5 Ways to Style Our Sleepwear & Underwear as Outerwear

When it comes to clothing, great value isn’t just about durability or an excellent price-to-quality ratio (although those things too!), it’s also about finding pieces you can wear regularly. And what’s more versatile than something you can wear to bed and outdoors?

Lingerie as outerwear has become a major fashion trend over recent years, and it’s definitely not all about wearing bras as tops. There are plenty of subtler, more conservative ways to dip your toes into this clothing trend too, such as the soaring popularity of lingerie-inspired satin slip dresses for summer.

Still thinking you couldn’t possibly wear your nighties out and about? To give you some styling inspiration, we’ve put together five looks – for five different occasions – that all feature a Shadowline Lingerie® garment. Perhaps this article will change your mind!

Look 1: Casual daywear (warm weather)

When the temperatures skyrocket, stay cool in our Before Bed Sleepshirt which is made from breathable, natural fiber-based modal fabric. It might have originally been designed with comfy sleeping in mind, but it’s fully opaque meaning it can be styled just like any other casual t-shirt dress – we suggest wearing it with sneakers to trek about town. If you like this look, you might want to also take a look at placket-front version of the sleepshirt, or the sleeveless tank style version.

Look 2: Casual daywear (cool weather)

When it comes to wearing lingerie as outerwear, satin is one of our favorite fabrics; like our modal, our signature satin charmeuse is opaque so you can wear it all by itself. The Satin Essentials Wide Strap Chemise is quite possibly our most versatile piece of all – not only can you wear it as underwear or outerwear, it’s easy to dress up or down and is reversible for a choice of V or scoop neckline!

Satin is intrinsically glamorous, but by no means for evening only. Keep the overall look low-key by throwing a big, slouchy knit cardigan over the top, adding opaque pantyhose and flat or low-heeled boots, and selecting matte-textured accessories rather than ones that shine.

Look 3: Eveningwear

Headed to a special occasion? Take our Silky Ballet Nightgown out for a spin! With its glossy shimmer and lacy trim it’s a guaranteed head-turner, and the midi length means it doesn’t instantly read as ‘lingerie’. Pair it with coordinated heels and a clutch and, since the neckline is already beautifully adorned, a set of fancy drop earrings that will add detail around your face without making the décolletage area look overly busy.

Look 4: Officewear

For workplaces with a casual or even smart-casual dress code, a camisole and jacket/cardigan combination is a fabulous alternative to a shirt or blouse. Again, our Satin Essentials Wide Strap Camisole is opaque so you don’t need to worry about your bra showing, and it’s cut on the bias for a relaxed, flowing fit that will keep you comfortable in your 9-to-5. Like the Satin Essentials slip above, it’s reversible for a choice of necklines.

Look 5: Beachwear

Always wishing you had more suitcase space when you go on vacation? Pack our braided-strap Beloved Short Babydoll Nightgown which will do double duty as sleepwear and a cover-up for the beach or pool! The loose fit and breathable, easy-wash fabric makes it simply perfect for the task, and if you prefer maxi dresses by the sea, it’s also available in a longer 53” version. Just add flip flops or pretty beach sandals, and a wide-brimmed hat to shade your eyes and shoulders.

We hope that this article has opened your eyes to some new ways to wear and enjoy your favorite Shadowline Lingerie® garments! If you put an outfit together that includes one of our pieces, we’d love to see it – you can tag us @shadowlinelingerie on Instagram.