Last March, I was backstage at the Miu Miu spring show, trying not to trip over legs or very expensive shoes as I acted extremely casual around very expensive dresses. My editor had instructed me to “get some good quotes” and casually inquire about what will actually be trendy next season. As if designers freely just tell people this stuff to random Vogue interns holding cups of free prosecco.
What I was not expecting was to see so much…bra. Not models in their bra backstage before the show (that’s how runway dressing rooms work), but bra-as-the-focus-of-many-outfits. Bare shoulders weren’t just acceptable, they were accented with built-in straps.
Boxer shorts waistbands peeked above low-slung trousers on purpose. Crisp shirts were see-through, intentionally revealing beautifully curated underthings.
One model looked like she may have just stepped out of the shower wearing what appeared to be actual lingerie as a top, as opposed to under a cute little number.
“Is this…supposed to be worn outside?” I hissed to the Vogue editor standing next to me, motioning to the sheer blouse that revealed approximately nothing.
She shrugged without looking up from her phone. “Crop tops are big this season.
Keep up, Harper.” I pride myself on being somewhat of a fashion forecaster. I own pairs of Crocs with heels that I ironically threw on for this very article. I’ve worn an old vintage nightgown I belted and renamed a “slip dress” to a daytime office meeting.
I once thought low-rise jeans deserve their comeback (spoiler alert: they do not, I was delusional). But deliberately wearing my underwear ; the underwear I’ve strategically hidden from view since being lifted by the wind at a rooftop summer party in 2017 ; out in public sounded/looked like torture. Fast forward one year.
Predictably, clothes that reveal underwear HAVE hit the streets. Models are doing it. Editors are doing it.
My college friend Sarah, who works at an accounting firm and described her wardrobe to me once as “professionally dull,” texted me a photo from her clothing rack at the mall last week featuring a scoop-neck tube top that gave zero fucks about covering her bra with the caption “Too much??” (True story: she ended up not wearing it because it was TOO much for the office. But bless her for trying.) Crop tops aren’t a new trend, though ;Visible Underwear”? As in, deliberately wearing your underwear out in public as outerwear?) isn’t brand new either ; think way back to when Madonna wore that cone bra Jean Paul Gaultier designed for her.
What’s different this time around is how that concept is being interpreted for IRL wear. Rather than intentionally aiming to shock or push limits, visible underwear trends right now are being worn as careful curation, layering, and playing with the lines of what we expect to be concealed versus revealed. If you’ve paid even half attention to fashion over the last year or so, you’ve likely seen the rollout of this trend happen gradually.
Visible bra straps became acceptable, until they were intentionally exposed by way of purposely pulling down a strapless bra so it could be seen. Sports bras as tops became normalized during athleisure’s apex. Peaking-boxers-above-the-hem-of-your-jeans has been on-and-off cyclical sinceестеники were popular in the ’90s.
What’s happening now is everyone is taking it all one step further ; the ultimate embracement of underwear-as-outerwear in all its iterations. How does one wear underwear as outerwear without either getting arrested for public indecency or traumatizing their grandma? Because I care about you guys and also have spent the majority of the pandemic staring creepily at cool strangers on the subway, I’ve put together everything I’ve learned about this trend over the past year and experimented with it myself.
Below is your ultimate guide to wearing as underwear on purpose (and wearing it in a way that says “style choice” as opposed to “hey I don’t know who just flashed you”). Visible bra strap: The entryway to wearing your underwear outside is, perhaps obviously, the visible bra strap. This more mild version of trend has been totally acceptable in social settings for years, but now it’s being taken to the next level by choosing a bra for its straps as opposed to wearing your strapless bra bra and hoping for the best.
Think details on the straps (shape, colour, unexpected material) as opposed to just the bra itself. One of my coworkers rotates through a large collection of bralettes that feature straps that create different patterns across her chest when purposefully worn under muscle tanks or camisoles that expose her shoulders. “Why would I hide these?” she said when I recently caught her showing off her collection.
“I spend good money on these bras. They’re part of the outfit.” I’ve been experimenting with subtly sheer blouses in darker colours (black, navy, deep wine) over purposefully chosen bralettes in complementary colours. It allows for texture and layering without outright saying “LOOK AT MY BRA.” Bonus points: I wore this combo to a meeting with my editors last week and instead of alerting HR like I knew they would, I received two compliments and someone asking me where I got my bra (spoiler: Negative Underwear.
Yes they’re expensive. But it’s worth it.) To wear: Pair a bra with embellishments/interesting details on the straps with a simple top that exposes your shoulders. Or go half sheer on a blouse and make sure the bra you’re pairing it with has enough coverage to double as a cropped top in its own right.
Boxer waistband: Step it up a notch by actually letting people see your underwear stomach. Wait, no don’t actually let people see your stomach snuck out of bed wearing your underwear. We’re talking about high-quality (usually silk/cotton) boxer shorts or boyshorts with stylish waistbands meant to peek above the inseam of low-or mid-rise jeans or trousers.
Fashion stylist Mia Chen, whose clients include celebrities who have been spotted out in public wearing this trend, broke down her personal strategy with me: “I have my clients wear silk boxers with cool waistbands under cropped jumper or jackets sometimes. It’s like another layer that you get to play with colour-wise and texture-wise as part of their outfit.” To wear: Order a few vintage-inspired boxers with extra-high waistbands that you like wearing on their own. Then buy clothes with the intention of wearing them with your boxers ; pick out some low-riding jeans or trousers that you like cropped above your boxers.
The key is making sure the underwear is something you love wearing independently and then buying your outfit around that piece. I know what you’re thinking ; boxer shirts have been a thing for guys for ages. Trust me, I’ve seen enough Calvin Klein waistbands peaking over your boyfriend’s jeans to last me a lifetime.
But what’s happening in this trend’s current iteration is much more intentional than your brother flaunting his underwear lest you think he “doesn’t give a f***.” My friend Jake, a graphic designer whose sense of style is constantly inspiring me, showed me his process when I pressed him for tips. He’s been shopping for old-school inspired boxers at his local shops with extra high waistbands that are almost tie-ups, then buying shirts and trousers with the intent of wearing them with them specifically. “It’s like another opportunity to play with colour blocking or patterns,” he said without skipping a beat.
Normally I would find this exchange hilarious ; my friend proudly explained to me how he wears underwear as shirts. But he was being 100% sincere. Men have been doing this for years.
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Sheer shirt/slip dress: The Slip dress: Remember how I told you the more extreme versions of this trend involved clothing that’s literally see-through? Well slip dresses are the easiest entry into that world since they’ve been a “thing” for quite some time. Slide one over a tight t-shirt or thin jumper for an updated 2025 spin.
Throw it over a blazer and wear while hanging out in the park like it’s Basically. Wear under a chunky jumper for some juxtaposition. Pair with booties to balance out the feminity of the dress itself.
Sheer shirt: Completely sheer shirts autumn under the “wear if you’re going to a artsy soiree and/or have very good attorneys” branch of this trend. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take cues from the trend and wear pieces that reference it without actually breaking laws. Look for anything sheer in strategic spots (boyshorts, tanks with slit sleeves) or garments that play with opacity (semi-sheer mesh, dresses with key cut-outs).
Pairing a totally sheer top over a cute bralette or crop top allows you to achieve the look-and-feel of the trend without actual nudity. Sheer skirts over mini skirts or shorts is another easy way to give the illusion of showing off your underwear without ACTUALLY showing off your underwear. I wore this look to art gallery opening a few weeks ago and honestly felt kind of offensive by how much I was showing.
But because I paired a black mesh long sleeve button-up with a high-waisted trouser and a black bralette with wide straps and lots of coverage (as opposed to a traditional sports bra or “boy short” you might keep hidden), it still felt like I was dressing myself rather than undressing in public. Bra-inspired shirts/tops: Okay, so you don’t want to ACTUALLY show off your underwear, but you love the idea of incorporating lingerie-inspired details into your wardrobe. No problem.
Head straight for the lingerie-inspired clothes section. Spoiler alert: lots of it falls under the “shirt” umbrella. Crop tops: Crop tops are basically bras you can wear outside.
But because they’re typically covered by a pair of jeans or trousers, they’ve fallen out of the “visible underwear” trend conversation. Consider this a reminder to buy more crop tops and wear them with high-waisted trousers. Especially crop tops with three-quarter sleeves for that “hey, did she forget to put a shirt on? or is that one on purpose?” vibe.
So what does all this ultimately say about clothing trends, the fashion industry, and how we express ourselves through what we wear? On a surface level, there’s something pretty rebellious about wearing your underwear out in public. Sure, women can wear crop tops that expose their belly buttons but good luck shirtless dancing at a concert without getting harassed.
But men can wear Their underwear as shirts and it’s completely socially acceptable. Underwear has long held social significance above and beyond its utilitarian purpose. By making it visible we’re challenging cultural notions of what can and can’t be seen.
We’re also drawing attention to the weird double standards about revealing vs. concealing different parts of female vs. male bodies. “There’s empowerment in showing parts of your body you’ve been told to hide,” said fashion historian Dr. Lena Wright.
“Underwear is such a complicated garment because it’s already seen as this super sexualized piece. But no one gets judged for wearing their boxers as a shirt. Making women’s underwear visible challenges certain preconceived notions of what is acceptable for a woman to show and what is not.” That being said, showing your bra isn’t going to land you at work next to anyone who roamed galethat weirdos wearing underwear as shirts have been doing since forever.
There are certainly lines you don’t want to cross unless you’re intentionally trying to get arrested for public indecency. (Not that I would know anything about that…) But for most of us, incorporating trending trends into our everyday rotation can be as simple (or complicated) as you make it. “My girlfriends and I have started doingsexy underwear as trousers’) trend are truly dependent on the person wearing them and where they choose to wear them. I can wear crop tops and barely there shirts to my office downtown and immediately get sent to meetings.
My coworker Zoe, 62, can’t wear that same top to HER office and survive. But she wears sexy lingerie inspired blouses under blazers and nobody bats an eye because it’s been normalized in professional settings. She’s also badass enough to pull it off in a way that doesn’t scream “look at my underwear!”” Zoe, who has mad fashion game and I mean that at the literal age of 62 continues decades of shirt dressing tradition by freelance sex workers and celebrities auditioning for Housewives.
Tips for wearing visible underwear trends without committing full underwear-flashage: Start with accessories. Statement belt with a built-in bralette. Chain necklace that doubles as a top.
Shirt with strategically cut out details that reveal a carefully chosen under bra. Try a half-shrug. Literally.
They’re back in style and they’ll reveal a bit of your shoulders without fully committing to a tube top. Pair a delicate, lacy cami with a thicker jacket or blazer.
Because of the bulk and structure of the outer layers, it reads more as a deliberate styling choice as opposed to an accident you need to hide.
Buy a tee meant to be worn as a crop top, then wear it under a high-waisted skirt, trousers, or jeans.
No one can see your underwear, but you still get to feel like you slayed the trend. Show a little strap.
I bought a basic white button-up that I realised was more see-through than I expected when I put it on. Rather than return it (I loved the shirt too much), I threw it over a nude-coloured brami and left the house satisfied I was playing into the trend sans full mama pop. To my surprise, I’ve worn this combo to work TWO times since and received zero side eyes.
Think of underwear-as-outerwear less as a trend and more as a reminder that many of these clothing distinctions are social constructs. Shorts were underwear at one time. Corsets have gone in and out of being accepted as appropriate outerwear multiple times throughout history.
Why should underpants be any different? I won’t be wearing my naked at my next family barbecue, but I do feel better about incorporating under layers into my outfits as outer layers. There’s something appealing about embracing all the pieces you wear as opposed to pretending half of your outfit doesn’t exist.
Trousers are the new crop tops, y’all.
