Sheer nightgown styles for the hours after midnight

The softest kind of erotic

Not every night calls for straps and open cuts. A sheer nightgown belongs to the slow hours: the bath, the glass of wine, the walk across the room. It moves as you move, and in the light of a single lamp it shows the body as a silhouette behind a veil. It is erotic in the way a whisper is, and many people find it the most flattering piece they own.

Gown or chemise

The Apres Minuit Sheer Gown is the more theatrical choice. The Souffle Chiffon Chemise is the one you will wear more often.

Choosing length and size

A long gown should brush the floor barefoot, or stop just above it; it should never pool. A chemise sits at the upper thigh and looks best fitted at the bust and loose below. Size by your bust, using our size guide, and go up if your hips are fuller, because the gown should float rather than cling. The Apres Minuit is cut in plus sizes 1X to 4X with the same drape.

What to wear with it

Under a sheer gown, wear nothing, or a matching thong for a second layer. Over it, a robe makes the transition from bathroom to bedroom; our sexy robes include a satin peignoir and a sheer tulle robe that pair naturally. For a matching gift, the Coffret Minuit on our erotic lingerie gift page is built around the night mood.

Wearing a gown for an evening in

A sheer nightgown suits evenings that start slowly. Begin with a bath, a glass of wine, music low; slip on the gown while your skin is still warm, and let the fabric settle. The point is not the reveal itself but the hours before it, when you move around the room and the gown follows you like smoke.

Lighting is your ally. One lamp, warm and to the side, turns the tulle into a silhouette. Candles make the edges shimmer. Avoid the overhead light, which flattens everything. Keep a robe within reach, so the gown can be covered for a moment and revealed again.

The gown also makes a thoughtful gift for someone who prefers softness to straps. It is easier to size than a set, flatters a wide range of bodies, and does not ask the wearer to be daring in a way that feels unfamiliar. Rose smoke is the most romantic shade, noir the most seductive and ivoire the most bridal, which makes it a favorite for honeymoons and anniversaries.

Care and policy

Hand wash in cool water and hang to dry on a padded hanger, so the fabric falls straight. Never wring tulle. Nightgowns are final sale, and we replace any piece that arrives faulty or is not what you ordered.