Do you ever have those dreams (nightmares, really) where you’ve shown up to work or class or somewhere very public in your underwear? Well, dear reader, I did just that—but purposefully, in reality.  

Now, I should caveat this by saying I didn’t arrive at a restaurant in nothing but my Victoria’s Secret best. I took a piece of tried-and-true lingerie and accepted the challenge of how I could style this piece to not only work for a night out…but a night out on a first date (cue dramatic music).

Step #1: The Style  

I wanted to approach this experiment head on, so I chose something that wouldn’t be misconstrued as anything but lingerie. Enter: The Very Sexy Lightly Lined Demi Lace Teddy. 

Step #2: The Styling 

My first question was, what did I want to accomplish with this outfit? Was I going for confidence? Intimidation? Insanity? Maybe a mix of all three. My personal style lives somewhere between Annie Hall and a Kardashian, so it seemed almost inevitable I’d be starting this look with a blazer. I went for a more oversized fit to tone down my…other assets.  

From there, I went back and forth between trousers and jeans, but ultimately went the denim route to bring a casual vibe back to the look. The Teddy is doing all the work, so a less-is-more approach with styling was my mantra.  

I finished it off with square-toe black boots, a simple belt, and delicate gold jewelry.  

And just like that, she’s going out in her underwear. Sorry, mom and dad.  

Step #3: The Experience 

My date, we’ll call him Chad (all names have been changed to protect the identities of those bravely dating in New York City), was wearing a very finance bro-inspired outfit—we looked like we were going to two different parties. When we started talking about our jobs, I told him I work for Victoria’s Secret and he did slip in a very astute “ah, your shirt looks like it’s from there.”  

Calling what I was wearing a “shirt” was very generous.  

The rest of the date, sadly, was a dud (Chad, if you’re reading this, we’ll always have this article). But what I found more interesting than my less-than-romantic interaction were the compliments/comments I got from people out and about. Between the walk to the bar, during the date, and the journey home I got three compliments (I’ve always relied on the kindness of strangers) on my outfit.  

In conclusion, I won’t be seeing Chad again, but this Teddy will definitely see another night out. 

Want to conduct your own social experiment?