The Naked Dress Trend in Real Life
1 Woman Wore the Naked Dress IRL, and This Is What She Learned
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In a single night, celebrities like Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian ushered in a new era of red carpet dressing with sheer gowns we quickly dubbed "the naked dress." Since the Met Gala, the term has become a steady part of the fashion vernacular, referring to a sheer dress, embroidered or bedazzled just enough to create some semblance of modesty while revealing just about everything else.
As with most trends in fashion, editors quickly became immune to the trend. It didn't seem as shocking as it did the night it arrived on the red carpet. In fact, it seemed normal. I mean, we've all seen Kim Kardashian naked at this point, right? Well, either because I was so numb to the look or so blissfully unaware of what it felt like to wear it, I agreed to put it to the test in real life. How hard could it be?
I'm not a model or actress; I am not Beyoncé; and I'm not used to having my picture taken. While I've seen the look on dozens of supermodels and style icons, seeing the outfit on someone else can't ever prepare you for feeling quite so naked in public. This is what I learned.
The Trendsetters
Queen Bey wore a body-baring Givenchy outfit that put her assets on display.
Kim Kardashian adorned her curves with feathers and embellishments in all the right places in her Roberto Cavalli gown.
Jennifer Lopez's sparkly Versace covered (just barely) what it needed to.
The Dress
IRL
1. There's no place to hide
When you're looking at photos on the page, you forget what it's like to see the dress move. It looks frozen; however, in real life, I assure you, it is not. While the For Love & Lemons dress comes equipped with a short slip built right in, it doesn't always stay in place, so you run the risk of putting even more on display, especially when you're walking stairs (whether they be to the subway or to the Met). You better believe I'm taping this slip in place next time — I'm sure Beyoncé did.
2. The Rest of the World Hasn't Seen the "Naked Dress"
Working in fashion can make even the most bizarre trends seem normal. I was fine being the first among my friends to wear a crop top, but ask yourself if you want to be the one bringing the "naked dress" trend to the next Summer wedding. In real life, no one is really immune to seeing someone appear so nude — even if it is an illusion. I learned this the hard way walking down Park Avenue and into a McDonald's. Even if they've seen it on Beyoncé in a magazine, seeing it in the flesh on the woman next to you in line is a different experience entirely. For my part, I could understand their fascination, but I had less patience for the men trying to get a good read on whether that was actually my skin they were seeing. Lesson learned: be prepared for a lot of extra (and unwanted) attention.
3. All That "Nakedness" Is Kind of Empowering
It was impossible for me not to think about my body slipping into something this skimpy. I was constantly drawing a comparison between Jennifer Lopez in her dress and me, in mine. Let's just say in this instance of "who wore it better," it seemed to boil down less to the styling and became more about the body. I zipped up the dress and immediately regretted the bagel I'd had on my way into the office. But when I looked in the mirror, the dress didn't look tight. It held me in the right places, helping to define my waist and lift my chest. No, it wasn't Jennifer Lopez's body, but it was mine. It made me stand up straighter and walk a little more purposefully to see my body like that.
4. You've Gotta Embrace It
I went through the first part of the morning clinging at my slip and crossing my arms to avoid overexposure. Can you blame me? I have lingerie that offers more coverage. I was getting more looks than I knew what to do with (some overly nice, some not so nice at all). I wanted to shout, "I know I'm not Beyoncé. I'm doing this for work, I swear." Then I caught my reflection again, and it made me smile. I was wearing something glamorous and dramatic — something so far out of my comfort zone it made me feel like someone else. Maybe I was Beyoncé — I didn't care, I felt fierce.
