Show off in corset tops inspired by Penelope Cruz in Nine

Bare all with Cruz's Carla Albanese

Forget florals this spring/summer; the catwalk and the high street are obsessed with underwear. It all began last year when high-waisted hot pants and sequined bra’s transitioned from the stage to the shops, and that sparked a flood of crop tops and corseting. And this trend of wearing underwear as outerwear isn’t going anywhere soon, as designers have adapted it to fit the changing seasons. Gone are the bulky shoulder pads and layers, in their place are pastel colours and luscious lace. But it’s not simply stepping out in your underwear, for those of us with a bit of modesty there are plenty of easy ways to wear this trend.

On stage performers like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna have all been wearing lingerie inspired outfits, but what about if you’re not taking to the stage? Marc Jacobs layered blue bra’s over pastel pink blouses, Christopher Kane used sheer blue gingham fabric (very Alice in Wonderland) to show a white bra underneath and Jean Paul Gaultier layered a blazer over a nude satin corset – reminiscent of classic Gaultier shapes. And shape is key to this trend, as bras are conical and longline with high-waisted knickers to match. If you want to keep your underwear underneath your clothes, why not try a bright coloured bra under a sheer blouse or white t-shirt. But if you’re feeling daring go for a sheer or lace blouse with a nude bra underneath – or not; the trend has caused a 20% rise in nipple covers!

And amid the craze for everything underneath, 2009’s musical movie Nine hits just the right spot. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis as ageing film director, Guido Contini, who gets himself into some complicated relationships with the women in his life. And who are these women? Well there’s his wife Luisa (Marion Cotillard); his muse Claudia (Nicole Kidman); costume designer Lilli (Judi Dench), journalist Stephanie (Kate Hudson); prostitute Saraghina (Fergie); the spirit of his dead mother (Sophia Loren) and his mistress Carla (Penélope Cruz). Nine is Rob Marshall’s adaptation of Fellini’s 8½, also adapted into Broadway musical Nine, and marks his third film with Oscar winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (the others being Chicago and Memoirs of a Geisha).

The designer said: “Rob and I knew we wanted the glamorous world of early-Sixties Italy — that lushness and elegance of design in general.” But it’s not all shift dresses and mini-skirts, the story calls from some pretty passionate scenes and the costumes had to reflect this. Colleen says: “These are intimate moments for the characters with Guido and, of course, they couldn’t be naked,” explains Atwood. “I wanted to honor the period, too. Women [back] then didn’t just wear a bra and panties; they wore girdles, corsets and all that stuff.”

Cruz’s character wears some beautiful corsets of antique lace, in this seasons hottest nude and black combinations, and even she said: “I never keep any of my character’s costumes, but I had to keep one corset. It was so beautiful.” But when a scene required Carla to be fully clothed, which wasn’t often, Colleen made stylish suits from vintage fabrics. She says:"The concept was that Penelope’s character would wear something over-the-top and almost embarrassing to meet the man with whom she’s supposed to be having a secret affair. Thankfully, Penélope’s really small, so there was, within the skin of my teeth, just enough fabric to make those costumes.”

So to honour the sensual Carla and current trend for baring all, we’ve found some corset-inspired tops that are right on-trend. Whether looking for a corset printed on a t shirt, contrasting colours representing a basque-shape or simple some lingerie-inspired tailoring, we’ve found just the right tops.