Lace Shorts 2026: How to Choose, Layer and Care for Sheer Lace

Lace shorts are shorts cut from lace, an open-work fabric of looped threads, so the leg and hip show through the pattern. The Resort 2027 Lillie Lace Mini Short in Painted Lace from SIR the Label is a sheer mini in hand-painted cotton lace with an elasticated waist, made to match a lace bomber.

• Best lace short: Lillie Lace Mini Short in Painted Lace, sheer hand-painted cotton lace with a pull-on elasticated waist.
• Best matching layer: Lillie Lace Bomber Jacket in Painted Lace, the same lace in an oversized bomber with a centre front zip.
• Best in black: SIR the Label Miller Lace Mini Short in Black, an earlier SIR lace short in a darker colour.
• Best longer leg: Miller Lace Capri Pant in Black, for the lace look below the knee.
• Best lace from another house: Alex Perry Singlet Bodysuit in Stretch Lace, Teal, a lace layer to wear under a short jacket.

What lace shorts are

Lace is a decorative fabric made by looping, twisting and knotting thread into an open pattern, then finishing the edges. In shorts, it appears in two ways. Some lace shorts are fully lined, so the lace is a surface texture over an opaque base. Others are sheer and unlined, designed to show skin and to sit over swimwear, a slip and a bodysuit. Most designer lace shorts are cut short, with an elasticated waist and a bound edge so the open-work does not fray.

The Lillie short falls into the second group. SIR describes it as a sheer lace mini short with a hand-painted lace applique, cotton cording positioned and stitched by hand, an elasticated waistband and a contrast bind. It is a pull-on style and the product notes describe it as unlined.

Cotton lace versus stretch lace

Cotton lace has a matte, slightly crisp hand and holds a raised pattern well, which is why it suits cording and applique. Stretch lace blends in elastane, so it moves closer to the body and suits bodysuits and fitted skirts. The Lillie short is 100% cotton in its main fabric. The Alex Perry pieces further down are cut in stretch lace, which the house names in each product title.

How to choose lace shorts

Check the sheerness

Hold the lace up to the light. If you can read the pattern of your hand through it, plan what goes underneath. Sheer lace shorts are best worn over a bikini brief, a seamless brief in your skin tone and a slip short. If you want a short you can wear on its own in town, look for one that is lined.

Check the waistband

An elasticated waist is forgiving and easy to pull on over swimwear, which makes it the practical choice for holiday dressing. A tailored waistband with a zip gives a sharper line with a tucked shirt but needs exact sizing. The Lillie has an elastic waist, so it fits across a range of waist measurements within each size.

Check the edges and seams

Lace frays where it is cut, so look at the hem and leg openings. A contrast bind, like the one on the Lillie short, wraps the raw edge in a narrow strip of fabric and frames the lace. Hand-applied cording also strengthens the pattern and gives it a raised, tactile surface.

Check the length

A mini length reads relaxed and beach-ready. A longer short, a culotte and a capri give more coverage. SIR offers both: the Lillie mini and the black Miller Lace Capri Pant for a longer leg.

How to wear lace shorts by occasion

Beach and pool

This is where sheer lace shorts work best. Wear the Lillie over a bikini, with flat sandals and a cotton shirt left open. The Jasmine Crochet String Brief in Cream from the same drop keeps the textures in a natural, handmade register; see our guide to the crochet bikini for the matching top. For more colour, our beaded bikinis edit covers the resin bead styles SIR uses this season.

Holiday evenings

Wear the short and the matching Lillie Lace Bomber Jacket together as a set, with a silk camisole and a bodysuit underneath the jacket. Matching lace head to toe looks deliberate rather than busy, because the pattern is continuous. Add a flat leather sandal and a small bag.

Festivals and day events

Over a black brief and with a fitted tank, lace shorts read graphic and modern. The SIR Ingrid Lace Bralette in Black is one way to keep the lace story going on top.

Town and travel

For more coverage, swap the short for the capri pant, and treat the bomber as the statement piece over a plain tank and simple trousers. If you prefer a single piece, our edit of lace mini dresses includes SIR lace dresses that do the work of an outfit on their own.

How to care for lace shorts

Hand-painted lace with hand-stitched cording is delicate, and SIR is clear about it. The Lillie care label says spot clean only with a cloth; do not wash, do not dry clean, do not bleach, tumble dry, soak and wring; cool iron on the reverse side. In practice that means treating any mark straight away with a damp cloth, letting the lace dry flat, and storing it folded rather than hung so the cording does not stretch. Avoid sharp jewellery, bag clasps and rough surfaces that can catch on the open-work.

The SIR the Label Resort 2027 lace pieces

Lillie Lace Mini Short in Painted Lace

The Lillie Lace Mini Short in Painted Lace is crafted from sheer hand-painted lace, with cotton cording positioned and stitched by hand. Features listed by SIR: mini length, elasticated waistband, contrast bind, pull-over style, unlined, hand-painted lace applique. The main fabric is 100% cotton. The composition note also lists a 100% silk lining, while the product bullets call the short unlined, so expect the lace to read sheer.

Fit and sizing: SIR says it fits true to size, so select your normal size. It is made in SIR 0 to 4, which is UK 6 to UK 14 (0 = UK 6, 1 = UK 8, 2 = UK 10, 3 = UK 12, 4 = UK 14). The model is 174 cm and wears a size 1, a UK 8. Care: spot clean only. Price: USD 620.

Styling: over swimwear by day, with the matching bomber by night, with a black tank and a bralette for a darker look.

Lillie Lace Bomber Jacket in Painted Lace

The Lillie Lace Bomber Jacket in Painted Lace takes the same hand-painted lace into an oversized bomber. SIR lists a sheer lace body, an oversized fit, a centre front invisible zip, elasticated sleeve ends, panel seam detailing and a hand-painted lace applique; it is unlined in the product bullets. The main fabric is 100% cotton, and the composition note lists a 100% silk lining.

It fits true to size, and since the fit is oversized, your normal size will already be roomy. It is made in SIR 0 to 4 (UK 6 to 14). The model is 177 cm in a size 0. Care is the same as the short: spot clean only with a cloth. Price: USD 1,170.

Styling: wear it as a set with the short, over a slip dress for evening, over a tank and jeans so the lace becomes the only pattern in the outfit.

Lillie Lace Gown in Painted Lace

If you like the lace but want a single piece, the Lillie Lace Gown in Painted Lace uses the same hand-painted lace in a midi-length slip with spaghetti straps. Unlike the short and bomber, it is fully lined. It is USD 1,340 and made in SIR 0 to 4. Our brown lace dresses guide covers more lace dresses from the drop.

Other designers to consider at Coveti

Our current edit holds no lace short from another house, so these are lace pieces from other designers that work alongside the Lillie short and in place of it.

Alex Perry Singlet Bodysuit in Stretch Lace, Teal, USD 880. A lace bodysuit; the name tells you it is cut in stretch lace, a natural base under a lace short and an open jacket.

Alex Perry Tucked Skirt in Stretch Lace, Teal, USD 1,220. A midi skirt in stretch lace with tucked detailing, for when you want lace with more length.

Alex Perry Singlet Mini Dress in Stretch Lace, Bare, USD 1,850. A short stretch lace dress in a skin-tone shade, the closest one-piece answer to a lace short and top.

Alex Perry Asymmetric Skirt in Stretch Lace, Bare, USD 1,220. A maxi skirt in stretch lace with an uneven hem; see our asymmetric skirts guide for the cut.

Magda Butrym Silk Lace-Detail Slip Midi Dress in Black, USD 2,650. The shell is 100% silk with lace detailing, a dressier way to wear lace at night.

Magda Butrym Asymmetric Lace-Hem Midi Skirt in Cream, USD 1,710. A 100% silk shell with a lace edge at the hem.

For more shapes, browse designer shorts and designer jackets at Coveti.

Lace shorts and lace pieces compared

Wearing it around the world

The United States

In Florida, California and the Southwest, lace shorts are a resort and weekend piece for most of the year; in New York and Chicago, keep them for summer and holiday travel. A UK 8 is broadly a US 4, so SIR size 1 is the usual starting point for a US 4. The SIR the Label size guide has the full conversion.

The UK and Europe

SIR sizes translate directly: 0 is UK 6, 1 is UK 8, 2 is UK 10, 3 is UK 12, 4 is UK 14. In a British summer, wear the short with the bomber over a tank, since the jacket adds cover without weight. Along the Mediterranean, the short is a natural cover-up for beach clubs and lunch by the sea.

The Gulf (GCC)

In Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, a sheer lace short belongs at the pool, the beach club and private villa gatherings. In malls and public spaces, choose longer, more covered pieces. The Miller Lace Capri Pant, a long-sleeve lace top worn over a slip, and the fully lined Lillie gown give the lace look with more coverage. Air conditioning indoors is strong, so the lace bomber earns its place in the evening.

Frequently asked questions

What should you wear under lace shorts?

It depends on how sheer the lace is. For an unlined short such as the SIR the Label Lillie Lace Mini Short, wear a bikini brief at the beach, a seamless brief in your skin tone in town, and a silk slip short for more coverage. Black briefs under pale lace give a graphic contrast, while nude tones let the pattern lead.

Are the SIR the Label Lillie lace shorts lined?

SIR lists the Lillie Lace Mini Short as unlined in its product features and describes it as a sheer lace mini short. The composition note gives the main fabric as 100% cotton and also lists a 100% silk lining. Plan for the lace to read sheer, and wear a brief, a bikini and a slip short underneath.

How do the Lillie lace shorts fit?

SIR says the Lillie Lace Mini Short fits true to size, so select your normal size. It has an elasticated waistband and a pull-on style, which makes it forgiving across a range of waist measurements. It is made in SIR 0 to 4, equal to UK 6 to UK 14, and the model is 174 cm wearing a size 1, a UK 8.

How do you clean hand-painted lace shorts?

Follow the label. SIR marks the Lillie lace pieces spot clean only with a cloth, and says do not wash, do not dry clean, do not bleach, tumble dry, soak and wring, with a cool iron on the reverse side. Treat marks promptly with a damp cloth, let the lace dry flat, and store it folded so the hand-stitched cording keeps its shape.

Is there a matching lace jacket for the Lillie shorts?

Yes. The Lillie Lace Bomber Jacket in Painted Lace is cut from the same sheer hand-painted cotton lace in an oversized bomber, with a centre front invisible zip, elasticated sleeve ends and panel seam detailing. Worn together, the short and bomber form a two-piece set. The jacket is USD 1,170 and the short is USD 620 at Coveti.

Can lace shorts be worn in winter?

Yes, with layering. Wear lace shorts over opaque black tights with a fine knit and a long coat, and choose a darker lace such as the SIR Miller Lace Mini Short in Black for the colder months. Pale, sheer, hand-painted lace like the Lillie is better kept for warm weather, travel and holidays, since it is spot clean only.

Explore every piece on the SIR the Label brand page, read about the full drop in our SIR the Label Resort 2027 guide, and continue with our edits of straight leg pants and lace mini dresses.