{ When you wear a full skirt, a E.M. 2280 Page 2 petticoat containing several yards of fabric is attractive if not overdone, however, too many petticoats or those which are too full or too stiff distort the garment silhouette and you do not appear at your very best. Slips may be dressy or of a tailored type, again depending upon your need. Remember that the slip is the foundation for your dress. STYLE A slip should be simple in design with seam lines in harmony with the lines of the dress with which it is worn. Skirt styling makes traditional use of princess, circular, straight and bias cut with major interest centering on proportion, sizing, fabric and trimming. The way a slip is cut affects comfort, appearance and wear. A slip may be cut straight or cut on the true bias. It may have two or three gores in the skirt. Two gore slips are good for slender figures and are especially nice under straight skirts. Heavier figures may prefer a four--gore straight slip or one with a straight front panel and bias back. A ~hirtwaist dress with a soft, full skirt may require a slip with a bouffant skirt and a fitted tricot top. The true bouffant petticoat of ruffles may be needed for that par­ ty dress. To keep a gracefully slim waistline, figure-fitting hip yokes of the bouffant petticoats are made of nylon tricot or nylon taffeta. For the flare nylon parchment taffeta or permanent stiffened nylon net, or tulle are frequently used. Pettipants--a cross between a petticoat and pants--are young, attractive and a model silhouette to the question of what to wear with very short skirts. They are smooth and sleek for slim fash­ ions. With them you may wish · to wear a camisole. Some half-slips or pettiskirts are also skirt savers and are very good to wear under knitted garments. Some are of nylon tricot taffette~ Some basic cuts used in ready to wear slips are: *TWO SEAM ALTERNATING BIAS CUT. The seams are on the sides and the two sections pull against each other, thus allowing a smooth fit as the garment moves with the body. Bias cut slips are suitable for slim or average figures. Sometimes, to save fabrics, slips are cut on a false bias which causes a slip to fit badly, twist, creep, ride up or hang unevenly. *STRAIGHT CUT. In woven fabrics the garment hangs a little fuller to allow for sitting and bending. All knits are styled straight cut and will fit more snugly due to the nature of the fabric. E.M. 2280 Page 3 *STRAIGHT GORED CUT. Four or more gores are tapered toward the waist, slightly flared at the bottom, giving a molded princess line. Straight grain cut slips made from four, six or eight gores do not ride up and are suitable for large figures. *ALTERNATING BIAS GORED CUT . Same as straight gored except the panels are cut on alternating bias to allow for movement and form fit. True bias cut slips in two, four, or six gores, tend to cling to your figure and do 1 not sag or twist. *STRAIGHT PLUS BIAS CUT. Sections of straight and bias panels are combined to allow freedom of movement and no-ride-up feature. Many of these are found in straight front and bias back. A slip with alternating gores cut on the bias and straight make a well fitting garment for both standing and sitting. SIZE Slips are sold by bust measurement - a size 34 is equivalent to a size 12 or 14 dress, or a size 14 dress pattern. Many companies have slips proportioned according to height; they are marked short or petite, average, tall or extra tall. Some companies have slips proportioned according to hip measure­ ment. They may be marked slender, average and full. Straight half-slips and pettislips and full petticoats may also be sized by waist measurement or have the size indicated as small, medium and large. Adjustable straps are desirable for adjusting the bodice length. The hem of dress slips should be even and 3/4 to an inch shorter. There is a size that is right for you in the wide range that is available. In general, it will correspond to your dress size. FIT Slips are hard to alter, so they should be tried on before purchasing, unless you are familiar with the size and brand. Check the fit standing, walking and sitting. A satisfactory slip should fit with ease and should be smooth over the bust, under arms and at the waistline and hips. Points to check for possible strain: *Over the hip. If the slip fits too tightly, it will not only ride up, but eventually break at the seams. *Under the arms. If too loose, it will gap and if it is too tight, . it will eventually break. There should be no strain or bunchiness to mar the good appearance of the outer garments. E .M. 2280 Pa~e 4 The fit of the slip is affected by how the fabric is made and finished and how the fabric is cut. Fabric may be cut: 1. On the straight of grain which tends to keep the garment in place on the figure, hence the no-ride-up feature on strai~ht cut sections promoted in some slips. 2. On the true bias which results in more give in the finished slip or part of the garment where such a cut is used. Stretchy lace made of Spandex is being used as an insertion in the bodice of some slips to make for better fit . The lace helps to keep the slip from riding up and adds to the comfort of the slip. A slip wears better, feels more comfortable and will not twist or ride up if it is properly fitted. FABRIC Select a slip fabric that is closely woven, firm, pre-shrunk, color­ fast, with little sizing, easy to wash and iron. In selecting slip fabric consider appearance, coordination, wear and care. Appearance includes color, weight and texture and there is a wide choice. Cotton slip fabric includes broadcloth, nainsook, chambray, per­ cale, seersucker and batiste. Many of these have a fabric finish which make them very desirable slip fabric. Nylon tricot and other synthetic knitted fabrics are widely used. They hold their shape, mold to the body smoothly and require little care. Nylon tricot is more satisfactory when worn under woven rather than knit fabrics. Nylon tricot satinette has a smooth satin-like finish, developed through a process of heat and steam being applied to the surface of nylon tricot. Woven fabrics are very much on the rise with polyester an important fiber in most of the blends. Polyester, nylon and cotton blends are very desirable. These blends combine the wrinkle resistance of the polyester with the strength of nylon to produce a long-last­ ing, fast-drying, no-ironing-needed fabric. The addition of cotton or rayon to the blend adds absorbency, softness, draping quali­ ties and also helps reduce static. The static resistant finish may be applied to the synthetic fibers to make them into more de­ sirable slip fabric . The possible variations of fiber blending, of yarn structure combination, and fabric finishes are almost limitless. A new blend, dacron and silk, has the luxurious hand of silk. The bouffant petticoat is frequently made of marquisette, net or E.M . 2280 Page 5 lace ruffles or tiered over a crisp underskirt of synthetic taffeta. Lace-trimmed underwear is still luxurious, still charming, but as interest in color and fabric rises, interest in trimming goes down. A pretty print, or a bright color is its own decoration. Heavy lace or applique may show through a soft crepe or a knitted dress. Elaborate trimming is difficult to launder and often wears out before the rest of the garment.