I’ll keep this brief: Pants are out, and peekaboo undies are in.
Designers like Bottega Veneta, Coperni and Tom Ford sent out models in their skivvies during their spring 2023 shows, and with the likes of Christian Siriano and Prabal Gurung presenting similarly pantsless styles at New York Fashion Week this month, the trend’s showing no signs of slowing.
Plenty of oft-papped celebrities have hopped on the trou-dropping bandwagon in recent months, too — perhaps none more boldly than Kylie Jenner, who attended the Loewe show in September wearing a pair of the luxury label’s $490 tighty-whities with a tank top and black opaque tights.
Intrigued by the beauty billionaire’s haute take on Hanes chic, I picked up some white briefs from MeUndies — decidedly less pricey than her designer pair at just $20 — and styled a similar look to test-drive on the streets on NYC.
As I paraded around the Upper West Side in my panties and heels à la Kylie, I felt like I was living my nightmare of leaving home without my clothes on — and the fact that it was a chilly 35 degrees outside didn’t help. But surprisingly, passersby seemed to like the leg-baring look.
“Somebody paid you a lot of money for this picture,” a construction worker remarked as I posed for The Post’s photographer. “Damn!” another hollered appreciatively as he drove by in his car.
“You look great,” added the owner of a local coffee cart; when I asked him whether he’d be willing to go pantsless in public, he shrugged and replied, “Sure, if they paid me for it.” (That makes two of us, pal.)
After an hour or so of strutting around in my skivvies, I was feeling peckish. So inspired by Bella Hadid, who was recently snapped eating pizza in her boxer briefs, I stopped to grab a slice at one of my favorite nearby spots — and narrowly dodged a disastrous dribble of red sauce down the front of my all-white outfit. Perhaps I should’ve packed a Tide pen.
Save for the pervasive threat of stains and the 4-inch heels I’d paired with the look, however, my thigh-baring ensemble was actually quite comfortable. Swap my drawers and tank top for a bodysuit or leotard, in fact, and I’d probably blend right in with the ballerinas milling around Lincoln Center in their dancer-off-duty attire.
It also helped that, like Kylie, I layered a long coat over my tank top and tighty-whities, which not only added much-needed warmth but also blocked my booty from view. (Fun fact: When you get a wedgie while wearing your underwear as outerwear, everyone knows it.)
While I’m not sure you’ll catch me rocking bright white briefs as bottoms again anytime soon, there are ways to style this stripped-down fad for a night out that won’t make you look like a Captain Underpants cosplayer.
Take Kendall Jenner, who teamed a navy sweater with black briefs, tights and heels while out and about in LA in November. Or Camila Mendes, who looked effortlessly cool in the front row at Coach’s New York Fashion Week show this month in a black bralette and high-waisted briefs topped with an oversized leather aviator jacket.
When it comes to ways to wear this trend, it would appear, the options really are endless — or should I say, bottomless.