Sheer is one of the trends that keep popping up in Nigerian Menswear, from adventurous offerings by Orange Culture and Tzar Studios to more demure pieces from T.I. Nathan and Maxivive. I personally don’t care much for the organza pieces because organza is incredibly hard to cut or drape into anything flattering especially for men. That doesn’t mean the trend cannot be transplanteed from the runway into your personal wardrobe.
These are our four of my favourite ways to incorporate the sheer trend into your life.
SPORTSWEAR INSPIRED
Give off a sportswear inspired vibe with airtex mesh pieces, either worn as culottes for three quarter shorts or as an overshirt or aesthetic sweater.
Or you can just go for broke and wear it alike Imran does for TI Nathan in his new collection look book. Paired with dressy slacks and converses to give off the ‘I just threw it on’ vibe.
LAYERED FOR A DISRUPTOR EFFECT
The disruptor effect refers to layering two sheer fabrics with differing patterns on top of each other to trick the eye into looking at the fabric instead of through it. It is a common trend, most recently used at the Maki Oh SS16 Arodan collection.
WORN AS OUTER PIECE
For the less adventurous who want to get in on the sheer trend, a good way to do this would be to invest in casual outer pieces like capes or kimonos. Made popular by the festival look, capes have made their way from the festival grounds to everywhere. Dress down a formal button down shirt and dress slacks with a fancy kimono/cape like Denola Grey in Orange Culture.
PANELLING
The easiest way to wear the Sheer trend is panelling. You can go all out like Beyonce’s dress at the Met Gala which was mostly sheer and very little strategic panelling or you can go safe with Papa Oyeyemi’s debut collection for Maxivive where sheer PVC panels were used as detailing on pants and bomber jackets, paired with a high slit tunic or jeans for that blipster aesthetic.
