visible underwear, summer edition: swim as the top layer
There's a shift happening on the streets of Copenhagen this summer — one you've probably already caught in your camera roll without realising. A bralette strap tracing a collarbone under a linen shirt. A bikini triangle framed by an unbuttoned poplin. The visible underwear trend summer wardrobes have been quietly rewriting all season isn't just about lingerie anymore. It's about swimwear stepping into the same spotlight, worn as the top layer instead of the hidden one.
At Mahéquline, we've been designing toward this moment for a while. Our pieces have always been made to be felt, not just worn — an outfit under your outfit, whether you're heading to the harbour or the after-dinner walk home. So when the styling world caught up to the idea that intimates deserve daylight, it felt less like a trend and more like a homecoming.
Why the visible underwear trend summer feels different this year
For a long time, showing a strap meant a wardrobe mistake. Then it meant a rebellion. Now, in 2026, it just means you got dressed on purpose. The women styling this look aren't asking permission — they're layering a lace balconette under a sheer button-down the same way they'd layer a knit over a tee. The garment underneath is the point, not the accident.
What makes this summer's version of the trend feel new is the crossover into swim. A bikini top isn't reserved for the shoreline anymore. It's paired with wide-leg trousers for a rooftop dinner, layered under a slip dress for the walk between beach and bar, or left uncovered under a gauzy overshirt because — honestly — why cover something that took real thought to choose?
Swim as the new top layer
The Mare Balconette was designed with this exact duality in mind. Structured enough to hold its shape under a sheer dress, sculptural enough to become the outfit when the shirt comes off. It reads as lingerie in one context and swimwear in another, which is precisely the point. You can explore the Mare Balconette and see how the balconette shape sits — the neckline is drawn to be seen, whether or not there's a swim in your afternoon.
If you prefer something with less coverage on top, the Sole Triangle Bikini Top layers beautifully under an open linen shirt, the triangles reading almost like a bralette. For a sharper geometry, the Lyrae Ray Bikini Top brings a graphic edge that holds its own under something soft — a slip dress, an oversized poplin, a knitted cardigan pulled loose off one shoulder.
How to style it without overthinking it
The trick with the visible underwear trend summer styling is restraint on everything else. If the piece you're layering is the star — a lace-trimmed balconette, a sculpted bikini triangle — the rest of the outfit should behave like a good frame. Think loose linen trousers in bone or espresso. A crumpled cotton shirt left half-open. A long skirt in something that catches the wind.
Copenhagen women have always understood this — the city's summer uniform is built on the idea that one considered piece does more than five styled ones. It's why our lingerie and swimwear collections are designed to mix and match across the drawer. A balconette from one set, a bottom from another, a bikini top layered over both. Nothing is precious. Everything is meant to be worn together, or apart, or under something you didn't originally plan to open up to the world.
And because these pieces are made to last — cut from fabrics that hold their shape past the season, in shades that don't date — the styling flexes with you. What you wear under a shirt in July becomes what you wear on its own in August, and what you reach for again next year without a second thought.
The confidence part
There's a reason this trend has legs, and it isn't the strap peeking out. It's what wearing something considered underneath does to how you carry yourself. When the piece closest to your skin is one you chose because it made you pause in the mirror — that shifts everything above it. The linen shirt hangs differently. The dress moves differently. You move differently.
Mahéquline was built by women who wanted lingerie and swimwear that made them feel gorgeous in their own skin, first and always. Whether anyone else ever saw it was beside the point. That the world has now caught up and started asking to see it — well, that just means the styling gets more fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really wear a bikini top as everyday summerwear?
Absolutely — and it's one of the easiest ways into the visible underwear trend summer look. A structured bikini top like the Mare Balconette reads like lingerie under a sheer dress or open shirt. Choose a shape with clean lines and a considered neckline, and it holds its own well beyond the water.
How do I know if a piece works for both swim and layering?
Look at the construction. Balconette and triangle shapes with defined seams tend to sit well under clothing without collapsing. Our swimwear is designed with this crossover in mind, so most pieces in the collection move easily between beach and street.
What's the difference between the Mare Balconette and the Lyrae or Sole tops?
The Mare Balconette has the most lingerie-forward silhouette, with a shaped cup that lends itself to layering under sheer fabrics. The Lyrae Ray is more graphic and structured, ideal under something soft. The Sole Triangle is the lightest of the three — perfect if you want the strap and shape to peek through rather than take centre stage.
If any of this is calling to you, wander through our swimwear and lingerie collections and see what pulls you in. The best piece isn't the one that trends — it's the one you'll still reach for when the summer's over.