Mine both have cotton coats and I love short cuts so we just do it that way. I only have to comb faces - no brushing required! (Sam hates to be brushed anyway). There is a certain style to it that my groomer and I have figured out so they don't look "shaved". Loki gets a 7 blade (he's short, but his hair lays nice and smooth and I love it) and Sammy gets a 5 blade. Then we scissor the legs. Bellies and "armpits" get shaved.
That helps the most for when they are wearing clothes! Sometimes she still gets knots but we go every 6 weeks and she gets a bath every week so the knots either come out with conditioner and when I brush her to blowdry her, or they just get cut out when we go to the groomer. Since she is so short anyway if she does get a mat I can cut it out and you don't see it.
I will send you better pics - she just got cut this weekend.