How do you deal with summer sheer? - YouLookFab Forum

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How do you deal with summer sheer?

SarahD8

Veteran

I've been continuing my "experiments" of wearing through the whole set of my summer clothes the past couple of weeks and am discovering that some of them are quite a bit more sheer than I had realized.

For the less favorite items there's a simple solution: donation bag.

But today I encountered these two white woven cotton embroidered shirts. I love them! So comfortable, I love the loose popover style and adore the embroidery.

I don't really care that much if a white or nude-to-me bra is somewhat visible (in the sense of just looking like a darker area of fabric) when I'm wearing a top like this. But I don't want people to be able to see the contours of my bellybutton or discern what species of animal is tattooed on my back (oh fine, it's a harbor seal, stop staring).

The weird thing is that I have worn these two tops quite a lot in the past! Did I just not care how sheer they are? Did I have some undergarment strategy that I have since forgotten?? Who knows!

Anyway, I don't want to give them up, so thought I would ask here what strategies people have for mitigating the sheerness of summer clothes. Please feel free to share strategies for sheer bottoms as well as sheer tops.

For me, these are high summer/HOT weather garments -- so I need an undergarment strategy that will feel loose, light, and airy. (So I am thinking: a woven silk camisole, rather than a close-fitting knitted one? That sort of thing.) But please share whatever works for you, as others may find it helpful.

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Dressing

33 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

A looser fitting cotton tank works for me- not the stretchy, close fitting kind.

SarahD8

Veteran

Ah! Like a woven cotton tank (rather than a knit one)? Pile sheer upon sheer and maybe two wrongs make a right! That sounds really promising, thanks chewyspaghetti.

slim cat

Veteran

I tend to ignore some visible lines of my bralette - but wear a topper at work ( hides some things and fools the eye ).

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

A beige-colored bra, slightly darker than my skin tone, works well for me. White or pale cream, as in pic 5, feels like it’s highlighting, but maybe that’s because it’s lighter than the top. Orange might match my sunburn but, well, take a look at the never-posted-before pic 3, quick before I burn it.

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Katerina

Veteran

I use thin loose silk or viscose camisoles. Black under black or marine tops and nude under white or cream tops. I prefer these to cotton - they feel less warm than cotton.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

mine is still knit, just cut to hang away from the body rather than hugging it. The loose fit allows for air circulation next to the skin.

Joy

Veteran

I buy tanks,especially silk ones, a size or two too big and wear them underneath. None of my pants are very sheer, I would wear a long top out that covers my bottom or tuck it in so it covers underwear. White tops like you describe, I would wear a nude bra not bothering with a tank and not caring if it were very hot out. If it got cooler, I would slip on a light weight topper. I like filmy ponchos that are whishy in the breeze. I have several silky imported ones and some from Chicos that are light weight cotton and rather sheer. I wear a bra and tank underneath a shear one. It does not matter if the tank matches anything.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Chewy, don’t two knit tops end up sticking to each other?

Irina

Veteran

I used to have a short sleeve top similar to yours. My solution - a nude bra and not caring about sheerness I realize it might not be helpful.

I have a couple of sheer silk tops by EF, can only be worn with a camisole. They are dressy kind, at least in my wardrobe. Anything I wear with a camisole I wear when the weather is mild, not hot.
I like Uniqlo Airism camisoles.

LaPed

Veteran

Harbor seal tattoo?! <3

I more or less circumvent this problem by buying dark colors almost exclusively now. Any light/white items I have are in substantial fabrics: Oxford cloth, chunky knits, etc. I have some nude-ish bras, but I feel like they’re never truly invisible under white tops, so when I did have some thinner white tops I’d just go ahead and wear a black bralette underneath because it felt more intentional (I feel like there was some article about how French women do this— bien sûr — that validated my approach for me).

I can’t bring myself to wear a full under-layer, like a cami or tank, when it’s really hot. In a dry climate, maybe, but not if I have humidity to contend with!

cat2

Veteran

I have some lightweight knit tanks from Hanky Panky, one white and one black.

Ginger

Veteran

I'm with Irina - bra in as close to skin tone as possible, or a little lighter, and go. Two layers defeat the purpose in my climate, since the trapped air warms up.

For skirts and dresses, I try to limit underwear colors to pale pink/cream/beige. I'll add an ordinary beige half slip, or with some dresses a semi-sheer cotton organdy slip I made myself. Two semi-sheers make a mostly-opaque.

rachylou

Veteran

Agree re tanks and looser camis for the bellybutton issue. If that’s not at issue, then a nude-for-me bra

SarahD8

Veteran

Thanks all, this is great advice!

OK, I'm going to be on the lookout for a loose tank -- possibly knit but most likely woven, on Ginger's "Two semi-sheers make a mostly-opaque" principle. Thanks to Katerina for pointing out the difference in temperature feel between different materials, I'll look out for viscose or silk as well as cotton.

Also very intrigued by LaPed's black bra solution -- I wonder if the intentionality of that might also make the whole bellybutton situation less...salient? Worth a try anyway.

For skirts, I have a half slip but it is too long for most of the things I want to wear it under so I wind up turning the waistband over a few times which then gets rolled up and fussy...hello! Why do I not just hack the thing off already??? I admit that perhaps prompted by the resurrection of suntiger's old thread I am also intrigued by pettipants, so perhaps will experiment there too.

Indigoprint

Veteran

I use the woven tank under method.
I like woven over knit for airiness reasons.
My biggest challenge is finding suitable ones, however I have made a few ad well. A tank is a simple garment to make.

DonnaF

Veteran

Uniqlo's Airism camisole. I read somewhere that light gray may be more invisible than so-called nude.

kkards

Veteran

Yes to a tank, especially the airism. This summer I bought tanks with a built in shelf bra, so one less layer to worry about
but If it’s super hot, and it’s not a meeting work day, sorry, nude to me bra and sheer top with no layer.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm with the Uniqlo suggestion of the Airism tank!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

So this is interesting, my most worn dress this summer turns out to be sheerish when backlit. I just didn't really care, because anyone staring at my outline or whatever through a sheer dress deserves what they get (kidding, but really I just didn't care!). For things that are truly sheer in any light I go for tanks and slipshorts as needed. Honestly I assume no one is looking at me that carefully, so if it looks ok to me, that is usually enough.

Anonymous

Wanna see the seal
I generally only buy dark tops, and they must pass the "no light showing through" test. But I have (as close as possible) nude to me bras and tanks for under just in case.
With skirts I wear a slip or slip shorts.

Runcarla

Veteran

Most of my underwear is a very close ‘nude for me’, so that is what I do. Like LaPed, I tend to favour dark tops over light, but dark can sometimes be sheer.

I think I tend to ‘pass’ on items that are sheer, to be honest.

Sal

Veteran

After having this issue for a few years I rarely buy anything now needing a cami for sheerness (I do wear them for warmth or comfort sometimes).

I have a couple of tops or dresses that might show a bra strap or similar and I agree with La Ped that an intentional look can be better.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

TMI perhaps (sorry not sorry ), but I wear either a nude* bra(lette) & high-rise cotton slipshorts, or nipple pasties & bandalettes with a thong. That way I still get the airflow needed for my subtropical climate, whilst avoiding 'chub rub' & underarm chafing

*I mean *properly* nude coloured on me, which requires some trial & error under florescent lights - not just 'beige' but warm enough to actually blend into my natural skintone. I've heard that the right shade of red can also do this for you (depending on whether you're cool or warm toned), but have not tested this out myself yet.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I can't deal with camisoles as undergarments in the summer. Sometimes I just lean into wearing a brightly colored bra underneath to make the whole thing seem intentional.

SarahD8

Veteran

Thanks, all! This is shaping up to be a great set of solutions to try!

Jaime, I have a white skirt (lightweight cotton, but lined) that I didn't realize was so sheer until I happened to see it strongly backlit the other day. I asked my husband: "Uh, is this skirt super sheer?" He was like "Oh yeah, definitely." Me: "Why didn't you tell me?" Him: "What's the big deal? Everyone knows that people have legs." Sort of interesting to see what conventions seem important to some people and not others. On the whole though I heartily agree with the "people aren't paying that much attention to me and if it looks ok to me it's probably fine" approach!

Runcarla, yeah -- I would probably pass on these two tops if I were to come across them today, but I do really like them, and because I've worn them in the past I have a stronger feeling that they have a place in my wardrobe. So I'm breaking the "would you buy it again?" rule -- I guess I have no excuse but that's what I'm doing!

Interesting to see so many recommendations for Uniqlo's Airism line! I wear a Heattech camisole virtually every day during cold seasons (you know...except the days when I am wearing a Heattech long sleeve!). I have tried Airism camisoles before and they do not work for me! The cut is just a little bit different and not as comfortable, and I just don't like the feel of the material. Plus I can't stand having something close fitting around my torso in the heat! But, I see that just as there are many folks on Team Airism there seem to be equally as many over here on Team Loose & Airy Midsection with me. (Those of you who are benched can have some leftover grilled zucchini, provolone, and avocado sandwiches, to keep to Angie's formula for such things!)

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Your husband’s theory on sheer skirts is similar to my son’s on wearing clothes to cover up body parts the wearer thinks are unpleasantly plump “Mom, it doesn’t matter if you cover it up or not; it’s still the same f*t”. That was about 5 years ago. These days he’d likely choose a different, more politic, descriptor, but the logic of it sticks with me. I can attempt a tromp l’oeil if I wish, but that won’t change reality.

Helena

Veteran

Ah, I was going to suggest the airism cami too; that's too bad they don't work for you I sometimes will wear a really thin tank under more sheer pieces but often will just wear my nude-to-me bra and thats it. I figure when it's high heat people will get it!!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Since you’re going with a cami, I suggest the slippery silk ones from Intimissimi I posted about recently.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have a cotton voile top that is quite sheer -- the pattern does mitigate, however. (So that is an option for the future -- buy such tops in patterns.)

I've been wearing this thing since 2015 and it is one of the longest lasting summer tops in my wardrobe despite coming from Loft. It's the best style ever. Armholes low (so no sweat adheres). Some coverage on arms but no reduction in air flow. Can be worn tucked or untucked. Etc. Anyway, my solution is a nude-ish or light bra and done.

I do also recommend a lightweight loose woven tank as an option for our climate. (Even on its hot days).

I wouldn't do a close knit thing either. And in central or southwest or even eastern Ontario or Quebec, you would never get me to put on any kind of tank under a summer top. UGH.

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