From Marie Antoinette to Marilyn Monroe: the enduring scandal of the naked dress
Transparency in fashion has never been just about fabric; it is a recurring battleground for modesty and law. From 18th-century muslin gowns to the 1960s' 'x-ray dresses,' see-through clothing has repeatedly sparked public outcrashes, police interventions, and even the creation of new search technologies.
The history of sheer clothing is a cycle of innovation and indignation. In the 1780s, the 'chemise à la Reine'—a filmy white muslin dress worn by Marie Antoinette—became a symbol of controversial fashion. Visitors like Abigail Adams were shocked by the revealing nature of such gowns in Paris. By the late 1790s, observers like Louis-Sébastien Mercier noted a trend of 'a la sauvage' dressing, where semi-sheer muslin was worn over flesh-colored bodystockings, a style he blamed on the influence of nude classical statues.
The 20th century saw even more aggressive legal and social pushback. In 1913, the 'x-ray dress' caused such consternation in the United States that the chief of police in Los Angeles considered banning the diaphanous style, while the mayor of Portland, Oregon, ordered the arrest of women wearing gowns cut too low or split to the knee. This tension between transparency and modesty persisted through the 1960s, when designers like Yves Saint Laurent and André Courrèges utilized netting and clear plastic, and even led to the creation of 'body jewellery'—metal breastplates designed to be visible through sheer shirts.
Hollywood provided the ultimate stage for the 'illusion dress.' Jean Louis, a designer for stars like Marlene Dietrich, mastered the art of using sequins and lace to create the appearance of nudity. This reached a cultural peak in 1962 when Marilyn Monroe wore a flesh-colored marquisette dress, decorated with 2,500 rhinestones, to sing 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President.' This moment is identified by historian Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell as the point when the naked dress entered the mainstream. Today, the trend continues, with the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar party seeing a resurgence of sheer gowns paired with visible undergarments.
Source: See-through clothing
