A Sheer Skirt & Sturdy Jacket Is The Only Outfit Equation You Need For Spring

The Fashion Month runways are (usually) chock-full of ideas on how to dress. The realest equations find their way down the fashion-person food chain, and while we’ve previously outlined formulas from the Spring 2025 runways, one particular combo has taken over our social media feeds and street-style photographers’ lenses. The juxtaposition of a sturdy zip-up jacket and a sheer maxi skirt has enchanted the likes of Charli XCX and Rihanna, and we’re sure to see more of it this spring.

Charli popped up only once at Fashion Week, making an appearance at the Saint Laurent show in a look straight from the brand’s Spring 2025 catwalk. Her rich-b*tch leather jacket was offset by a boho sheer maxi dress (and side part!). A week later, RiRi stepped out to support her man at Rolling Loud in a Balenciaga cropped parka and custom Jawara Alleyne lace skirt. The silhouettes couldn’t be more similar, and a new fashion outfit equation decided on for the season.

There’s an allure to the lightness of the base layer and the comfort of throwing something structured on top of it — our managing editor, Chelsea Peng, attests to this, having worn the new Mountain Jacket from The North Face over a vintage Emanuel Ungaro skirt to the brand’s dinner in Feb. A well-balanced outfit has elements of toughness and femininity, and this combination is alluring not only for its ability to be replicated, but the versatility it offers on wacky weather days. When mornings are 40 degrees and middays are sweltering, having the option to shed a carapace in the form of a bomber jacket is ideal.

The runways were rife with inspiration, from The Attico’s canvas hoodies over pastel maxis to Etro’s biker-chic, all-black ’fit, giving options for both monochromatic and neutral-toned fantasies. No matter which way you go, make sure you choose two pieces that aren’t too aesthetically similar. The dissonance is part of the fun.