Lace dresses are back for fall but with a 2023 twist—here's how to wear the chic look with edge

Lace is having a renaissance this fall season and we're here for it...

Laura Harrier, Emma Watson and Maya Jama wearing lace dresses and co ords / in a pink template
(Image credit: Getty Images: (L to R) Gotham/GC Images | Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images | Dave Benett)

Just when we thought that perhaps sheer dresses would be on the out (what with fall on the horizon and all), we've spotted yet another 'see-thru' trend making the rounds, in the form of lace dresses.

Now, we don't mean dresses complete with a lace overlay or embellishments like back in the day, no—we mean a literal dress made of lace, paired over underwear to accomplish that whole 'exposed thong' look, which is also very popular for 2023.

We've spotted this classical, mesh-like material being worn by everyone from the likes of influencer Matilda Djerf and Maya Jama to Kim K and even Hailey Bieber—all in the last month alone. So, here's how to go about incorporating this latest, minimal coverage vibe into your capsule wardrobe...

MIL's picks of lace dress

Materials like mesh, tulle and gauze are so very on trend right now and so, apparently, is lace—especially 'Cottagecore'-like white lace. It's very much giving table cloth chic, especially when the dresses are midi or maxi-length, which seems to be the preferred look and we must admit, we're here for it.

You could also think of this trend as an evolution of the crochet dress we've also seen gain traction this summer season, but as we edge into fall it seems lace, is the new must-have sheer option. Exhibit A...

We've also seen the likes of Laura Harrier and Kim K sporting lace tops, co ords and and jumpsuits...

So, now we have the visual inspo, how can we go about styling this delicate, woven pieces?

How to style lace dresses for the summer-to-fall

Like with the sheer dress trend, the easiest way to style a lace dress or co-ord—and the one that is proving to be most popular right now—is over a bodysuit or underwear set. We've then spied fashion lovers, pairing the 'see-thru' look with oversized coats, like bomber jackets or Hailey Bieber's leather jackets for instance, along with loafers, boots and statement accessories. 

You can, of course, opt to style your lace number over a slip dress, or leotard for a slightly less daring look.

For more of a casual, street style vibe, we'd recommend pairing a white or black lace maxi dress with a pair of Adidas Samba sneakers. 

Alternatively, you can keep your lace dress as a bikini coverup, if you've still got a sunny vacation booked, or are manifesting a last-minute heatwave before the fall rolls in.

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team, where she covers everything from entertainment to fashion and beauty, as well as TikTok trends for Woman&Home, after previously writing for My Imperfect Life and GoodTo. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but lept into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing and earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.

Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.