7 Australian creatives style lingerie as outerwear
IMAGE VIA @LIV_WHITE99/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY RUBY STALEY
“Sex workers are, of course, my biggest inspiration.”
Just because a piece of clothing is intended for a particular use, doesn’t mean it strictly has to be styled that way. That’s the beauty of subversion. To get the most out of my wardrobe and save my hard-earned cash (cost of living crisis, people), I’m always searching for ways to re-wear my clothing in unconventional ways. Think a scarf as a top, dress as a skirt, pair of tights as a top… the list goes on.
Continuing down this route, lately, I’ve been considering how to maximise my lingerie or favourite undergarments. Lacey, delicate, intricate, and structured – it’s a shame we hardly ever get to see these beautiful pieces as the spotlight of an outfit.
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There are so many incredible intimates brands making waves in the design spaces, so it only feels right to put these creations front and centre for once. One of my favourite female-owned Melbourne apparel brands, Sleeping with Jacques, encourages customers to style lingerie as outerwear in a fun, tongue-in-cheek way that’s also incredibly sexy.
As I attempt this styling ethos in my own life, I challenged some of my favourite creatives to show me how they would style some of their favourite lingerie pieces in creative outfits. Here’s what they came up with.
Eloise O’Sullivan, she/her, Co-Founder of Figr
During lockdown I decided to break [free from] the shackles of bras and free the nip as much as I could – as an E-cup breast owner, this was going against everything I was taught during puberty. So, whenever I choose to wear bras, they have to be sexy and a highlight in the outfit. At our last speed dating we hosted, I paired a matching red set of Chou Chou Intimates underneath a killer sparkly dress, opaque tights and knee-high snakeskin boots – it was an outfit perfect for playing cupid for the day.
Jacqui Hoang, she/her, Founder of Sleeping with Jacques
Lingerie-outerwear dressing is typically part of my daily uniform… having an intimates label naturally lends itself to that! As an advocate of ‘doing what makes you feel good’, lingerie-outwear dressing feels natural to me… it’s so important for me to feel comfortable. Because when I’m comfortable, I feel sexy.
So all my designs, though sensual, are first and foremost comfortable. The Freya Bodysuit is the secret weapon that I wear under everything. It’s my second skin and a cute little number that looks great styled as a top or perfect under dresses or suit sets.
Olivia-Jayne White, she/her, model
I’m really into layering my clothing at the moment and creating something unique out of it. I loved the idea of this lingerie-styled look as it made me feel sexy, stylish and confident. I would normally be more secretive with my lingerie and only share it with myself or my partner, but I am loving this look and showing it off for everyone to see. Lingerie allows me to celebrate my body and embrace my inner goddess. I will definitely be bringing out a few more lingerie pieces in the future and can’t wait to see what I can create next.
Harriet Ripley, she/her, vocalist
I was a late developer in high school, so when I got my first training bra I felt the whole world needed to know. Since then, I’ve been building a lingerie empire. [I’ve been] hoarding pieces from my mum, [and] we go lingerie shopping every Christmas. Sex workers are, of course, my biggest inspiration.
My drawers are blessed with local threads and filled with my love and support for their brands and creativity. My lingerie drawer is the first drawer I open when planning my outfit. I always pay homage to the whale tail, and then I just base the rest of the fit around that! Lingerie is just too beautiful to not be visible. Besides, I was never good at keeping secrets.
This particular piece was handmade by my friend Nicole, styled on top of a slip dress which was my mum’s from the ’80s (vintage, so adorable!) I love layering my bralettes and bikini tops on top of anything sheer or mesh – you just feel so sexy, plus it holds the gurls in.
Nadia Eldridge, she/they, model and sales assistant at Mutual Muse
I always want to invoke a sense of whimsy into my outfits, perhaps it’s because I am looking for the magic in the everyday. My styled pieces are all thrifted: the sheer robe I found at A Plus Market from the lovely people Peachy Preloved Clothing. The beautiful olive silk skirt is from Warmstore in Castlemaine, the lovely lace bra, cowboy boots and pearls are from Mutual Muse and my soft cream top was found at a Salvos. Each one has a story attached to it, and my choosing to style my lingerie pieces this way (or unconventionally) is a story about embracing the whimsy and feeling magical.
Kayla Moon, they/them, florist
I chose to wear a set by House of Blyss over my sporty wench look. This look encapsulates a lot of my styles combined in a simplistic manner – comfortable, elegant, classy, rude and monochromatic. You could wear this to a fancy restaurant and make people gasp whilst still being ‘appropriate’. You could also wear it to the club [and] move fluidly and with comfort while you dance.
I think it’s definitely an evening look, but a long lunch would be a great accessory to it as well. ’Fit check equals bike shorts from Glassons, shirt by an old German friend who was here for a summer, boots bought secondhand from Bedford Studios at my market. Lingerie [is] House of Blyss. Body equals mine.
Ricka Juliana, she/her, model
Being a true Melbournian, I love an all-black look for a night out. Usually for me, when my legs are out, everything else is covered up and vice versa. With this look, because I wore the oversized blazer, I wanted a little something underneath that would peek through but not necessarily steal the show. The lace bodysuit is so versatile, and I would wear it again with jeans and a jacket over or another skirt look. It added a little sexy edge, in my mind without showing too much.
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