Designers go big on smalls

Prepare to dedicate even more time to getting ready this spring. As if putting together an outfit every morning wasn't taxing enough, this season's gauzy, transparent fabrics mean even underwear will require careful consideration.

Thank heavens, then, for designers such as Alessandro Dell'Acqua and Roberto Cavalli, who have generously provided an alternative to allow you an extra 10 minutes in bed. Unfortunately, it will involve forgoing the rest of your clothes and venturing out in your smalls.

Well, sort of. Underwear as outerwear: three words to strike fear into the heart of any woman. And if they don't, they should. Taken too literally, this is one trend that will wither, along with your dignity, upon exposure to daylight. Refer to Sienna Miller and Posh's equally unsuccessful attempts at substituting knickers for trousers as proof.

Admittedly, Dell'Acqua's 1950s-inspired bra-and-knickers combos in pale pink and white are almost too good to conceal, and their reassuringly generous cut make them a more modest option than the average celebrity's dress.

Bottega Veneta, meanwhile, continued last season's boudoir theme at its Milan show with some seductive styles in a palette of nude shades, including a retro bustier that looked great with a pencil skirt – less so paired with knickers under a short coat. And British label Preen created a fresh sartorial dilemma at its New York show with a lacy see-through body: while forgoing a bra may have been a good look for the model on the catwalk, for us mortals it poses a new problem: what underwear to wear under underwear? Time to reset that alarm clock...