without looking like a Granny
by Irene Feeney Steele
We’ve all been there. You’ve found the perfect item in your favourite store to wear to that exciting occasion coming up in your diary – only to take it into the dressing room with you to result in the shock revelation plus utter disappointment…that it is completely see-through! It’s so transparent that you fear you may get arrested for indecent exposure. The same can be said for shopping on-line. Your outfit arrives, you can’t wait to try it on and all you can see is your own skin shining through and screaming ‘cover me up!!’ At least in a store, you have the luxury of seeing in real life how transparent clothes are – but that still doesn’t help matters when you really want to wear them.
Although sheer clothing can be fun, playful and can promote confidence without being promiscuous, not everyone is comfortable baring it all. Personally, I don’t mind a tad bit of sheer as long as it’s classy and suits the occasion at hand but I’ve also reached an age where I also want to feel comfortable in my own skin without showing it to the world and in addition…without looking like a granny!
So what do you do? Are there solutions? Well – yes there are and I’m here to tell you exactly how to UN-SHEER yourself. Let’s break it down shall we and go through key items one by one:
Tops: an example here (and most commonly sheered ‘villain’ in the tops world) would be a black or white see-through shirt/blouse. In my opinion, what you wear as a base to discard the ‘sheerness’ completely depends on the occasion the top is designed for. If the sheer item is to be worn for a glam night-time occasion, I suggest wearing a brightly coloured bra underneath (if the shirt is white) or a black bra (if the shirt is black) to add an element of drama. This is such a popular celebrity look and adds a touch of ‘sexiness’ whilst maintaining a classy approach. For an extra ounce of fashion and style – match the colour of your bra to the colour of your sheer shirt. For a daytime more casual or work look, a nude tank top (fitted is best here). These can be found in most lingerie stores and are an essential item in anyone’s wardrobe.
Bottoms: This is a dilemma I’m currently facing, as I get ready for my Spring Break holiday. I recently purchased white palazzo/beach style trousers online only to be dismayed when they arrived that they were completely transparent. My solution – bring out the ‘nude’ guns. And when I say nude, I mean Marks & Spencer high-waisted nude cycling shorts. Long enough that they cover most of the thigh plus added bonus that they are anti-chaffing and shapewear miracle wonders. Same thing here applies as it does to tops – if the trousers are black, then stick to black lingerie etc.
Dresses/Skirts: Again this can be easily fixed with the godsend that is nude underwear. With dresses and skirts – nude slips are your best friend (in addition, they come in black and white also). For many brands – in store and online – they are available in different lengths so depending on how long your dress or skirt is, a slip has you covered (*intended pun). A nude or black slip dress will completely de-sheer your item of clothing if needs be and I would suggest investing in them. They are staple base items in your wardrobe and you never know when you’ll need them. As a slight variation, a mid-thigh bodysuit is also a good idea in this scenario. Increasingly, brands are producing more of these ‘sheer-battling’ items and none other that Kim Kardashian’s SKIM’s range. The SKIMS mid-thigh sculpting body suit with open gusset is an ideal solution to a sheer dress plus also can be worn in a multitude of ways making it a win-win situation. SKIMS products have been on my radar for so long – I’m really enjoying the inclusivity of the brand.
To conclude, managing sheer clothes can be achieved with clever layering and a bit of fun. By adding clever bases to your wardrobe such as slips, slip dresses, body suits, fitted camisoles and cycling shorts – you’re 100% covered when a sheer piece of clothing finds its way to you. If you’re feeling confident, it may be the perfect opportunity to showcase your prettiest lingerie – as the saying goes…”Beautiful Begins Underneath.”
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