Entertainment

How Sheer is Too Sheer?

by Anna Klassen

One actress left nothing to the imagination when she showed up at the premiere of Thor: The Dark World. Jaimie Alexander's sheer-paneled black dress showed off exactly what she wasn't wearing. It was certainly the most skimpy dress we've ever seen the action star, if not any female, don for an A-lister Hollywood event. The Azzaro gown, a floor-skimming, long-sleeved, barely-there number was begging for a wardrobe malfunction. Lucky for Alexander, she managed to successfully saunter down the red carpet without any unwanted privates making an appearance.

But Alexander's shocking outfit was far from the first of its kind. Articles of sheer clothing that showcase the sides of the breasts have shown increasing popularity over the past few years. Female celebrities, small-chested and well-endowed alike, have used this clever method to show off skin in an unexpected way. But like all trends, they come and go, and soon "side-boob" was out, and "under-boob" (which is exactly what it sounds) was in. Michelle Dockery of Downton Abbey utilized both the side and under-boob at this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards in a floor-length dress with revealing triangle cutouts.

But breasts aren't the only appendages having their day in the sun. Side-butt and even under-butt have both surfaced as popular places to reveal. Take Gwyneth Paltrow's now infamous Iron Man 3 premiere outfit, an emerald green floor length gown with long, vertical, mesh cutouts on either side. Welcome to Gwyn's super sexy side butt. The designer of the dress, Antonio Berardi, praised the controversial look by saying, “I adore the side panels in this dress –- they make everything a suggestion. Just a flash of a curve, and a hint of leg movement, embodying a sensuality without any vulgarity.”

Jennifer Lopez wore a similarly styled dress when she arrived at the premiere of her film Parker in a backless dress with sheer-paneling down the legs. While it's apparent many celebrities enjoy the allure of an unexpected pop of skin — Eva Longoria's "boob window" dress, Miley's MTV Music Video Awards getup, or practically anything Lady Gaga wears, we wonder if the trend is here to stay.

Are low cut tops and body-hugging booty shorts no longer scandalous? Is the audacity of celebrities' wardrobes running dry for shock-and-awe inspiration? Butts, boobs, thighs and sides have all been exposed, and with Jaimie Alexander, the sheer paneling evolution has come full circle in the side-crotch — the side vagina — if you will. Are there any parts of the female anatomy left to be draped in sheer fabric and gaped at in the public eye?

Nipple paneling, perhaps?

Here's all of Jaimie's dress in all its glory:

Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

And from behind:

Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images