The Visible Underwear Trend Has Taken Over Fashion
This Y2K style has officially been brought into 2023.
Fashion can't get enough of underwear—exposed in all types of styles. In 2021 we saw the mainstream revival of the whale tail, a cheeky '90s underwear trend that showcases an exposed thong. Last year celebrities couldn't stop wearing sheer dresses, a trend that has continued in 2023.
Keeping up the momentum was the rise of pantsless fashion, a trend spearheaded by figures such as Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Florence Pugh. It continued on for the Spring/Summer 2023 season as labels such as Bottega Veneta, Coperni, and Tom Ford debuted pantless looks on the runways. Now, a new way of exposing underwear is being explored: peekaboo style.
More inclusive than the whale tail, and not as exposed as pantsless looks, the peekaboo underwear trend is all about showcasing only a sliver of your boxers, briefs, thongs, or whatever underwear you prefer. The trend originally came to the forefront in the early 2000s, as a variant of the greater underwear-as-outerwear trend. Its 2023 comeback would be remiss without a modern makeover. The Y2K version was all about thongs, now various types of underwear are included—as seen on the Fall/Winter 2023 runways.
Labels such as Miu Miu and Gucci teased the runway as models walked with only the top trimming of the underwear visible above the waistband. Other designers such as Yuhan Wang and Ester Manas showcased an inch of more skin with the models' high-waist lacy briefs. Rick Ownes found the perfect balance between pantless and peekaboo as the label presented floor-length asymmetrical tops that unveiled a side of black underwear underneath.
Proving that peekaboo underwear is in, L'OFFICIEL has rounded up top style moments of the trend from off and on the Fall/Winter 2023 runways.