The "no pants" trend has become as common on the runway as wearing them. Yet, few people stand in front of the mirror and channel Coco Chanel’s famous rule by deciding that pants are the one thing they should take off. While it might pass "Go" amongst the fever dream looks on the fashion week circuits, naked dressing—tiny briefs, barely there tops, peek-a-boo sheer skirts, and even head-to-toe transparency (pieces that make Carrie Bradshaw’s memorable “naked dress” feel laughably modest) aren’t held to the same acceptance standards in the real world.
Fashion celebrates self-expression, but even boundless self-confidence won’t make a Hailey Bieber-fied sheer lace catsuit office-appropriate. And let’s be honest—many grown women (hi, that's me, and probably you) aren’t exactly eager to take on the world in little more than lingerie.
While the Summer 2025 runways haven’t entirely caught on to this sentiment, amidst plunging necklines and high-rise briefs, there’s an ever-so-subtle shift in the air. And, a new take on scantily clad. Enter the "naked shoe"—a minimalist trend that starkly contrasts last season’s bold, maximalist accessories.
At Brandon Maxwell, where “nonchalance” was cited as a key inspiration in the designer’s show notes, his flats were so delicate that even a squint could barely discern the netting that seemed to vanish into the runway. They felt like an elevated take on the '90s jelly flats, offering a refined touch to the season. Meanwhile, Tibi's clothing skewed more tech-forward and voluminous, with pieces like cape dresses and parachute pants. Yet, in a striking contrast, the collection was styled with light-footed strappy shoes and transparent boots, creating an unexpected balance between structure and minimalism.
At French house Alaïa’s much-anticipated New York show at the Guggenheim, their famous ballerina flats took a backseat to ladylike heels with high vamps and stilettos adorned with toe straps and clear encasements, which accompanied the brand’s structural ready-to-wear.
While designers like Amina Muaddi and Gianvito Rossi have already explored the barely-there shoe trend, I anticipate many more will follow suit. And it's only a matter of time before influential celebs like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Gigi, and Bella Hadid will step out in them. (Jenner Lopez already is.)
But even as the runways continue pushing the boundaries of what constitutes clothing, there’s some indication that designers are making room for a quieter kind of confidence in fashion—one that embraces minimalism without sacrificing style, or clothes, for that matter.
