the sheer thing

As you may have gathered from previous posts, I am a big fan of lace and its peekaboo properties. So, it should come as no surprise that I am fully embracing this spring's sheer trend and all the diaphanous dresses and skirts that are about to flood stores. The Topshop organza dress (above) is a good one because the silhouette is conservative, which offsets the sexiness of the transparent fabric. And it's styled perfectly, with opaque tights and boots providing coverage on the bottom. You could also wear a red or white slip underneath this dress to amp up its playfulness. Here's another example of shrewd under-sheer layering:

Photo: Phil Oh

The take-home message: try layering sheer looks with the unexpected, from retro lingerie to sporty boy shorts to simple camisoles. And never bare too much skin. Never.