Sewing An Underslip

Women wear slips when a dress is too shear to wear alone.

Many women wear an underslip under a shear dress to preserve some modesty and to smooth out the lines of the dress. A neutral or skin tone underslip doesn’t detract from the dress by being too obvious. A color matching the predominant color of the dress appears to be part of the dress design. The ideal underslip fits close to the body at the bust and waist to prevent wrinkles under the dress and stops 1 to 2 inches above the dress hemline.

Things You'll Need

• Bra
• Dress
• Tape measure
• Watercolor marker
• Butcher paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Fabric
• Pins
• Bra cups
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Wear a good-fitting bra under the dress you need the underslip to support. Place a small mark on the side of each leg at the hemline using a watercolor marker. Take off the dress, leaving the foundation garments on. Have someone help you measure the length of your bra straps.

2. Place a piece of butcher paper on a hard surface and lie down on it. Have someone draw an outline of your body from 2 inches below the armpit to 1 inch above the mark on each leg. Mark the top and bottom edge of the bra wing under your armpit. Add 1 inch to the each side of the pattern and cut it out, making sure the marks remain on the pattern. Cut a second copy of the pattern.

3. Remove the bra, pin the bra on one of the pattern pieces and trace the bottom edge of the bra front on the pattern. Draw lines on the pattern where the cups attach to the wing and bridge. Cut away the cup section of the pattern. Lay the bra back on the second pattern piece and mark the top edge of the band and where the straps connect. Remove the excess above the band line.

4. Pin the pattern to cotton fabric and cut out one of each piece. Pin one set of preformed bra cups in your cup size to the front of the slip, turning down the top edge of the slip fabric 1/4 inch where it meets each cup at the wings and across the bridge. Sew the side and bottom of the cups to the slip with a single line of stitches from the outside edge of one cup, across the bridge top to the outside edge of the second cup. Pin the back of the slip to the front of the slip with right sides together and sew the side seam with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn the bottom of the slip under 1/4 inch and then turn it under a second time. Sew the hem in place.

5. Cut two 2-inch strips that are 2 inches longer than your bra strap measurement. Fold one of the strips in half along the width, with right sides together and sew along the top and side with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, leaving the bottom open. Turn the strap right-side out. Repeat with the second strap. Turn the top edge of the slip under 1/4 inch from the outer cup edge, across the back to the other cup. Pin the straps to the back of the slip your marks indicate. Sew the top hem and straps in place. Pin the straps to the top edge of the bra cup. Try on the slip and adjust the straps to the right length before sewing them to the cups.

Resources

• Bare Necessities: Bra Glossary