Upshirt No Panties: The Unapologetic Fashion Statement Redefining Norms In 2024

In the spring of 2024, fashion once again collided with cultural discourse as the phrase “upshirt no panties” surfaced not as a scandal but as a declaration—an emblem of autonomy, body neutrality, and sartorial rebellion. What began as an offhand social media caption quickly evolved into a global conversation about personal choice, gender expression, and the ongoing deconstruction of dress codes. Unlike past trends that flirted with shock value, this one emerged from a place of intentionality. Women, non-binary individuals, and even male-identifying figures across fashion-forward circles began adopting the look—not for provocation, but as a quiet, confident reclamation of bodily sovereignty.

The aesthetic itself is deceptively simple: a loosely tied upshirt, often oversized or cropped, worn without underwear beneath. It’s a look that recalls the raw minimalism of early-2000s street style but refracted through the lens of post-pandemic authenticity. Think of it as the visual cousin of the bare-faced makeup movement or the “no-shape jeans” trend—less about aesthetics, more about attitude. Celebrities like Dua Lipa and Harry Styles have been spotted in variations of the style, their choices amplified by paparazzi and dissected across digital platforms. Styles, in particular, has made a career of blurring gendered fashion lines, and his recent appearance in Berlin—wearing a loosely knotted linen upshirt with no visible undergarments—ignited both admiration and debate. This isn’t just fashion; it’s a political whisper in a world still policing women’s bodies.

The cultural resonance of the upshirt trend cannot be divorced from the broader movement toward bodily autonomy. In an era where reproductive rights are under siege in multiple countries, the act of choosing what, or what not, to wear underneath becomes quietly radical. It’s a gesture that mirrors the #FreeTheNipple campaign but with a subtler, more personal edge. Unlike those earlier protests, this one doesn’t demand visibility—it assumes it. The upshirt, then, is not an invitation, but a boundary: a statement that the wearer controls the narrative.

Designers are responding. At Milan Fashion Week, labels like Ottolinger and GmbH sent models down the runway in deliberately undone silhouettes, with shirts left open or tied high above the waist. There was no theatricality, no attempt to titillate—just a calm, almost meditative assertion of presence. This shift reflects a larger industry trend: fashion as an extension of mental wellness, not performance. As consumers grow weary of performative perfection, brands are embracing asymmetry, imperfection, and vulnerability.

Still, backlash persists. Critics argue the look caters to the male gaze or risks normalizing public indecency. Yet these arguments often ignore the agency of those wearing the style. The upshirt no panties phenomenon isn’t about exposure—it’s about erasure: the deliberate removal of layers, both physical and societal. In a world obsessed with surveillance and control, choosing to wear less can be the most powerful act of resistance.