As I was walking home from work last night, I realized that the sun was setting earlier than I had thought it would. It was 8pm and I hailed a cab home when I looked up and saw the crescent of the moon illuminated with a gentle glow. In that moment I realized that summer is fading away — which gave me giddy butterflies. I stared up at the moon and felt the warm summer breeze on my face as I rode down Eastern Parkway. Autumn is my season. It’s when I feel most alive. It’s when I feel most at home with myself. It’s when my style thrives.
There is something about this time of year — the transition between summer and fall — that allows us to embrace the best aspects of fashion. You can pull out your leather bomber while still rocking your daisy dukes. But my absolutely favorite end-of-summer look? Lingerie as outerwear. It’s an effortless, woke-up-like-this, sexy, chic style that will have you feeling your most confident and embodied. And before the weather gets altogether too cold to even think of donning solely lace and leather — you need to optimize this look.
1. Under your leather bomber.
There is so much you can do when throwing on a leather jacket — pair it with your favorite lace bodysuit, rock a lace bralette and neck scarf, or even just wear your badass Calvin’s sports bra. Every lesbian has her own version of a leather jacket; mine is very ’80s cowgirl chic with leather fringe and huge shoulder pads. It goes flawlessly with any kind of lingerie I’m in the mood for. And it’s ideal for kind of hot, kind of cool weather (that NYC is wont to have in early September).
2. With only a silk dress overtop.
Who better to look to for lingerie fashion advice than none other than GO’s very own lez editor Dayna Troisi? I love the way she paired this rhinestone studded bra with a long silk dress. You could rock this with a pair of Converse for a day look or pull out some heeled booties for more of a date-night look.
3. Paired with your favorite denim.
Lace and denim will always be a ~thing~ in my book. It’s one of those styles that never fades away as a passing fad. Push the limits and try high-waisted lace panties with low-rise denim jeans, or wear a sheer nightgown with an oversized denim jacket. All eyes will be on you when you go for this effortlessly sexy look. The best part? It’s comfortable and stunning at the same time. Fashion doesn’t have to be pain, babes.
4. Underneath anything sheer.
The best part about wearing something sheer is what’s underneath, duh. I’d suggest something strappy and mesh as all the lines of fabric will really be accentuated underneath the see-thru fabric. You will be simultaneously leaving something to the imagination and allowing your body to be seen all voluptuous and stunning.
5. For your last beach trip of the season.
We all mourn when the last beach day of the season comes around. Usually for New Yorkers it’s sometime mid-September when those 80-degree days are fading away, not be seen again until after a harsh, cold winter. I say go out with a f*cking bang. Wear your favorite lingerie and pair it with a sexy leather harness or collar (yum, kink). Allow all of summer’s blissful memories to fade into the past as you watch the ocean crash down on the sand, all while feeling erotic AF.
There is something incredibly powerful about dressing up sexy purely for yourself. My relationship to lingerie has shifted over the years — I used to only wear it for a lover’s pleasure but now I usually wear it for myself. I wear it to feel sensual, as the lace graces my inner thigh. I wear it to feel powerful, as the mesh mixes with my affinity for leather accessories. I wear it to feel like my most sexy, most queer, most badass self.
How do you like to wear your lingerie as outerwear, babes?
What Do You Think?