Tricky trend... sheer

The spring/summer 08 catwalks were awash with sheer, delicate fabrics and transparent pieces with oodles of flesh on display. Read on to find out how to make the trend work for you... by Fiona Raisbeck

Alexander McQueen and Prada embraced the trend in suitably flamboyant fashion, with plenty of see-through designs for the more daring fashionista. But, don't despair if you haven't got a super-toned model's body, because wearing sheer doesn't have to mean maximum flesh exposure.

Collections worth noting include Chloe, which featured pleated chiffon to conceal your modesty and Louis Vuitton, where heaps of sheer fabrics in gorgeous shades of midnight blue and pastel pinks were strategically layered over non-transparent garments. Jil Sander gave us sheer tailoring over separates and puffy net wraps in pretty purple hues layered over tops, shorts and trousers while Richard Nicoll showed us how to make sheers sexy, not tarty, by layering them over clingy dresses.

Dolce & Gabbana, masters of the sexy sheer look have made underwear as outerwear their trademark, and along with Alessandro Dell'Acqua, demonstrated the importance of sturdy underwear.

Showing everyone how it's done (yet again) was starry-eyed supermodel Kate Moss, who wore a sheer, billowing dress over a Chanel jumpsuit to her birthday party last month. Nicole Kidman also got it right in a demure Prada dress with sheer panels in all the right places and Thandie Newton got maximum red carpet points in her one-shouldered satin Alexander McQueen gown with a glimpse of shoulder through a lacy sleeve.

The Rules:
• Try wearing a long-sleeve sheer top, in light or dark shades, underneath a strappy dress for a dash of sheer on your arms and chest (see Thandie Newton).
• Copy the catwalk and layer a classic trouser suit over a transparent top with a camisole vest underneath to give a tailored outfit a twist (see Richard Nicoll).
• Try a sheer dress cinched in at the waist with a skinny belt over a more body-con number to create a delicate, romantic look (see BCBG).
• To make the trend more wearable, add single sheer pieces to an outfit to avoid see-through overkill (see Kate Moss).
• Layer, layer, layer... (see Louis Vuitton, Jil Sander)
• The golden rule - nudity is strictly for the catwalk. To avoid looking trashy invest in sturdy underwear, absolutely no thongs (see Dolce & Gabbana, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Richard Nicoll)!

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