When Hedi Slimane took his final bow as creative director of Saint Laurent, he left behind a legacy of which lingerie dressing is no minor part. Under his reign, the Saint Laurent aesthetic hinged on lacy slips of women’s lingerie (as well as structured blazers and Courtney Love grunge, but that’s another, not altogether unrelated, story).
But we don’t only have Hedi Slimane to thank for the increasingly bold approach to women’s underwear: more and more, women are throwing caution to the wind and styling their lingerie so it can step outside the bedroom. What started as a trend for silk camisoles, bodysuits and slip dresses has swiftly snowballed into bras and knickers on show – a seriously sexed-up version of pyjama dressing.
There’s even a new exhibition to prove it: London's Victoria & Albert Museum's Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear, paying tribute to the style. As models’ off-duty uniforms and sultry Snapchats push the boundaries of what can and can’t count as clothes even further (here’s looking at you, Kendall Jenner), it makes sense that we’re all tempted to explore our wardrobes’ hidden potential.
But if ever there was a chance of looking like a fashion victim (not to mention getting arrested for public indecency), the underwear-as-outerwear lingerie outfits trend is it. Consider this your guide to dressing up by, well, getting undressed — a fine balance of sophistication and sultriness without compromising on matters of decency.
Start slow with a camisole
Want to take it slow? Consider camisoles your entry into the realm of boudoir dressing. A black lace cami worn with black denim or tailored trousers and pointed-toed pumps is a failsafe way to try the lingerie outfits trend – experiment further with coloured details and daring sheer fabrics. Look to brands like Fleur du Mal, Gilda & Pearl and La Perla for luxury camisoles that will see the distance.
For day dressing with women’s lingerie, tuck a cami into a high-waisted, mid-length pleated skirt – a patterned iteration will take the look further into the daywear zone, while something like satin sunray pleats offers a more sensuous – but still SFW – appeal. Try designs by Sacai and pair with flats to dial it down further.
Be bold with longline bras and bralettes
Herein lies the instant confidence booster you need to put your bra on show: in longline form, bras are really just luxurious, flattering crop tops. Make like Kendall Jenner and favour lacy black bralettes by LA designer Anine Bing or up the ante with Loveday London’s ornate black leather and lace bralettes with just enough detail that they can pass as tops. High-waisted skirts or trousers lessen the gap between items of clothing – make like Carey Mulligan, who wore a pale pink Nina Ricci bustier with loose-fitting black cropped trousers at the Sydney premiere of The Great Gatsby.
A longline bralette’s unstructured silhouette lends a casual note compared to most women’s underwear, accentuated when layered with a white or grey marle tee. Otherwise, a glimpse of lace peeping from behind a cashmere knit or structured blazer hits just the right note of feminine finesse. For pieces with a bit more oomph, Fleur du Mal and Alexander Wang offer longline bras in sumptuous velvet.
Own the look with kimonos and gowns
There are few things more romantic than a liquid silk kimono, so why would we limit their enjoyment to after hours? Now that lingerie nightwear is hitting the streets, it’s time to welcome kimonos to your blazer-bomber-biker-jacket rotation. Colour-saturated designs add instant allure to basics like denim cut-offs or boyfriend jeans – worn over denim and a simple white shirt, kimonos add a fashion-forward polish to these wardrobe staples. Gilda & Pearl has you (literally) covered.
As evidenced by the street style circuit, diaphanous slip dresses — worn alone or layered with t-shirts — are an effortless way to push boudoir dressing into the public realm. Sheer lace gowns add an ethereal touch and can be layered over evening dresses, but as a general rule, anything that has fur, pompoms or cut-outs where there should never be cutouts, should be saved for the bedroom. Dressing in women’s lingerie does have its limits.
Cheat the trend with lace-up bodysuits
If all this is sounding a bit too much of a stretch for you, consider bodysuits of the sheer, lacy or lace-up variety – a (slightly) more demure way of trying the lingerie clothes trend without having to subject your actual lingerie to the public eye. La Perla, Alexander Wang and Tatu Couture are your go-tos here, offering a multitude of options that invite you to be as bold or as refined as you care to be.
As with all women’s lingerie intended for public viewing, colour choice is crucial: black and red are decidedly more sexy; white and pastels more innocent. And of course, always accessorise with your best bedroom eyes.