"Bare All" Is the Unofficial Motto of 2021: Meet the 7 New "Naked" Trends

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Versace; Courtesy of Brandon Maxwell; Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst)

While the S/S 21 collections were stocked with plenty of cozy loungewear trends like pillow shoes and knit sets that I want to sink into right now, there were a few other dominant themes that we noticed that will be popping up next year. One that was impossible to escape? The new "naked” trends that were everywhere on the runways—a reason why I’m saying that "bare all" is the unofficial motto of 2021.

More than ever, skin is in—in many different forms. From micro miniskirts with the shortest possible hemlines to new takes on cutouts dresses to the Hailey Bieber-approved G-string trend that’s about to take off, there are endless ways to play around with the new barely-there trends. Here, I’m diving into the 7 "naked” trends you can expect to see a lot more of in no time. Plus, some shopping inspiration if you’re ready to start wearing them now.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Dior; Courtesy of Fendi; Courtesy of Acne)

Sheer dresses have been a major trend on red carpets in past years and it looks like there are plenty more gauzy pieces in the future. Whether gowns with briefs layered underneath or organza coats or chiffon pants beneath blazers, there are lots of cool takes on sheer fashion to add into the mix.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Brandon Maxwell; Courtesy of Givenchy; Courtesy of LaQuan Smith)

Cutouts are a trend we saw in the F/W 20 collections that are continuing into spring. For 2021, they are popular on body-con dress silhouettes with super-hight slits for an exposed leg or cutouts running down the entire side.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Dion Lee; Courtesy of Givenchy; Courtesy of Fashion East)

The G-string trend was too hard to ignore. We're seeing designers take different approaches to the exposed G-string, whether visible on the back of cutout dresses at Givenchy or actually built into pant waistlines at Dion Lee.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of David Koma; Courtesy of Maryam Nassir Zadeh; Courtesy of Miu Miu)

There are miniskirts and then there are the micro miniskirts that ruled the S/S 21 collections. The hemlines are super, super short—reminiscent of '90s Versace and their iconic campaign with supermodels Naomi Campbell and Carla Bruni.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Sportmax; Courtesy of Miu Miu; Courtesy of Alexandra Rich)

The knit shorts trend has been huge this fall and will be continuing for spring. This time around, more varieties of hot pants are in the fold. Pair yours with a puff-sleeve top or a track jacket.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst; Courtesy of Christopher Esber; Courtesy of Hermès)

Yep, more cutouts. This trend more specifically places holes on the sides of dresses for a slightly exposed midriff. I would style this with a belly chain layered underneath.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Jacquemus; Courtesy of Collina Strada; Courtesy of Versace)

While cutout dresses display a partial belly, this trend goes all in. These extreme crop tops have one thing in common: they're all centered around baring the midriff.

Shop the trend:

Next, read up on the pillow shoe trend.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.