Though the line between clothing and lingerie has become increasingly blurry these days, Kristen Stewart turned heads when she recently stepped onto the Venice Film Festival red carpet in a bold Chanel sheer tunic and matching pants.
The mint green set, from the house's fall/winter '21 couture collection, was a rather stark departure from anything we've seen Stewart in before, and yet, the actress shone. Attending the premiere of her upcoming Princess Diana biopic Spencer, the actress struck the elusive balance of effortlessly put-together that we all aspire to, but looking every bit the A-lister in what Internet commentators have been comparing to glamourous sleepwear.
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And though we simply can't wax lyrical enough about Zendaya's wet-look Balmain dress or Penelope Cruz's Gothic princess moment — also courtesy of Chanel — the resonance of Stewart's look hits home for multiple reasons.
Allow us to cast your mind back to the era of 2004-2006. Brangelina had their first child together and 'Promiscuous' by Nelly Furtado was playing on repeat at our pre-drinks (still is, tbh). Marissa Cooper was the envy of all on The O.C., inspiring a generation of fans to rock their most daring going out tops. And one of our favourite iterations her iconic character reached for on repeat? The camisole.
The camisole is a unique Y2k trend, as it wasn't unflattering like, say, hip belts, and it also didn't really leave. Rather just evolved. We ditched the sequins and lace, opting for more minimalist styles, and wore them with tailored trousers and sandals over skinny jeans and ballet flats. But now, in a time where we spend more time in pyjamas than we have before, the idea of 'outside' and 'inside' clothes feels almost redundant, and Kristen Stewart wearing a delicate Chanel nightie-esque 'fit on a red carpet — and looking blissfully at ease while she does it — actually feels more relevant than ever.
And the return of the lingerie hybrid uniform hasn't just been a red carpet wonder, either. Not too long ago we saw the Scandi fashion set gather in Copenhagen for their annual Fashion Week, and one of the main trends we clocked from the uber-chic attendees? Suiting given a risqué spin with bras worn as tops.
Of course, it's understandable that people have made moves to dress sexier post-lockdowns, after so much time cooped up in sweats. But lingerie also has an uncanny ability to put us at ease, and even boost our confidence, as studies have shown. The pieces designed for actual sleeping are of course comfortable, but even the ones that aren't, tend to come in slinky fabrics that'll make all your other clothes feel unbearably restrictive.
Styling lingerie for the outside world is easy. You can channel the likes of Alexa Chung by tucking a silky camisole into relaxed jeans and polishing off the look with a classic blazer and red lipstick, or make like Rihanna and lean into the corset top trend with an oversized coat and trousers. And if you're still lost? Well, nothing inspires styling like a rewatch of The O.C. in this author's humble opinion.