Have you ever wondered how to wear a slip dress?
And who actually wears slip-dresses in real life?
Or have you thought, you could never wear one because it wouldn’t look good on your middle-aged body?
And what kind of undergarments would work?
I have wondered about all these things too, so I decided to buy one and figure out how to wear a slip dress seven different ways! I was really nervous when I bought it during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. One of my favorite bloggers highly endorsed it, so I reluctantly went with her recommendation.
It actually arrived the day before I was headed out of town on a girlfriend trip to Kiawah, South Carolina. But, remarkably, I was actually pretty much packed, so I had a few minutes to check out my new purchase.
And I went crazy!
I had So. Much. Fun!!!
Really.
I actually came up with seven different outfits!
My neighbor was walking her dog when I started taking the photos. And by the time she completed a really long walk, she couldn’t believe I was still trying on all the outfits I had come up with using stuff I already had in my closet!!!
Let me show you:
In this post...
First Outfit: How to Style a Slip Dress as a Wedding Guest

In this first outfit, I am wearing the long black silk slip dress as a wedding guest outfit. I paired it with nude D’orsay pumps (old, similar, here), a sheer black pashmina (similar, here), a long silver and lucite bead necklace from my friend Molly, and “diamond” stud earrings. I added a silver diamond bangle and my stainless Ebel watch.

Some people are reluctant to wear black to a wedding, but it really works in most cases. It’s very elegant and chic. I love wearing a pashmina (similar, here) to most events where air conditioning may be an issue. Even a light one such as this one makes a difference. Also, it looks so pretty when you’re sitting at the table as it frames your shoulders and face. A great substitution for the long necklace would be a long strand of pearls.

Second Outfit: A Black Slip Dress with a Blazer

Wearing a slip dress with a blazer definitely changes the look from a dressy one to a more business-like outfit. In fact, if the jacket is buttoned up, it looks like a jacket with a silk skirt, don’t you think? I rolled the sleeves of the red knit jacket and added my favorite red print bandana to fill in the neckline a bit.

My earrings are silver pave hoops (similar, here) and I again wore the nude @AGL D’orsay pumps (old, similar, here) with my Ebel watch.

Third Outfit: Black Slip Dress Outfit Casual
This was really fun! I wanted to figure out how to come up with a casual black slip-dress outfit. Look what I came up with here and later in this post.

Here is the long black slip dress worn casually with a black and white striped tee tied around my neck. This would work if you went on a casual outing where in the morning it was a bit cooler. You would wear the tee as a shirt with the black skirt peeking out at the lower half. Then as the day warmed up, you would tie the tee as above.

I added a black crossbody bag (similar, here) that I bought in 2011 in Spain with my son Jake when I visited him in Granada and Madrid, Spain!

The silver beaded bangles are a terrific @Amazon find and the “diamond” stud earrings are a classic detail. My sneakers are fun shoes that would make a long day of sightseeing very comfortable.
Fourth Outfit: How to Wear a Slip Dress with a Leopard Shirt

This was a great outfit to put together. I took a button-down leopard print shirt (old, similar here and here) and tied it over the black slip dress. I added black patent leather sandals (old, similar, here) as well as a black pebbled leather clutch. The purse had a tortoiseshell clasp which blended well with the brown in the leopard print. Don’t you just love the look of black and brown together, especially in the fall?

I wore my favorite pave diamond heart necklace (old, similar, here) along with “diamond” stud earrings. I also wore a silver bangle and my Ebel stainless steel watch.
Fifth Outfit: How to Wear a Slip Dress with a Pashmina

I know this is a similar look to the first outfit, but by pairing this bright pink pashmina with the black slip dress, I created a little more playful look. It’s just a bit less dressy than the black sheer one. Also, the addition of pink tassel earrings coordinated well with the shawl

Again I wore the nude D’orsay pumps (old, similar, here) to elongate my legs and Ebel watch.

I love how soft and pretty a cozy shawl looks wrapped around the silky slip dress.
Sixth Outfit: How to Wear a Slip Dress with a Jean Jacket

Here’s a fun casual look for a slip-dress. I paired a medium wash jean jacket with the slip dress and I added silver bejeweled loafers. Of course, I rolled the sleeves of the jacket and added the black crossbody bag referenced above.


I love this layered @KendraScott necklace. it fills in the neckline nicely and goes with so many other outfits.
Seventh Outfit: How to Wear a Slip Dress with a Hoodie

This look was playful and easy to wear. I wore the silver Sam Edelman loafers with the black slip dress, and I added a black blazer with a hoodie insert from last year. Fortunately, I found a very similar jacket with a hoodie this year so you could readily duplicate this. I just did a post on the many ways to wear that item here.

Conclusion: How to Wear a Slip Dress?
I think the answer to this question, is there are MANY cute ways to wear a slip dress. I have shown you seven. Which ones are your favorites? How else should I style this dress? Please comment below or DM me @drjuliemarshall.
Also as to what undergarments I wear under this dress, I have a new strapless bra that I LOVE! Here is the link for it. It is SOOO comfortable. And to have a smooth look, I am wearing this shapewear (I hate thongs!!!).
Please follow me (it’s free!) on my LTK site (https://www.liketoknow.it/drjuliemarshall) where I show lots of tips and the actual items to all my looks here and my posts on Instagram.
I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did in putting it together for you!
Happy Fall!
XO,
Dr. Julie
PS Here are a few more posts for you to enjoy:
Five Plaid Blazer Outfits for Fall
Been waiting for this! Great styles Julie! Maybe with the ankle suede boots, a leather jacket and a cool scarf? Can’t wait to get mine out of the close and onto the street!
Sounds great Col. Send photos!
I’m a sucker for pink so loved that outfit and the others were striking as well.
Me too on pink, Joanie! Thanks!