How To Wear the Underwear as Outerwear Trend

by Kavita Verryth

As Leandra Medine from the infamous blog Man Repeller said: ‘Lingerie is so in, it’s out!’.

Filtering down from the catwalk shows of Dolce and Gabbana, Stella McCartney, Dior and others, loyal lovers of marlies|dekkers will know that we too have been a supporter of this hot trend for over 15 years!

In the past couple of years, the underwear as outerwear trend has continued to pick up speed. We’ve seen stars like Rihanna, Victoria Beckham, Rita Ora and Lady Gaga (to name a small handful) continue to push the boundaries and showcase their own delectable lingerie collections.

To take this often risqué look from the runway and red carpet to your wardrobe, we have a few style suggestions – always ensuring that you are in control of just how much skin you dare to bare.

The Body Suit

One of the most versatile lingerie pieces you’ll ever purchase, a Body Suit can be combined with your whole wardrobe for all occasions. Whether you’re heading to the office, lunch with the girls or to drinks at a beach club take our style tips and wear your underwear as outerwear with confidence.

For a daytime office look, we suggest pairing one of our plunge balcony body suits with a pant or skirt suit, blazer and red lips. You’ll be controlling the boardroom in no time!

Lunch with the ladies? No problem! Match your body suit with a pair of straight-cut white pants, an open denim shirt and cute colourful clutch bag.

Summer nights spent sipping on cocktails gives you the opportunity to add a pair of leather shorts or a leather skirt and statement necklace to match your body suit. Not only will your ta-ta’s be firmly held in place whilst dancing, you’ll be the ‘coolest’ person at the club without the addition of extra layers of clothing. Add a slick white blazer for full effect.

The Bra

Exposing your bra isn’t often the most comfortable option for many women, but we say; don’t be afraid! There are many ways to style this piece of lingerie, depending on how much coverage you would like to have. The underwear as outerwear trend isn’t for the faint of heart, but we hope to convince you it’s definitely worth trying!

To start off slowly, we suggest adding a semi-sheer blouse over your gorgeous new bra. Not only will it feel like you’re more covered, but the effect won’t be as full-frontal. Get playful and choose lace or patterned blouses over a simpler, t-shirt style bra like our Signature Gloria. If the bra is detailed or embellished, go for a plain semi-sheer blouse.

For a casual and feminine first date look that will make your partner go ga-ga, combine your favourite black bra (we suggest the Signature Space Odyssey) with a high-waisted, flowy maxi skirt. This way you can adjust just how much midriff you want to expose. To add some height, go for a pair of wedges and complete the look with a pair of light necklaces and your favourite handbag.

The Bikini

Festivals are another great opportunity to express your individual creativity when it comes to this fashion trend. We love the idea of pairing your Holi Vintage bikini with a pair of high waisted denim shorts and a kimono wrap or waistcoat a la’ Kendall Jenner. Mix and match colours and patterns as you like – this is the occasion to go wild!

Now, with all of this information in hand, we can’t wait to see how you style your marlies|dekkers bras and bodies for the underwear as outerwear trend! Please tag us in your photos on Instagram using the hashtag #mdstyle – we just might repost your look!

Most loved
Building bridges

MD Friends

Building bridges

by marlies|dekkers

From the Erasmus Bridge and the Mercedes-Benz Museum to Qatar’s metro network; Ben van Berkel’s iconic landmarks bring people together in rapturous beauty, again and again. I talked with the Dutch architect and educator about sensuality, ‘healthy’ buildings and the remarkable parallels between our designs.

More than a feeling

MD Friends

More than a feeling

by marlies|dekkers

Don’t ignore your emotions; they are much more powerful than you can imagine. By linking the magical world of emotions with hard science, Dutch scientist Pierre Capel, professor emeritus in experimental immunology, shows us the consequences of our feelings and the power of our minds. The message: we can do much more than we think. “Meditate. It’s the single best thing you can do for your health.”

Keto curious?

Marlies Says

Keto curious?

by marlies|dekkers

The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.

Super (skin) food

Marlies Says

Super (skin) food

by marlies|dekkers

‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.

Maison Marlies blog

The marlies|dekkers brand offers a wide variety of lingerie that can be worn by anyone and caters to every woman’s individual needs. Within our Maison Marlies blog you can read all about the life behind and surrounding the company. Whether you are eager to know where Marlies gets her inspiration for designing new lingerie collections, her lifestyle, healthy cooking ideas, or simply to share her taste in amazing art - you will find it in the blog. Our fearless creative director manages to find time to write about her business trips and even her shopping sprees and vacations for the times she can let her hair down for a while. And even while she is on holiday she will not leave you hanging.

Giving style advice

When you are feeling lost in finding the right fit or determine your bra size, Maison Marlies offers a set of guidelines so that you can continue shaking your bon bons without them falling out. You'll get style tips on how to wear and style your bras, and bikinis. You would not want a wardrobe malfunction which can actually be prevented when you are wearing high quality luxury lingerie. And when your breasts are kept in place in marlies|dekkers bras or bikinis, you can fully celebrate your femininity in all its glory and full potential. The blog offers advise on how to mix and match womens lingerie to boost, inspire your own fashion sense and keeps you updated on the latest fashion trends.

Marlies and friends

Her celebrity friends are also very pleased with that perfect fit a marlies|dekkers bra can offer you. These women proudly show off their marlies|dekkers lingerie sets in photoshoots for magazines, on stage when they're performing, during a cameo on tv or on the big screen in movies. Maison Marlies dedicates a special section of the blog to all gender equality related news so you are always updated about the latest developments around this special mission that embodies Marlies’ vision for the future.