The slip dress has spent three decades living two lives. It began as lingerie, something worn beneath a dress, and it now carries entire wedding guest wardrobes, beach dinners and black-tie events on a pair of spaghetti straps. The Australian labels in this edit lean into the relaxed side of that history, with sage cowls, passionfruit tones and full-length prints made for long summer evenings. The international names lean into the formal side, with draped crêpe satin, black bias-cut silk and gowns built for a room with a dress code. The price range reflects that split: from $359.40 for a Manning Cartell cowl to $2,205 for a Zimmermann floating slip, with most of the edit landing in the $390–$630 band.
We’ve curated eight slip dresses for 2026 that cover that full spectrum. Below, we compare how the local labels and the global designers approach the same silhouette, where each side has the edge, and which pieces suit which wardrobe.
Sydney Prints vs New York Silk: How the Labels Line Up
The quickest way to read this edit is by price tier. Each tier has a clear peer comparison.
- The $359–$395 tier: Manning Cartell, Posse and For Love & Lemons. These are contemporary labels, and their slips compete directly with Shona Joy and Bec + Bridge. They are designed for repeat wear across a season rather than a single event.
- The $565–$626 tier: Ulla Johnson, Matteau and Camilla. This is the “considered investment” band, where you’re paying for a distinct design point of view: Ulla Johnson’s bohemian New York polish, Matteau’s minimal Sydney resort aesthetic and Camilla’s maximalist prints.
- The $1,830–$2,205 tier: Victoria Beckham and Zimmermann. These are runway-house slips, and their natural peers are Khaite and The Row in tailored minimalism (Beckham) or Erdem in romantic eveningwear (Zimmermann).
The interesting comparison isn’t simply local versus imported. Within each tier, an Australian label and an international label solve the slip dress differently. Matteau and Ulla Johnson sit almost dollar-for-dollar ($603.45 vs $565), yet one is built around an open back and the other around a bias-cut mini in black silk. Zimmermann and Victoria Beckham share the luxury tier, but one is a floating, romantic piece and the other a sharply draped white crêpe satin.
Matteau Low Back Slip Dress — $603.45
Matteau has built its reputation on restraint. The Sydney label started in swimwear, and that background shows in how it handles a slip: clean lines and an open back that does the work a print or embellishment would do elsewhere. This Low Back Slip Dress, in the Kyoto colourway, is the most-searched piece in this edit, and it’s easy to see why.
At $603.45, it’s priced alongside Ulla Johnson’s Mira. The difference is wearability by climate. The Matteau’s low back makes it a summer and resort piece first; in cooler months it needs a jacket that hides its best feature. For anyone dressing for a Byron wedding, a Bali trip or a long Sydney summer, that trade-off barely registers. Its low back also rules out most standard bras, so plan for a backless or stick-on option. Discover the Matteau Low Back Slip Dress on Miss Nelly Boutique.
Where the Australian Labels Win: Colour, Print and the Long Hot Evening
Australian slip dresses are designed for a specific occasion: an outdoor event in heat, often near water, where the dress needs to move in a breeze and photograph well in daylight. That brief produces three clear strengths.
Colour that isn’t black. Manning Cartell’s Minted Sage and Posse’s Passion Fruit both give you a slip that stands on its own in a crowd of black and champagne. At a daytime wedding, that matters.
Print as the main event. No international label in this edit does what Camilla does with its Illustration Nation print. Camilla’s full-length bias slip is a statement piece first and a slip dress second.
Accessible entry points. The two most approachable pieces in this edit, Manning Cartell at $359.40 and Posse at $390, are both Australian. You get a designer-label slip with a clear point of difference for under $400.
Manning Cartell Charmed Cowl Slip Dress, Minted Sage — $359.40
Manning Cartell’s slip is the most approachable price in this curation, currently marked down from its $599 regular price. The cowl neckline is the detail to note. It adds softness at the neckline and works for a wider range of bust shapes than a straight-cut or V-neck slip. The sage colour suits spring racing, garden weddings and daytime engagement parties.
Compared with Shona Joy’s satin slips, which tend to sit in a similar price range, Manning Cartell’s version feels more styled and less basic. The cowl is a design decision, not just a neckline. It’s the pick for someone who wants a slip that looks finished without accessories. Explore the Charmed Cowl Slip Dress on Miss Nelly.
CAMILLA V-neck Full Length Bias Slip Dress, Illustration Nation — $626
Camilla’s take on the slip is about as far from minimalism as the silhouette goes. The full-length bias cut gives the dress its fluid line, the V-neck keeps the proportion elongated, and the Illustration Nation print does the rest. At $626 (regular price $895), it sits in the same band as Matteau and Ulla Johnson, but it’s a completely different purchase. You buy it for the print.
Fit guidance: bias-cut dresses follow the body closely through the hip, so sizing for your hips rather than your bust gives the cleanest drape. With a print this busy, keep accessories minimal: a flat gold sandal and a single bangle is enough. Browse the Camilla Bias Slip Dress on Miss Nelly Boutique.
When the Global Designers Earn Their Price Tag
The international pieces in this edit have a different strength: versatility through restraint. A black or white slip from a runway house works for more occasions and across more seasons than a sage cowl or a printed maxi. That flexibility is part of what the higher prices pay for.
Victoria Beckham Draped Crêpe Satin Slip Dress — $1,830
Victoria Beckham’s slip is the most tailored piece here. Crêpe satin has a more matte, structured handle than a high-shine satin, and the draping gives the dress shape rather than relying entirely on the body underneath. In white, it reads as bridal-adjacent. It’s a strong option for a civil ceremony, a rehearsal dinner or an engagement party, as well as for black-tie events once the wedding season is over.
At $1,830, currently reduced from $2,615, its true peers are Khaite and The Row. Next to those labels, Beckham’s slip is more overtly feminine, with draping that softens what would otherwise be a severe minimalist line. It’s worth the investment if you want one white dress that can move from a registry office to a gallery opening. If you’d rather have colour or print, the Australian labels serve you better. Discover the Victoria Beckham Slip Dress on Miss Nelly.
ZIMMERMANN Valiant Floating Slip Dress — $2,205
Zimmermann earns its place here not as a universal benchmark but because it’s the one label in this edit operating at true eveningwear level. The Valiant Floating Slip in black is the top of the range at $2,205. The word “floating” is apt: this is a slip designed to move, with a romantic, lighter feel than the Beckham’s structured drape.
The natural comparison is Erdem or Self-Portrait’s upper lines, not other slip dresses in this edit. You’re buying a Zimmermann occasion dress that happens to have a slip silhouette. It suits black-tie weddings, gala dinners and the kind of event where you want people to ask who made your dress. For a slip you’ll wear twenty times a year, look lower in the range. Explore the Zimmermann Valiant Slip on Miss Nelly Boutique.
Three More Slips Worth Knowing
Ulla Johnson Mira Silk Slip Dress — $565. A black bias-cut silk mini, and the most versatile piece in the $500–$650 band. The mini length makes it work over a fine-knit turtleneck in winter or alone with sandals in summer. If you’re choosing between this and the Matteau, the Ulla Johnson is the year-round option and the Matteau is the summer statement.
Posse Tabitha Slip Dress — $390. In the Passion Fruit colourway, this is the most playful slip in the edit. Posse designs for a relaxed Australian summer, and the Tabitha fits that brief: a slip you can wear to lunch, then to dinner with a different pair of shoes. It competes directly with Bec + Bridge’s slip offering at a similar price.
For Love & Lemons Night Bloom Slip Dress — $395. The LA label has a long history with lingerie-inspired dressing, and the Night Bloom in black leans into that heritage. It’s the most romantic option under $400, and the choice for evening events where you want a slip with a little more drama than a plain satin cut.
Quick Comparison
| Dress | Price (AUD) | Key Detail | Best For |
| Manning Cartell Charmed Cowl | $359.40 | Cowl neck, Minted Sage | Daytime weddings, spring racing |
| Posse Tabitha | $390 | Passion Fruit colourway | Summer lunches to dinners |
| For Love & Lemons Night Bloom | $395 | Black, romantic styling | Evening events |
| Ulla Johnson Mira | $565 | Black bias-cut silk mini | Year-round layering |
| Matteau Low Back | $603.45 | Open back, Kyoto colourway | Resort and summer weddings |
| Camilla Full Length Bias | $626 | Illustration Nation print, V-neck | Statement occasions |
| Victoria Beckham Draped Crêpe Satin | $1,830 | White, draped crêpe satin | Civil ceremonies, black tie |
| Zimmermann Valiant Floating | $2,205 | Black, floating silhouette | Gala and black-tie events |
Which Slip Dress Belongs in Your Wardrobe?
If you shop Shona Joy and Bec + Bridge, start with Manning Cartell or Posse. You’ll get a familiar price point with a stronger design detail (the cowl, the colour) and a slip that can be worn across a full spring and summer of events. Both are the easiest entry into this edit, and both reward repeat wear.
If you already own a plain black slip and want something with personality, Camilla is the clear choice. Nothing else here gives you a full-length printed bias slip, and the $626 price buys you a dress people will remember.
If you travel for summer or spend your weekends at coastal weddings, Matteau’s Low Back Slip is the piece. It’s the most-searched dress in this edit for good reason: it’s minimal and confident, and it’s designed for warm-weather dressing.
If you want one slip that works in July as well as January, the Ulla Johnson Mira is the most adaptable piece here. Black silk in a mini length layers easily, and it’s priced below both Matteau and Camilla.
If you’re building an occasion wardrobe around a few exceptional pieces, the Victoria Beckham and Zimmermann slips justify their price through cut and label rather than through versatility. Choose Beckham for clean, draped white tailoring; choose Zimmermann for black-tie romance.
A note on the skip list: if you need a slip mainly for layering under knits and blazers every week, the full-length Camilla and the Zimmermann are designed for occasions rather than everyday rotation. The Ulla Johnson or Manning Cartell will work harder for you.
The broader takeaway for 2026: the strongest value in slip dresses sits in the $390–$630 range, where Australian labels like Matteau, Camilla and Posse go head-to-head with Ulla Johnson and For Love & Lemons on design. Above that, you’re paying for a runway name and a specific occasion. Both are valid purchases if you know which one you’re making. Shop the full slip dress edit on Miss Nelly Boutique and find the one that fits your calendar.
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