“If I were younger, I would go out in panties!” So said Miuccia Prada after the Miu Miu autumn/winter 2023 show, where she sent models, led by Emma Corrin, down the runway in silk and sequinned underwear.
Fast forward a few months, and going out without trousers has become the ultimate fashion power move. This silhouette has been spotted on runways like Miu Miu and Bottega Veneta. Kendall Jenner even donned a black tights, briefs, and navy jumper look from Bottega Veneta, taking the trend to the streets. Models at Coperni paired little tailored jackets with bodysuits, while Victoria Beckham played with long tailored blazers and statement tights.
Celebrities embracing the ‘pantless’ trend recently include Olivia Wilde, Gisele Bündchen, and Hailey Bieber, who was seen wearing a two-tone bodysuit with sheer tights and a long leather coat.
The trouserless look might be the logical evolution from the micro-miniskirts Miu Miu showed in earlier seasons, and it’s a reaction to the ongoing scrutiny of women’s bodies. It’s a reminder to live life on your terms, echoing a quote from fashion designer Mary Quant, who liberated women’s bodies in the 60s with daring miniskirts.
This isn’t the first time this subversive look has been in fashion. It was worn by style icon Edie Sedgwick in the 60s, and even Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Tina Turner wore it as onstage costumes. In the 90s, Vivienne Westwood, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen interpreted briefs as trousers. Sarah Jessica Parker’s ‘fashion roadkill’ moment in bejeweled Dolce & Gabbana underwear in “Sex and the City” is also memorable.
Heather Gramston, senior head of buying at Browns, notes that underwear worn as outerwear returns every few years but has now found a much wider audience, thanks to Miu Miu’s runway shows and ‘It’ girls like Jenner and Bieber.
The trend doesn’t have to be daunting; you can choose to reveal as much or as little as you like. For a trans-seasonal look heading into autumn, layer microshorts with higher denier tights or a sheer skirt, paired with an oversized knit, leather jacket, or a long tailored coat for more coverage.
Sinead Cutts, style director at The Outnet, believes it will be the ultimate party look for the upcoming season. Bejeweled shorts and cardigans like Miu Miu’s creations will take this trend to new heights.
Chloe Street, head of fashion content at Net-a-Porter, wore the look to London Fashion Week, and she believes it’s not as daring as it might seem. She sees it as a response to the frenetic times we live in, making getting dressed simpler.
Jenner’s Bottega Veneta look with a navy jumper, black pants, black sheer tights, and black courts is a classic and chic example of how to wear the trend in a modern, easy way.
Overall, this leg-baring trend, emerging from micro shorts featured at Milan Fashion Week from brands like Gucci, Prada, and Ferragamo, seems set to stay and continue evolving.
