History and use of sheer dresses in the 1940s?

[RachelH]

Hello, fellow vintage fanatics! I am new to this forum, and this is my very first post. I hope to be able to contribute a bunch to this community. Here are my questions regarding sheer dresses in the 1940s:

1. I was wondering if anyone knows what years sheer dresses (not just a sheer overlay on a dress) were popular in the 40s?
2. Does anyone know how they would have been worn (would have there been an underdress or slip, if so would it be nude or colored)?
3. Finally, when would have it been appropriate to wear one of these dresses?

 

[Jonathan]

I can think of sheer dresses as a consistent style dating from the 1920s to the 1950s without interruption. They are usually worn over a slip the same colour as the dominant colour of the sheer overdress, or sometimes, over a white lacey underdress that shows the underwear on purpose (you see this with fancy camisoles being worn under nylon blouses in the 1950s.) They are usually dressy styles intended for afternoon wear.