Sheer Coverage

Sheer panels are not a new idea in fashion (ahem, 1990s), but I love them all the same. The problem is, well, they're see-through. That's an earth shattering observation, I know. But I'm a girl who likes fashion to also be functional, and if something is designed only to be worn with a strapless bra (or *shriek* none at all), I will probably think twice about purchasing.

Here's where an easy DIY comes in. Can you thread a needle? Tie a knot? You can probably do this.

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I ordered a dress online thinking it would work for both a fall wedding coming up and to wear to work. I love a two-fer. The cute sheer panels at the shoulders added a little visual interest and I couldn't beat the price. I was annoyed to find when it arrived that the sheer panels fell directly over my bra straps. It broke up the lines of the dress and - friendly reminder - no one wants to see bra straps at work.

What to do without losing the aesthetics of the sheer panels? Why, line 'em in a stretchy nude fabric of course. I'll let the photos show the step-by-step, but basically I just traced a pattern, cut out my nude fabric, and stitched it onto the inside of the sheer mesh. Sound simple? It was. Check it out:

Remember those leaf-rubbings from grade school? Same idea.
Just lay paper and trace around the raised seams
Perfection not required - It needs to be a little larger than the area you'll
be sewing it on to.

Not cute, but useful.

Pinned my pattern onto the tank top, and cut around it.
Again, perfection not required. You want it a little big.
The excess can be trimmed off once it's sewn on.

Since my nude fabric doesn't have a top or bottom side, I just cut
two of the same pattern piece and flipped one over.

Pinned on - Don't stretch the fabric. It should be lying easily
over the area you're covering: No wrinkles or pulling.

Stitched - Again, perfection not required. I used large stitches
to accommodate for the stretch in my dress fabric.

Et voila! "Sheer" with coverage!

Ready for action. Bra-strap-less action.

If you don't have a janky old tank top lying around (jank top??), there are lots of options for buying that kind of fabric by the yard; Try here, here, or here for starters. Go forth and cover up... without looking like you are!