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What’s sexier than a slip dress? One with a lace trim, of course. At its core, the slip is a slinky, curve-skimming, perpetually seductive, no-fail hit. And with an edge of lace—va-va-voom. It’s the ultimate summer dress that can move fluidly between daytime and nighttime with the right kitten heel or the proper cubicle-ready cardigan. Think of it as Old Hollywood but with a touch of freak.
The piece has made a comeback as of late, too. I recently bought one from vintage dealer Olivia Haroutounian, who had a fresh green version that hits at the shin. Sans lace, it would have appeared matronly, even too casual, but the verdant trim easily elevated the piece. It’s not only me who has an eye on it. TheRealReal reported that there was a 44 percent increase in searches for lace-trimmed pieces between 2021 and 2022. The consignment giant cited Devon Lee Carson, belle of the social media ball who recently wore a pale dress with a cream trim from Aralda Vintage, as inspiration. That’s not all: Resurrection Vintage sent out an email blast in May featuring some of John Galliano’s late ‘90s slip hits that boasted charming and innocent prints, but with a saucy slice of lace at the bust or cutting across the body. And ultimately, who can forget that nuclear lavender dress with lime green trim that Naomi Campbell wore on the fall 1996 Versace runway?
There’s a reason why it’s the vintage find du jour. Go back into the Vogue archives and the style dominated the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. In the Talking Fashion section of the December 1997 issue, the lace slip was seen everywhere and on everyone, including a baby-faced Katie Holmes who donned a sultry gray iteration, while Helena Christensen wore a curve-hugging white one with a black trim on the hem. Fast forward to the January 2004 issue. In an article titled “Your Slip Is Showing,” Meredith Melling Burke writes, “Think of it as the new romanticism and power dressing all wrapped up into one: After all, what can be more lethally chic than arming yourself with yards of soigné silk and ladylike lace?” On that note, here are the best lace-trimmed slip dresses to try now for summer.
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