What to wear under those see-through dresses...
Solid and Striped linen dress, sold out, sadly.
Spring and summer are the seasons for white clothing, lighter fabrics, and linen. However, in many cases, these are see-through or show more than one might intend to, especially in bright lighting (aka outside).
While I don’t want or like my clothes to be sheer, it doesn’t always stop me from buying something if I truly love it. And that is because, over the years, and especially since I discovered my love for linen fabrics, I found solutions to prevent sheerness, or at the very least, make it less so.
The first recommendation I have when wearing light-colored clothes, especially skirts and dresses is, of course, to wear nude undergarments (I prefer this brand, these, and these ones particularly being my favorites for every day). That doesn’t stop sheerness, obviously, but it does prevent what’s under from being seen. That, of course, works best on less see-through clothes.
As far as the rest, the solution is to wear a slip, half-slip, or slip shorts. I much prefer the last two, aka half slips and half shorts, and choose them depending on what I wear. For example, with this dress and this one, I can get away with wearing skin-colored underwear, or slip shorts as the dresses are just a bit sheer. With, say, a white cotton and/or linen dress, or a light fabric and colored one (like the dress I’m wearing in these photos), I choose to wear a half-slip for more “coverage”.
I’m not a big fan of full slips since, living in Florida, I go for as light as possible clothing, and extra layers just don’t sound appealing, especially in the summer. However, I admit that full slips have their place (like, when wearing this dress or this one), and could even prevent sweat stains #realtalk. Check out this one and this one for options.
Sadly, the very best slip shorts I’ve ever had were “eaten up” by the washer at one of the places we rented when traveling. It did that to such an extent that I could not see the brand when I thought of replacing them… Still not over that… What’s even sadder is that I don’t remember where I bought them from, and I have never come across an exact pair again… So, a heartfelt RIP to my favorite slip shorts ever. Side note: I now learned my lesson and wash them in a mesh laundry bag for protection (along with other delicate items — these bags are also great).
Of course, I’ve tried a few other slip shorts over the years and found the “keepers”. The ones I’m finding myself reaching for over and over are these slip shorts and these ones (ordered in my usual size). I also recommend these ones. I recently got these as well to wear with my flowy dresses. I’m eyeing these cotton slip shorts to try next.
For a half-slip, I have this one and this one in my usual size (hoping for a re-stock). Both reduce static and do what they’re supposed to, aka, help with sheer clothes — these are what I wear with white dresses in cotton and/or linen clothes.
Note that while some of these items do smooth things out, they are not shapewear. If you’re looking for a half-slip that doubles as shapewear, I recommend this one — it will smooth everything out, especially for fitted dresses, and it has a built-in panty to prevent it from sliding up or down.
I recently bought this piece in my normal size and liked it so much, I bought a second as a “backup”. The reviews are mixed but in my case, it stays put all day and does the job just fine.
Otherwise, this Spanx shaping half-slip seems to have a lot of positive reviews, though you might want to size up for comfort. This one is another option. For shorts, I recommend these ones and these ones. I’m curious about these and these as I love this brand’s underwear.
Generally, with things that are supposed to be tight, I size up to ensure I can wear them comfortably for a prolonged period of time, however, always check the reviews and the size chart.
I hope you find this post helpful and it encourages you to give white clothes a chance 😉.
xo,
Em
