Lingerie as Outerwear: What You Need to Know

Trends come and go, and part of what makes the fashion world so appealing is just how fast trends seem to circulate. But while small trends quickly gain prominence and fade away twice as fast (see: tiny sunglasses), others that are so bold and daring that they stick around.

Lingerie as outerwear is one such trend. WTVOX’s roundup of sustainable lingerie brands just goes to show how the lingerie industry has rebranded itself in recent years, promoting inclusivity and self-love rather than just celebrating one type of body.

Where the trend started

Lingerie as outerwear isn’t necessarily a new trend; one need only look at Madonna’s style in the eighties to see the pop icon donning iconic corsets. The Spice Girls and Britney Spears paraded around in sports bras for their music videos, and in the early 2000’s lots of teen stars would attend award shows with their midriffs totally bare.

These are all examples of lingerie as outerwear, and yet they’re so far removed from how the trend is imagined today. The previous examples of Madonna and. Britney Spears show how wearing lingerie can be a daring move and a step towards women’s sexual liberation. Of course, some critics would also argue that these outfits played into those same over-sexualized tropes that were actually degrading to women.

The bottom line is, wearing lingerie as outerwear started precisely to inspire conversation and shock people. That element is still present in today’s trends, but to a much lesser degree. Instead, the lingerie as outerwear trend banks on making these pieces part of your daily wardrobe. By making lingerie accessible to more women, wearing it as outerwear focuses on individual expression and creativity. The name of the game isn’t to simply cause shock by wearing a bra and sweatpants, but instead to see how influencers and brands can create sartorial looks with a tasteful bodysuit or camisole.

Wearing the trend today

One of the newest approaches to the lingerie as outerwear trend is seeing what other lingerie pieces can be incorporated into an outfit. Pretty Me’s list of the best lingerie styles cites bodysuits as an item that exudes sophistication precisely because it is less revealing than an average bra. It’s this emphasis on coverage that makes bodysuits suitable both in and out of the bedroom. For instance, a simple white bodysuit is the perfect partner to your favorite blazer and trouser set.

Bodysuits and bustiers work equally well with a pair of jeans, and this combination is the perfect way to exude the image of street style cool we mentioned in our previous London style post. There are also longline bralettes and luxe camisoles that can be paired with some denim. Regardless of what you choose, pairing your outfit with minimalist accessories heightens the image of luxe glamor.

If you want to go à la Britney Spears or Madonna, there’s nothing stopping you. Vanessa Hudgens attended Carolina Herrera’s 2020 fashion show in a black miniskirt and matching bra, topped off with a crochet throw-over. The amount of options available means you can be as daring or demure as you want to be, depending on how you’re feeling any given day.

The recent popularity of lingerie as outerwear highlights how this trend has gotten a new breath of life. The amount of brands available, as well as all the different styles, mean that women are spoiled for choice when it comes to lingerie. Lots of interesting fashion looks have come about as a result, and there’s no doubt that wearing lingerie as outerwear is here to stay.