In a move that can only be described as contrary, my interest in sheer clothing has piqued, as the weather has taken a swift nosedive for the worst.
Since my return from Barcelona, I have yet to reacclimatise to the cooler weather. Seemingly my week overheating has not only affected my core body temperature, but my fashion proclivities too. This may in part be considered living in denial, but raging against the wind gusts in a defiant move of exposure has been decidedly liberating.
Sheer clothing allows one to rile against the expected, whilst abiding by the social norm of actually getting dressed. One is enabled to live within typical codes of dress and subvert those very norms by the intrinsic ability of sheer clothing to reveal and conceal, exposing the body whilst remaining fully clothed.
The excitement of transparent clothing aside, consideration of apropos should be thought upon beforehand. Job interviews, Church, meeting the parents, the grocery run, are maybe not the scenarios for toe-dipping and all run the very real risk of being met with shock, disdain and some awkward wandering eyes.
At entry level, nighttime affords one dim lighting and a sea of flesh on show in a variety of good tastes, cushioning the first bambi steps into sheer clothing. Amongst the backless, strapless, mini dressed peers, sheer clothing feels decidedly less risqué, as skin is hinted at rather than flaunted, a coy peek rather than a brazen glare.
And when the sun comes up sheer clothing can be made wearable when paired with decidedly less-sexy separates, such as high waisted, loose fit jeans; a sports bra; a blazer; white sneakers etc. The foundation is one of nonchalance, items of the everyday and thus act to subdue any overt sexiness that one may wish to obscure.
The opacity of sheer clothing acts as a means of maintaining the aesthetic of layering during the warmer months, without the suffocation of mounds of fabric. Summertime dressing becomes a little reductive, as fashion is forsaken in an effort to cool down. With layers of transparency, temperatures remain low, yet silhouettes remain visually interesting. The winter can also benefit from sheer clothing, as light fabrics offset thick knitwear - a delicate respite from the bulk of jumpers, cardigans and coats.
With the prospect of year-round sheer dressing, layering becomes innumerable and infinitely more exciting. Peek-a-boo layers of tulle, lace and chiffon, add a delicacy of substance to an outfit without any hindrance of try-hard overbearing.
The interest lying in-between the wisps of fabric, acting to softly blur the edges as a somewhat tangible echo of personal style, a transparency of expression. The playful peek of a bra through a sheer t-shirt, a pair of jean-clad legs poking through a sheer skirt, a turtle neck topped with a sheer ruffled blouse. The looks may all be different, but the theme is the same; sheer fun.
(Images via : Getty images, thefashionspot, streetstyle.com & popsugar.co.uk)
