Fashion can be a very delicate balance for many women. There’s a very thin line between ‘teasing’ and ‘tasteless’, and toeing that line without crossing it is often difficult. Sheer, diaphanous clothes exist near that border. Done properly, they’re feather-light, feminine pieces that are begging to be worn in the summer. Overdone, however, and it’s an overly bold fashion statement just waiting to get censored.
Layered and Ladylike
Combining and layering different pieces together is one of the best ways to maintain both the sexiness of the sheer fabric and your modesty. A strategic styling of sheer fabric is the key to giving just a peak of what lies underneath.
Say you’re wearing a sheer, gauzy blouse that leaves little to the imagination. You’ll want to throw on an extra layer over it – a blazer or suit jacket would be perfect, especially for the office – to keep you from revealing too much. A ’strong’ piece like a suit jacket would also balance out the softness and femininity of the sheer fabric by providing a contrast of color as well as some structure.
Double Up
If you’re not a fan of wearing something over your sheer pieces, one alternative is to wear layering pieces under the sheer fabrics. That way, you can keep your outfit modest yet maintain the airy, dreamlike feel of sheer and flowing fabrics.
Take the same gauzy blouse from above and then wear it over another piece that’s more opaque, such as an undershirt or a tank top. Just because you’re wearing something that blocks the vision doesn’t mean it has to stick out like a sore thumb, though. Get pieces that either match your skin tone or the shade of the sheer piece that you’re wearing. That way, it’ll blend into your outfit and make your blocking tactics a little less obvious.
Layering sheers can work for bottoms, too. If you’ve decided to wear a sheer skirt or pair of pants for the day, mini or cycling shorts under your sheer bottoms should keep you from becoming too much of an exhibitionist.
Another trick is to wear one sheer piece over another, which gives more or less the same effect. This works particularly well if the piece underneath is more opaque than the one over it; both flow and move the way sheer pieces should, but you don’t give too much away either. You may want to get both pieces in similar colors so that they’re less likely to clash when you wear them together. You’ll want them to look like one continuous piece.
Balancing Your Outfit
One of the most frequently committed faux pas with sheer clothes is wearing too many of them at once. Remember, the point of wearing sheer clothing is to give little peeks and glimpses of your body. Giving too many peeks and glimpses isn’t good for any woman, no matter how beautiful or sexy she is.
Keep either your top or your bottom sheer; wearing sheer garments for both would simply be too much. Balance the lightness of the gauzy fabric with something strong and structured on the other side of your body. It’ll be flirty, fun and feminine– exactly the combination you want.
