The subtle-yet-sexy slip has its prominence sliding away.
The silky (usually white, black or nude) foundational item has suffered from slipping sales in recent years as shapewear companies' products are increasingly the prevailing choice.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, the slip, particularly the full slip resembling a camisole-style dress, served as a must-have undergarment for women.
It was the freeform, yet curve-accentuating replacement for the poofy, exaggerated petticoat and the harsh, restrictive corset.
Unlike these foundational forerunners, slips had a body-hugging silhouette but still left room for a woman's comfort and a male admirer's imagination.
Slips had utilitarian origins, initially designed for coverage and in some cases, protection.
They were mainly worn under sheer dresses and skirts to provide women a level of modesty.
Slips also ensured that when women stood up, dresses were not sticking to thighs and backsides. In some cases, slips also provided an extra layer of warmth.
A cadre of actresses cemented the slip's center stage status, bringing sizzle and steam to big and small screens.
Leading lady Elizabeth Taylor, portraying Maggie "the Cat" Pollitt in the 1958 film "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" was the first Hollywood star to catapult the lace-trimmed slip from its supporting role to star of the show.
Lying on an ornate brass bed attired in the slip and heels, the violet-eyed, raven haired star exuded the very essence of sexual allure.
In those conservative and proper times, a woman appearing before a mass audience in foundational wear was a bold and risque strategy.
About three years later, Taylor donned another lace-trimmed slip for a memorable performance in "Butterfield 8."
Those iconic performances led to other skin-bearing roles. Think:
Ali McGraw in the 1972 film "The Getaway"
Kim Basinger the 1986 "Nine 1/2 Weeks"
Gweneth Paltrow in 2001's "The Royal Tannenbaums"
Reese Whitherspoon in "Walk the Line"
Janet Leigh in her half slip bra in "Psycho"
Some say the slip's fall from grace began in the 1960s and 1970s with rising hemlines and women's clothing that revealed more skin.
Then, women's pants and leggings also negated the need for slips.
Slips have been given the proverbial slip, shoved to the back of drawers or in donation bins for something a bit more snug and smoothing.
Shapewear like Spanx has taken over now, dominating the foundational landscape.
As women, we are in either one of two camps: those who love the way shapewear makes us look and feel or those who are to the point we just let the bumps and lumps hang out.
Today it seems like an up and down struggle of balancing modesty and modernity.
I recall a time when someone trying to tell you discreetly that your slip was showing or hanging beneath your dress' hemline would say, "It's snowing down South."
You knew it was time to make some wardrobe adjustments.
Not so much anymore.
Once a staple in the undergarment world in its full and half versions, the slip has fallen out of favor and is literally slipping into a supporting role. n