Off the Rack ~ ModCloth’s Enticing Evening Half-Slip Reviewed

This week I’m reviewing something that isn’t boob-related, but is related to a lot of the clothing I’ve talked about here on Hourglassy.

I think it’s probably pretty clear at this point that I’m a total clotheshorse. I do try to keep things at least moderately reasonable (does taking up two-thirds of my shared closet instead of three-quarters count?), by getting rid of things I truly don’t wear or just don’t totally love when I get something new. Lately I’ve been trying to stretch my existing pieces instead of buying only slightly different ones.

To that end, this winter I’ve been wearing a lot of my full-skirted summer dresses with a sweater or cardigan over it and thick tights, so it basically looks like a skirt. However, all these lightweight frocks tend to stick to my tights and bunch up around my crotch when I walk. It’s really annoying and super unflattering . . . not to mention that I’m nervous I’ll be flashing people without realizing it as I walk the city.

Easy solution, right? Just get a slip! But I was also hoping to find one that would have a tiny bit of volume, like a mini petticoat. I don’t have the space for a real petticoat, and also wouldn’t know what color or length to get since my skirts are all different colors and lengths themselves.

Then ModCloth had a sale recently, and it included a mini slip with two ruffles of tulle at the base. Perfect! It’s called the “Enticing Evening Half Slip.” It comes in white, black, and bronze, though the white and black look like they have longer ruffles.

Unfortunately, I don’t really think it makes any difference in terms of volume, but it certainly does the trick to keep my skirt from bunching up and getting stuck. Here’s the outfit I wore with it today. Also please take note of my “biker” hoodie. I’ll be doing a little biker jacket roundup soon, having just ordered another one to add to my collection a couple days ago.

I see absolutely no difference in volume. I think a skirt would have to be feather-weight and practically sheer to get any volume.

I vacillate between sizes medium and large depending on brand and fabric. In this case, there were several reviews of the white and black versions that said ladies with similar measurements as mine (29” waist, 41” hips) took a large. The waist is elastic and gathered, so there’s tons of space for waist variations, but I’m glad I went with a large so that it’s not super tight across my butt and hips. I want to be able to walk unconstrained.

Even though ModCloth says the 100% polyester fabric does not provide stretch, in truth it does. However, the upper layer of tulle doesn’t stretch at all since it’s sewn with a straight stitch. The bottom layer is sewn with a serger since it’s also the bottom edge of the under-fabric, so it does stretch there. Laid flat, the size large is about 21 inches across at the un-stretchy top layer of tulle. The waistband is just under 13 inches across.

The slip is just under 18 inches long, so it’s not quite short enough for super mini skirts, but it’s perfect for all my above-the-knee pieces. The elastic also means I can wear it lower for slightly longer skirts or higher up my torso for shorter ones.

As for the fabric, it’s silky and smooth, but hardly luxurious. It reminds me of the cheap character nightgowns I wore as a little kid. The tulle is not scratchy and looks and feels more like the power mesh you find on bras than true tulle, which is usually quite stiff. So I think that’s a good thing. It’s also machine-washable.