Why I Am (Intentionally) Ditching My Underwear This Party Season

When I was young, wild and hangover-proof, the morning after the night before would inevitably be a wonderful opportunity to flex my amateur detective skills as I attempted to track down what had gone MIA in the early hours. Debit card, dress, dignity; all at different times (and on one catastrophically messy night the same time) gone, gone, gone. So while this won’t be the first party season I’ve ended the night sans underwear – it will be the first one I’ve started it without.

From now until January 1st I will be embracing every possible opportunity to forego my knickers and/or bra in looks that don’t so much invite you to go commando as demand it. I’m talking about Nensi Dojaka’s twisted lingerie tops, delicate slices of tulle that barely cover a boob. I’m all about Marcia’s peekaboo mini dresses and lace-up trousers, with their flashes of naked thigh. If I’m feeling particularly bold (and for that matter, warm) I might even dare to make a play for show-it-all off Poster Girl dress (that is, if I can get my hands on one. They are selling fast at Flannels right now). Top of my next season wishlist are Supriya Lele’s low-slung ‘thong’ trousers and Coperni’s hoist ‘em up, twisted tops.

Needless to say the A-List have already got the memo. Look at the American Music Awards where outré cutouts ruled. Or see Kendall Jenner in her upstage-the-bride Monôt dress at her friend's wedding earlier this month. And consider the moment that David Koma’s glitzy slivers of fabric are having right now via the likes of JLO, Zendaya and Megan Fox.

But it’s my dear friend, the writer and influencer Camille Charrière, who is my no-underwear hero: she got me into one of those Marcia dresses last New Year’s Eve (which I spent alone – truly criminal treatment for a knockout dress). Come September she pitched up at the Nensi Dojaka show in September in a sheer top by the designer. Maintaining a nonchalant air of je ne sais quoi with your nipples on show is an art – but then she is French, so…

You might think it’s ok for me because I am in my early twenties with a gravity-defying model physique. Except – plot twist! – I am not and I don’t. Rather I am a woman in her mid-thirties who should know better, and 5’1” with boobs that very much do require a bra. I don’t even drink a drop of alcohol anymore; I really have no excuses.

So why now? Why not! The ferocious return of ultra sexy clothes is a kick (bare) ass reaction against the drab dressing that ruled our wardrobes during lockdowns. If that was a baked potato (comforting, homely, ultimately a bit boring) then these clothes are a neat tequila shot (possibly not a good idea – but you’ll have a lot of fun finding out).

The way to wear the look if you are A) not called Kendall and B) don’t fancy getting arrested, is to make up for what you lack in underwear with great outerwear. ‘All fur coat and no knickers’ is not an insult now. A shaggy faux fur coat or glossy trench will act as your comfort blanket, and ease you into the evening.

You want to think ‘reveal-and-conceal’ not ‘flasher’ so also think about adding some tailoring to your party season repertoire. A relaxed, boyish suit makes a pleasing contrast to a mesh top, for instance. Choose a blazer big enough and it will keep your modesty (mostly) intact – although feel free to lose it if you’re feeling risqué.

And if you really can’t face being separated from your smalls this party season, you’re in luck. There’s also a case for deliberately showing off your underwear. Think see-through dresses with big pants or a suit with a bra peeping out underneath. Want to show that you can be a hedonism headliner and keep your briefs intact? 16Arlington's glittery thong, Coperni's sparkly knickers and Nué Studio's coiled crystal bras that are all far too good to be left out of the fun.