In a short few years sheer clothing has transformed itself from a seasonal accent into an ever green fashion trend. It started off as a statement that, with its chest-baring qualities, was only to be found on the catwalks. No more. Now chests are bared, shoulders highlighted and legs made to look longer. In fact, from the sexual to the subtle, sheer elements now can be found highlighting and accenting every desirable part of a woman’s figure.

But how has it changed for spring 2012, how will it be carried into autumn / fall 2012 and how, most importantly, can you work it into your own wardrobe? Read on after the break to find out.

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Sheer clothing trend: S/S 2012

When sheer fashion first made its current trend debut on the catwalk some 5 years ago, it was considered something of a frivolity. After all, it was effectively see through clothing that various designers were highlighting their interpretation of. Given just what the sheer accent revealed – catwalks being what they are few designers shied away from creating see through tops and stylists were keen for them to shown accordingly – few women were willing to invest in the look. In fact, most baulked at it and continue to with varying degrees of conservatism. But gradually sheer clothing has defied the odds, moving from the catwalks to the street, from a seasonal statement to an all-year-round trend.

That change means that in spring 2012 sheer elements are used to highlight many a different part of a woman’s figure, and have been interpreted in every which way, from the sensual to the sexual.

Sexual sheer: how sheer can you go?

The sexual interpretation of sheer is considered the statement to make when it comes to this trend, and there’s a lot of reasons for that. First and foremost, it’s not shy. Statement fashion is about confidence, and you need confidence (not to mention the right features) to wear sexualised sheer. The second reason is far less tangible: there are those people who still turn their noses up at sheer clothing. People who says it’s improper. Immoral. Vulgar. And whenever something is labelled as immodest or immoral, there’s a queue of the young (and young at heart) vying to be a part of it.

So what does sexualised sheer look like in spring / summer 2012?

There are elements of sheer clothing that’ll feel immediately familiar: the see through tops and the see through skirts. Deciding which to wear (though you wouldn’t be the first to wear both at the same time) first comes down to what you want to show off, and then becomes a question of your personal style – you’ll find chiffon worked across every personal taste, from the elegant to the alternative.

If all-out sheer tops are your thing then you can look to Haider Ackermann for minimalist dresses that work in sheer tops with opaque bottoms, Alexander Wang for a sports fashion interpretation where the designs hide the chest, and Anne Demeulemeester for some of the strongest instances of summer layering of sheers. Here the basic premise is the same, but the choice of style remains yours.

Sheer tops in black and white from John Galliano and Anne Demeulemeester.

It’s the same story for sheer skirts and dresses and, to a lesser degree, sheer pants. You’ll see a lot of silhouettes and ideas, from grunge to glamourous, that have evolved from last season. Even pleats remain one of the largest styling elements. While you’ll find sheer mini dresses an option and lots of long sleeved midi-dresses made of nothing but chiffon, the fact is that it’s still a case of the sheer maxi dress being in abundance. What actually feels newer is just how sheer you can go. While fall 2011 saw the sheer maxi skirt seldom stray away from being a short opaque skirt overlaid with a longer chiffon one, spring 2012 gives you the option of doing away with the conformity. Thus if you’ve got the bum for the look and are game enough to be seen in hot pants or boy shorts, there are now wholly sheer options for you. And they’re at all ends of the fashion spectrum: from the studs of Felder Felder to the glamour of Christian Dior.

Sheer dresses from Felder Felder and John Galliano.

What feels freshest this season is the layering of sheer. While lace clothing stood apart as a separate trend last year, this year its dominance wanes and it’s subsumed by the sheer trend. Some designers have noted this and their creations have been things of beauty. For inspiration look to Valentino where you’ll find wholly sheer ensembles that beautifully layer black lace and sheer chiffon. If lace isn’t your thing, sheer clothing has also subsumed the crochet / macrame clothing trend and you’ll find it layered in everything from skirts to tap pants.

Black lace and chiffon dress from Valentino.

Given just how sheer you can choose to go in spring / summer 2012, there are very few things limiting the way you can interpret the trend. Even colour makes its mark this season. While you’ll sheer black you can find in abundance, you can also look to the likes of Dior, John Galliano, Mulberry and Valentino for ways to make a statement of colours just as much as the sheer itself. In fact, where the colours are strongest the sheer elements can be totally dominated.

Coloured chiffon dresses from John Galliano and Valentino.

How to tone down the sexual.

You’ll note that a lot of the above examples of sheer clothing show off more skin than most would be comfortable with. I say most because the truth is that liberal society has moved far enough along that there are women who are already wearing them as you see on the catwalk: we’ve spotted the outright, the layered and the slight.

Not everyone will dare go there, however. In fact, most won’t. Or won’t unless there’s a way to tone down the overall look. Which is where the layering of sheer with other trends comes in. That can be the layering of opaque pieces over sheer ones, blazers over sheer tops are ever popular, or the layering underneath (thus requiring an investment in statement lingerie). For some examples you can look to the above inspiration gallery. Also look to other seasonal trends, especially the embellished clothing trend which provides a perfect counterbalance without the need to layer.

Subtle sheer

It was tempting to describe this section as ‘the sensual’, but sexuality can be sensual and subtlety can sometimes be anything but. So instead we’ll stick strictly to good interpretations of subtle sheers.

Like with the sexualised interpretations of sheer, a lot of the subtle interpretations work with summer layering, the density of the layering removing the revealing elements of sheer. Mulberry, for instance, have offered up a chiffon maxi skirt so weighty that its sheer layers have become opaque. Like a sheer that borders on opaque, however, that’s an obvious interpretation of the trend. More interesting is where sheer has been worked through as a detail as opposed to a statement.

Mulberry sheer maxi skirt.

For those looking for this subtler interpretation, options abound. At the subtlest end of the spectrum Cacharel showed how well a sheer panel can work, chiffon forming part of the shoulder and working down the side before disappearing into a pocket. Stepping it up a notch you have the more elaborate panelling of Kevork Kiledjian as well as the designer’s interpretation of sheer as tail-hem. A true-spark was to be found on the catwalk of Roberto Cavalli, however, where the inside of pleats were made sheer.

Chiffon panelling from Cacharel and Roberto Cavalli.

The dominant interpretation of subtle sheer in spring / summer 2012 comes via the sleeves and shoulders of pieces, however. While there are a variety of interpretations, this sub-element of the trend sees sheer imagined through the many vintage fashion revivals apparent in all of 2012’s trends. Hence you’ll see chiffon sleeves made unforgettable during the season 5 premiere of Mad Men, and you’ll find them classically interpreted by the likes of Christian Dior and given a modern interpretation by the likes of Alexander Wang and Iceberg.

Chiffon neckline and sheer sleeves from Dior and Iceberg.

How to wear sheer

As a statement look the question really isn’t whether to wear sheer clothing or not, it’s how to wear it. Some will argue with that and it’s likely that such people will be imaging the breast-baring, sheer fashion of the catwalks – but remember that it doesn’t have to be worn that way. Thus the question arises as to how you want to wear it. And here’s the number one tip for doing just that:

Sheer fashion is about showing something off. Sometimes it’s a sheer fabric layered over a nice cloth, but more often then not sheer is about showing off skin. Like all things in fashion, that means when you’re wearing sheer don’t do it to shock but to flatter – wear sheer to show off a great asset.

If you’ve got great arms that could mean sheer sleeves. A great midriff? There’s sheer for that. From plunging necklines to backless dresses there’s a sheer interpretation of it, thus no reason not to be wearing the statement this year as long as you have something worth showing off. Once you’ve decided what to hide and what to reveal, you can theme your pieces accordingly.

Sheer / see through clothing styling inspiration

What follows is a list of links to photo shoots, catwalks and street style photos designed to give you ideas for how to style the sheer clothing trend for yourself. The most recent examples of the look are at the top of the list.

What follows are is Fashionising.com’s coverage of the past interpretations of the see through clothing trend:

Sheer fashion in autumn / fall 2011

3 interpretations of sheer clothing for autumn 2011 from ADAM (L), Louis Vuitton (M) and Emilio de la Morena (R)

• Unlike in the warmer months, sheer fabric is used in winter as an accent / embellishment – think sheer panels across the chest or midriff – or as a component for layering
• There are those who have bucked this style, however, for full sheer looks instead. Gucci are a big proponent, marrying it with the 70s fashion revival
• Given dark colours lend themselves best to colder months, it should come as no surprise to find that black is the most common sheer colour in fall / winter 2011.
• Double the effect of the statement: clear plastic overcoats are in and you’ll find them available from the likes of Burberry Prorsum and Louis Vuitton

Sheer fashion in spring / summer 2011

3 interpretations of sheer clothing for summer 2011 from Jaime Lee (M) and Alice McCall (L,R)

• Sheer is all about soft, light colours for spring / summer 2011, particularly white
• Summer clothing is often light enough, so if you’d like to avoid fully sheer clothing consider clever designs such as Alice McCall’s half hatching, white summer dress where the squares between the hatching are sheer. It’s pictured above
• Black sheer pieces have largely remained the domain of maxi dresses for summer

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