Revamp Your Wardrobe: 6 Fresh Approaches to Styling Lingerie as Outerwear

Lingerie as outerwear stopped being a risk years ago. A bodysuit under a blazer, a corset over a shirt, a mesh top with cargo pants: it is a normal way to dress now, and it gets far more wear out of pieces that would otherwise only see a bedroom.

Below are six looks and the pieces that make them work. A note on terminology first, since people ask: a corset is structured and boned, built to shape the waist. A bustier is softer, shaped but not restrictive, and closer to a fitted top. Both work as outerwear, but a bustier is the easier place to start.

1. Formal, with a cut-out bodysuit

A black cut-out bodysuit with tailored trousers and heels. The bodysuit does the work, the tailoring keeps it grounded, and the result reads as considered rather than underdressed. Tuck it in properly and let the cut-outs sit above the waistband.

Shop the Black Transparent Cut-Out Bodysuit

2. Casual, with a bustier and jeans

White bustier, high-waisted denim, flat shoes. The easiest version of this look and the one most people start with. High-waisted jeans matter here: they cover the bodysuit's leg line and keep the proportions right.

Shop the White Mesh Bodysuit with Choker

3. Edgy, with cargo pants

Sheer bodysuit, baggy cargos, sneakers. The contrast between something delicate and something utilitarian is the whole point. Keep the shoes flat and the pants loose or it tips into costume.

Shop the Black Transparent Bodysuit with Choker

4. Evening, long sleeve and a mini skirt

Long sleeve cut-out bodysuit with a fitted mini. Covered arms balance out the cut-outs, which is why this works for a night out where a strapless piece would feel like too much.

Shop the Black Long Sleeve Cut-Out Bodysuit

5. Corset over a shirt

A diamanté mesh corset layered over an oversized white button-down. The most versatile look here: it works for the office with the shirt buttoned high, and for a bar with it undone and sleeves rolled.

Shop the Black Diamanté Mesh 3-Piece Set

6. White suit, lace underneath

White lace bodysuit under a white suit. Tonal, restrained, and the lace only reads when you are close enough to notice. The most wearable look on the list for anywhere with a dress code.

Shop the White Lace Bodysuit

Three rules that make it work

1. Balance the exposure. Sheer on top means covered on the bottom. Cut-outs at the waist mean high-waisted everything else.
2. Structure beats softness. Tailoring, denim and boning hold their shape. Draped fabric over lingerie reads as underwear.
3. Fit is everything. A bodysuit that gapes or rides up ruins the look faster than any styling choice. Check the size guide on every product page.

Browse the full bodysuit range, or the mesh lingerie collection if you want something sheer. Sizes S to 5XL, shipped discreetly worldwide.