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questionQuestion | I recently saw a runway show at Australian Fashion Week and was intrigued by the amount of sheer clothing. Is see-through clothing a trend? If so, is it okay for me, a woman in my 40s, to wear it? – Sheer Madness
Dear Shear
You’re right! Sheer fabrics are definitely on trend, seen on many of the AFW runways this month from designers like Albus Lumen, Beare Park, and Anna Quan.
I was intrigued, too, so I reached out to Anthea O’Connor, a Melbourne-based stylist who works with a diverse range of women. O’Connor is a fan of the trend and is happy to see it come back as a throwback to the ’90s. She suggests starting off by wearing a sheer column dress or tunic over trousers (for a more ’90s feel).
Different interpretations of transparency by Albus Lumen during Australian Fashion Week. Getty
“The key to success is to go with the tones,” she says. “Black is a great way to embrace a simple idea, with the security of having plain black pants underneath.”
Another of her favorite stylist, Emilia Morris, says she “loves the super see-through look,” but, like many women, she wants to wear something that doesn’t reveal everything.
“My best advice when wearing see-through clothing like this is to layer up or mix see-through ‘panels’ with solid coloured fabrics,” she says. “The key to embracing the see-through trend subtly is to strike a balance between coverage and transparency.”
Doja Cat, Kylie Minogue and Rita Ora all rocked the see-through trend at the recent Met Gala. AP/Getty
Morris herself has embraced the trend in a few ways: “At Melbourne Fashion Festival in February, I paired a see-through dress with an oversized blazer,” she says, “with a slip underneath and a see-through skirt underneath the blazer.”
