In yesterday's New York Times Style section, Ellen Tien noted the revival of a recurring fashion trend: underwear as outerwear. But instead of, say, wearing a camisole as a top (so last fall!) or sporting a bustier under a jacket (so Madonna in 1989), this look takes a nightgown and makes it into a sundress.

This will sound a little risque at first -- especially if when you think of "nightgown" you envision Joan Collins in Dynasty. However, the chemise nighties at stores like Anthropologie could plausibly pass as regular summer sundresses. My favorite is the Orion nightgown, which has mother of pearl buttons on the placket of the empire-waisted "dress". In a chocolate brown cotton voile, this nightgown-turned-daygown could easily make the transition into fall when matched with a pair of boots and a feminine cardigan.