The transparent dress is a thing

So I tried on a great suit in Italy. ‘Made for you,’ the saleswoman had said. My daughter looked curious when I came out of the fitting room. ‘Mom, I can see your nipples.’ Yes, I saw those too. And my underwear, I saw that too. ‘I'm in love,’ I said to the saleswoman, ‘but what does a person wear underneath?’ She looked at me blankly. ‘Yes, whatever you want.’ I ran to the nearest Intimissimi (my favorite Italian lingerie brand) and bought a nice beige body, because that suit had become mine.

Still, I struggled a bit with the wearing moments until I was in the garden of Grand Hotel Rimini having breakfast. One sheer dress after another tripped in. A bikini underneath and done. That was their outfit of the day and no one made a fuss about it. It was a little eureka moment for me. So I ran to my room, squeezed into my swimsuit and put my new suit over it. Since then, I've worn the suit about five times.

The Italian saleswoman already knew what I didn't know: that sheer dress is a thing. And a keeper. And I have news for you: you're going to wear it too. Even this winter.

1. Wear something over it
For example, a large blazer that falls over your butt.

2. Wear a slip underneath
The safe option.

3. Wear it cool with a loose sweater over it
You take a sheer dress, wear a sturdy dark panty underneath, big biker boots below that, and a chunky knitted sweater that falls loosely over your shoulder so that you can see a fragment of the dress at the top.

4. Use it as a beach dress
The tried and tested Italian recipe then. Swimsuit, bikini, whatever you want, and a sheer little something over it, hatsekiedee. A child can do the laundry.

5. Do the Kate Moss
For the daredevils among us: wear it like Kate Moss did back in the ‘90s. Panty underneath, dress on, and done. Respect if you dare. Mrs. Moss will be proud.