The Bold Rise of Lingerie as Outerwear in Street and Couture Fashion

In 2026 fashion is embracing visible lingerie as outerwear turning intimate garments into bold statements that blend sensuality with everyday style and couture creativity.

The Trend on Runways

Visible lingerie as outerwear has moved from niche styling into a full fashion moment in 2026. Designers highlighted lace bodysuits bralettes and corsets worn over tailored pieces and under sheer mesh creating looks that feel both bold and refined. This trend elevates lingerie from hidden basics into visible style building blocks for modern wardrobes. According to fashion insiders seen across shows this year designers intentionally showcased bralettes and lacy pieces layered under tailored jackets and even structured coats.

Everyday Styling and Cultural Impact

It’s not just couture anymore. Street style is incorporating lingerie pieces with relaxed tailoring and layered looks. A lace bodysuit paired with a structured blazer or a delicate slip top under wide‑leg trousers creates a vibe that is both effortless and fashion‑forward. This trend reflects how lingerie trends 2026 are revisiting sensuality with practical confidence. This movement is part of a broader shift toward style that feels individualized – expressive without being overt. Visible lingerie encourages people to think of intimates as intentional fashion statements, embracing confidence and self‑expression.

Examples in Action

Across major fashion capitals, visible lingerie as outerwear is already taking distinct forms. In Paris and Milan, sheer corset tops layered over crisp shirts or paired with tailored trousers dominate couture presentations, emphasizing craftsmanship and structure. In New York and London, street style leans more relaxed: bralettes worn under oversized blazers, slip dresses styled with chunky knits, or lace camisoles balanced with denim and sneakers. Meanwhile, fashion scenes in Seoul and Tokyo reinterpret the trend through layering and proportion, often combining visible lingerie with oversized silhouettes or tech-inspired outerwear. These outerwear lingerie moments show how the trend adapts seamlessly across aesthetics, from polished minimalism to experimental streetwear.

At London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026, panties unexpectedly became the focal point of several runway collections, signaling just how far visible lingerie as outerwear has evolved. Designers sent models down the catwalk in high-cut briefs layered with sheer skirts, structured blazers, or tailored coats, treating underwear not as a hidden base layer but as the outfit itself. These looks balanced provocation with polish, often pairing minimal lingerie silhouettes with sharp tailoring or statement accessories to ground the styling. The result was a confident, fashion-forward statement that reframed panties as intentional design elements, reinforcing the season’s broader message: lingerie is no longer confined to intimacy, but fully integrated into contemporary couture storytelling.

Where the Trend Thrives

The rise of visible lingerie as outerwear signals a broader cultural shift toward confidence-driven dressing and fluid boundaries between private and public style. It challenges traditional ideas of modesty while empowering wearers to control how sensuality is expressed—subtle, layered, and intentional rather than provocative. This trend is most likely to thrive in fashion-forward urban centers where self-expression is celebrated, such as Western Europe, North America, parts of East Asia, and emerging creative hubs in the Middle East and Latin America. As lingerie trends 2026 continue to blur categories, visible lingerie becomes less about shock value and more about styling intelligence, offering a versatile language of modern femininity that resonates globally.

Styling Tips for 2026

Daytime visible lingerie in 2026 combines comfort with refined design. Think lace bralettes under soft knitwear or silk camis that peek from tailored blazers. The key is balance between sensual detail and everyday wearability.
Choose pieces with supportive structure and subtle embroidery to make them feel intentional rather than too revealing. For evening looks elevate your lingerie‑as‑outerwear with corsets layered under statement jackets or lace slips paired with tailored trousers. Fabrics with sheen or delicate finishes help translate intimate pieces into polished evening ensembles.

• Layer bralettes under oversized blazers for refined edge
• Pair lace bodysuits with high‑waist trousers for modern elegance
• Opt for corsets over crisp shirts for high contrast styling

Takeaway from Hayenne

Visible lingerie as outerwear in 2026 bridges sensuality with everyday elegance. By bringing intimate wear into mainstream outfits and runway looks alike this trend celebrates confidence and the beauty of expressive personal style.

APA Sources

• Glamour. (2025). 6 lingerie trends you’ll see everywhere in 2026 according to style insiders.
• Simone Grozelle. (2025). 5 Fashion Trends That Will Define 2026 And How to Wear Them Now.