Salma Hayek, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner Have All Worn This Sexy Dress Trend Taking Over Hollywood

This week, Twitter reminded me of the iconic red carpet moment when Rihanna showed up to the 2014 CFDA awards in a sheer, crystal gown, and told reporters, “Do my tits bother you? They're covered in Swarovski crystals!" Clearly, this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performer was ahead of her time, because nearly 10 years later, celebrities can’t seem to stop wearing the sexy style trend. 

Pairing bold undergarments with sheer dresses is one of the more surprising styles to dominate this winter (my legs just got cold thinking about it). The not-so-warm — but oh-so-hot — trend has been seen on supermodels including Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner, as well as on red carpets when worn by Salma Hayek and Jenna Ortega. If we’re talking about a push-back to pandemic fashion, when sweatsuits dominated, it’s no more present than in this NSFW trend that’s risqué and party-ready.

I’m not saying to try this trend out at school drop off, Sunday brunch, or work (please, I won’t be fielding HR complaints) but if you’re ready to take your Saturday-night look to a new level, I found 10 styles for your next night out. Pair these sheer pieces with your favorite undergarments (we’re personally Cuup-obsessed) — and dancing shoes, with prices starting at just $24.

• Floerns Sheer Mesh Dress, $24 (Originally $26); amazon.com
• Sprifloral Long-Sleeve Sheer Mesh Dress, $27 (Originally $30); amazon.com
• Edikted Glitter Mesh Maxi Dress, $59; nordstrom.com
• By.Dyln Martina Print Sheer Mesh Midi Dress, $89; nordstrom.com
• Anthropologie Sheer Slip, $98; anthropologie.com
• Free People Keep Me Up Maxi Dress, $128; freepeople.com
• & Other Stories Sheer Lace Midi Dress, $149; stories.com
• Ganni Metallic Crochet Shift Dress, $264 (Originally $526); farfetch.com
• For Love and Lemons Colette Mini Dress, $299; forloveandlemons.com
• Cult Gaia Elsha Knit Coverup Dress, $318; shopbop.com

You don’t have to invest a lot of money to try this celebrity-favorite look thanks to Amazon, where you can shop two different sheer styles for under $30. Floerns’ sheer, billowing, polka dot dress is a more romantic, feminine take on the trend, while Sprifloral’s body-con version — which comes with a spaghetti strap bra and boy-short bottoms — is more aligned with Kendall Jenner’s sexy approach. Luckily, both are loved by shoppers. One wrote that when they paired their Floerns dress with bike shorts and a strappy sports bra, “it transformed into a cute outfit that could be worn most anywhere.” “It can be as sexy or non-sexy as you want it to be depending on what you pair with it,” they wrote. Another shopper called the Spirfloral dress “the perfect LBD” and described the look as “fun and flirty.”

Shop now: $24 (Originally $26); amazon.com

Shop now: $27 (Originally $30); amazon.com

We’re channeling Hailey Bieber in this black dress from Free People. Similar to Bieber’s look, this pick includes ruffle details and a dramatic side-slit. And making it all-the-more romantic, the hem of the beautiful lace material delicately graces the floor. As one shopper simply stated, “The color, the drape… this dress is gorgeous.”

Shop now: $128; freepeople.com

And while a little black dress will always be a classic — no matter the new interpretation — I’m a girl who loves color, which is why I’m obsessing over this Barbiecore-pink dress by Cult Gaia. Unlike the other picks, this one offers just a bit more coverage and is made with semi-sheer knit fabric rather than mesh. I love the minimal leg slit, which is complete with button details. Plus, the dress itself is such a statement, you don’t really need to do much other styling.

Shop now: $318; shopbop.com 

After years of living in loungewear, I can’t say I was expecting see-through dresses to be 2023’s hottest trend. But despite my initial surprise, I’m ready to give the sexy style seen all over Hollywood a try.