How To STOP Dresses From Falling Off Shoulders (Permanently)

You’re rocking your cute dress for your best friend’s birthday. Everything is going on so fine, except for one thing. Your dress is irritatingly slipping off your shoulders, and you’ve to keep tagging at it. Falling dress straps is a common problem with most people.

But worry no more, as we’ve lined up tips on how to stop it, why it happens, and more.

The quickest way to stop your dress from falling off your shoulders is to tuck it with safety pins. Most dresses fall off shoulders because of a loose fit. Tucking the two hems under the arms together guarantees a tighter fit around the shoulders. However, keep in mind to tuck from inside to avoid the safety pin visibility.

But remember, dresses slip off shoulders for several reasons. So, there is no universal size fit solution.

Below are a few more tips to sort out this problem.

Handy Tips To Stop Slipping off Shoulders

Put on a T-shirt Under the Dress

With a T-shirt beneath your dress, it creates resistance for the dress to hold on. This is a perfect method, especially if the T-shirt matches the dress. Matching a black dress with a white T-shirt brings out this whole setup so well while stopping the dress’s shoulders from slipping off.

Make Use of Elastic

A loose hem around your shoulders has little resistance to hold the dress on your skin. And that is where the rubber strip comes in. Inserting it inside the neckline hem makes the dress firmer around the neck. 

Moreover, depending on the complexity of the neckline, you can easily do it at home with a needle and thread. But for some, you might want to consult a tailor. Another version of this is to use a drawstring inside the hemline to tighten or loosen to fit.

Make Use of Sticky Tapes

In case you are new to sticky tapes, they are thin double-sided adhesives for attaching part of the garment to the skin. Sticky tapes work perfectly, and also are hypoallergenic. That means it is safe for your clothes and your skin. 

Using it is as easy as peeling and sticking on the inside part of the dress, and pressing it firmly several times to stick it on the skin. But remember, you need to wipe the skin off lotion and oils for it to be effective. Be sure to carry some in your bag too, for later use in case you need replacement.

Use Lingerie Strap Keepers

Strap keepers are small strips sewn on the underside of the shoulder section. They are sewn on one end and they open with a snap button on the other. Strap keepers hold the bra strap inside the dress shoulder while keeping the dress in place. 

Once attached, the dress and bra form a stronger bond which stops the slippage. This is another of those easy do-it-yourself hacks. But you can seek assistance from a tailor if you find it difficult.

Restructure the Shoulder Seam

While there are other ways of dealing with this problem of slipping off shoulders, the long-lasting solution is restitching. Once restitched, the fabric will fit more snuggly around the shoulders. One way is to make darts to firm loose fabric in this section. 

Why Do Clothes Fall off the Shoulder?

Clothes fall off the shoulder for several reasons. From the wrong size, and type of fabric, to clothing design, among others. Knowing why this happens is important as it helps you to discover ways of stopping the problem.

Let us examine a few causes of this problem.

Wrong Size

Knowing the shape and size of your shoulder is crucial to stop dresses from slipping off your shoulders. If you wear dresses that are too loose around the shoulders, you cannot avoid this problem. Too tight is also undesirable as it will make you uncomfortable.

The key is to get the measurements right to have a snug fit.

Types of Fabric

Some are smooth while others have rough textures. This will determine not only how the dress fits on your skin, but other clothes you are wearing, as well. In general, clothes made from silk, silky polyesters, and shiny satins are more slippery than the coarser types like cotton and wool. 

So, matching the dress fabric with the inner garment is key. For example, you can wear a silk dress on top of a cotton T-shirt for a firmer grip of the silk on the cotton T-shirt.

The Design of the Dress

It is specifically essential to look at the clothes designs around the neckline. The wider the neckline is, the higher the chances of slipping off the shoulders. For instance, shoulderless dresses are more likely to slip off shoulders, than strapped shoulder designs. 

Other more firm common neckline designs include the round neckline and the V shape, while designs likely to have slippage problems are the halter necks and Bardot style.

I have also written an article on what to do if your skirts keep blowing up in the wind that may interest you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Mend the Dresses Slipping off My Shoulders at Home?

Yes, With a few tools, you can fix some of the problems to keep the shoulder from slipping. All you need is a sewing needle and a string. Simple tips like sewing lingerie straps on the shoulders of the dress, to fixing sticky tapes can be done at home. For more complex methods like re-designing the neckline, you might need professional help.

Can Worn-Out Clothes Cause Slip-Offs?

Yes, new clothes are better fitting than worn-out ones. For example, some dresses’ shoulder straps are fitted with elastic, which wears out with time. Once the elastic is loose, dresses cannot stay firm on the shoulders.  

Can the Type of Skin Cause Slip-Offs?

Different types of skin have varied textures, which are crucial in holding the clothes on your shoulders. In general, oily skins are more clingy than non-oily ones which is a critical factor in keeping the clothes on the shoulders. Therefore, other factors aside, you should look for clothes that complement your type of skin.