‘Naked’ dresses are enjoying a style resurgence as fashionistas seek out daring ensembles to celebrate their liberation after months of Covid restrictions.
Celebrities including Megan Fox, Kendall Jenner and Zoe Kravitz have rocked completely sheer gowns on red carpets in recent weeks, including the VMAs and upmarket Met Gala.
The dresses come in a variety of fabrics but have one thing in common: they reveal the wearer’s body and underwear, which in itself is often very skimpy.
The high street has taken note and sheer frocks are available from the likes of Zara, Missguided and Rare London for shoppers wanting to recreate the celeb-inspired look.
Speaking to FEMAIL, stylist Rochelle White explained the surge in popularity is due to style mavens wanting to embrace their post-lockdown freedom by flashing a bit more flesh after 18 months in loungewear.
Daring to bear: Celebrities have been embracing the naked dress trend more than ever this year, with Megan Fox, 35, leading the way at the VMAs, pictured. Stylist Rochelle White said stars are embracing freedom and reclaiming power over their bodies after lockdown
Leaving little to the imagination: Kendall Jenner, who has sported similar dresses in the past, went all in with this see-through bedazzled gown at the Met Gala this year, pictured
On the steps of this year’s Met Gala, Zoe Kravitz sported a naked dress with large fishnets, which added a grunge edge to the look,
Issa Rae picked a more demure variation of the dress with very small fishnets that revealed a little bit of her underwear at the Emmy’s, pictured
Copy the look: The high street has taken note and sheer frocks are available from the likes of Boohoo (left) and Zara (right) for shoppers wanting to recreate the celeb-inspired look
‘The naked dress is making a comeback due to the celebration and idea of freedom and lockdown ending,’ she said.
‘Since hardly any awards or red carpets were walked in 2020, a lot of celebrities want to embrace their newfound freedom and express it in this way in 2021.
‘It is a way of showcasing personalities and bodies as I feel that many people and celebrities spent lockdown in comfortable clothes and loungewear.
‘This is a way of bringing back the love for their bodies in general.’
The naked dress has been a showstopper on the red carpet since the 90s, when the like of Kate Moss and Rose McGowan turned heads with their bold ensembles.
More recently, Rihanna caused a stir at the CFDA awards in 2014 with a silver naked dress by Adam Selman and Kendall Jenner wore a black see-through number at the Met Gala in 2017.
The original: In 1993, a 19-year-old Kate Moss sported her own naked dress with black underwear, cigarette and beer in hand. The look is enjoying a resurgence
But in 2021, the naked dress has entered the mainstream. At the VMAs, Megan Fox, 35, turned heads in her version of the look, only wearing a tiny thong underneath.
Meanwhile, Hailey Bieber took to the stage during the event in white dress with a roll neck, with her white underwear proudly showing through.
At the Met Gala, the fashion event of the yet, Kendall Jenner, who is a naked dress convert, stunned in a bedazzled fishnet gown which revealed a flesh-coloured thong.
Zoe Kravitz picked a similar dress in silver, but while Jenner’s number was fitted at the waist, hers was looser.
Zoe’s dress was edgier, because the fishnets of her dress were loose and left very little to the imagination, safe for a tiny thong.
Charli XCX went for a short, black version of the dress with dark lacey lingerie on the carpet of the VMAs on September 12
Singer Ciara sported an elegant lacey see-through dress with her underwear picking through at the VMAs, pictured
At the VMAs, model Hailey Bieber sprted a see-through high neck dress that revealed matching white underwear underneath
Meanwhile, the actress Issae Rae donned a more demure version of the dress at the Emmys.
Rochelle noted that a lot of celebrities have sported revealing clothing in recent months, as life returns to normal.
‘I feel that it is all about embracing the skin you’re in and owning your style,’ she said.
‘This type of fashion can be viewed as female empowerment. I feel that this fashion has put the power back into the hands of the person who is wearing it more than the observer.
‘It is showing that they are embracing their bodies and celebrating the fact that they can show it on a red carpet.’
High street versions: A sheer frock from Missguidded (left) and Rare London at Asos
The trend has gone to the high street too.
Last week, PrettyLittleThing launched new ‘no bra category’ to support the Naked Dressing Trend seen at the Met Gala, and say demand for bras drops by 55 per cent post-lockdown.
Searches for braless fashion ideas are currently up by an incredible 1,375 per cent at the fast fashion site as people mix comfort and racy style following a year of being stuck inside.
It comes following a trend of ‘Horny Girl Autumn’ which has seen female celebrities embracing their sexuality in racy outfits while packing on the PDA.