Show & Tell: H&M Sheer Top

With the theme of the month being The Show Must Go On, there is no way we can’t show a little bit of skin somewhere along the line. Women have found countless ways over the years to show a little (or a lot) of skin over the years, some more tasteful than others. This season is ripe with interesting cutouts and laces, but this week, I’m going to focus on one that can be worn in countless ways all with a flirty and fun result. I’m talking sheer tops, people!

For the past week I was struggling to think of an item that I could showcase. I mean, I have lots of clothes, I have endless of online resources, and one would think it would be easy to find something to feature! However, sometimes you find something you love and it ends up working perfectly for not only countless outfits, but also one blog in need of an item of the week! I found a beautiful sheer graphic top (pictures to follow) while out shopping for a bathing suit (pictures not to follow) at H&M. Possibly the best part of this whole story is this baby was only $14.95!

I’m just going to put something out there: I’m a pretty cheap person when it comes to clothes. Generally, I have a rule that if something is sheer I refuse to pay more than $20 for it. However, I might start changing my mind now! I had the monetary cut-off because I couldn’t help but think to myself that sheer limits you so much. You have to wear a shirt or nice bra underneath; you can only do so much with it. But it got me to thinking: you get to show a nice shirt or bra underneath, how often do you get to do that without sheer? It opens up the possibilities so that you can show off items in a way you might not have been able to before. Not only do you get to show off other items of clothing, but also you get to show some skin! 

I’m a strong believer that women of all sizes and shapes shouldn’t be afraid to show off what they have and sheer tops is a shining example of a piece literally anyone can wear. Even if you’re self conscious, there are a huge variety of sheer fabrics that can work with you. If you want to just give a hint to what’s underneath, you can go with a darker, thicker sheer that may just give a sexy hint of what’s going on under there. But for those of you who are loud and proud, sheer can get nearly transparent and you can show the world what you’ve got! For those of you who may be a bit curvier or voluptuous, check out another blogger, Gabifresh, pull off this trend and looked absolutely fabulous doing it! 

Shirt: H&M / Pants: H&M / Shoes: Aldo / Bag: Aldo / Bracelet: Vintage / Sunglasses: GAP

I wore this H&M shirt pretty much as basic as it can get, with a palette of black, white and red. I love my heels, but a pair of flats or sandals would’ve looked just as wonderful here too! The top itself is pretty much perfect for me in the amount of sheer. I’m not afraid to show a bit of skin, but I want something kept the imagination. I also really like button-downs; this top is going to look super cute also done with a front knot instead of completely buttoned up.

However, I’m a little quick on the uptake! This shirt is so new, H&M doesn’t yet have it up on their website. So instead of doing another outfit completely devoted to just this shirt -- because, hey, the more sheer the better -- I did another outfit featuring a different sheer blouse, and a completely different way to wear these fashionable tops!

Shirt: ModCloth / Corset: TopShop / Skirt: Urban Outfitters / Shoes: Aldo
Purse: LuLu's / Friendship Bracelet: ASOS / Beaded Cuff: ASOS

This outfit gives the polar opposite feel to the one I’m wearing above. It’s much more girly, much more springtime, especially using a brighter palette. I love the idea of using a bralette or corset underneath the sheer! It’s the perfect medium between bras and shirts, and a great option for those of you who want to keep a bit more covered!

I definitely recommend one of these basic sheer tops for this season! Not only is it flirty, versatile and outgoing, but also it’s super lightweight for those hot summer days ahead. For those of you trying this look for the first time, try sticking to a basic neutral (the shirt I’m wearing also comes in a pretty nude colour) for even more options when wearing it! What do you think of showing a little skin this summer off of the beach? Would you give it a try?

-Rebekah Eden
The Velvet Team