Queen Letizia Jazzes Up a Political Summit With An On-Trend Gown

Though it seems like fashion can hardly escape the grip of sheer fabric these days, the look has mainly been reserved for the red carpets, runways, or the occasional street style ensemble. Still, every once in while we’ll see the transparent look pop up on someone rather unexpected—case in point, Queen Letizia of Spain who wore the trend in two rather prominent ways on Thursday.

Alongside her husband King Felipe VI, Letizia was in Granada, Spain to host European Union leaders for a political summit. For the occasion, the Royal stepped out in a look from the spring/summer 2017 collection of one of her favorite labels, Carolina Herrera.

Though we’ve seen her in plenty of romantic gowns from the brand, this black-and-white dress was unique due to its sheer paneling and layers of patterned fabric. The skirt portion of the dress featured three tiers, designed in silky floral pattern, that gradually got larger as it progressed. The bodice was relatively simple—a sleeveless black shape—but was given a more on-trend feel thanks to the sheer inserts near her shoulders.

The 51-year-old’s embrace of the transparent look didn’t end there, though. For footwear, she chose a pair of sling back heels from Manolo Blahnik that were designed in a black mesh fabric. Sheer shoes, usually of the ballet slipper variety, have been everywhere of late—from brands like The Row and Bottega Veneta to on the toes of stars like Dua Lipa and Amal Clooney.

Although Letizia’s had a sizable heel and were slightly more skin-baring than her dress, the result was a rather cohesive ensemble fit for greeting European dignitaries. However, this isn’t the Spaniard’s first time rocking the sheer trend, whether it be for footwear or clothing.

In late September, she attended a conference in Malaga, Spain wearing another tiered midi dress, this one from Hugo Boss. The striped piece was made of two layers, a white base and a semi-sheer overlay that gave off a gradient effect. Though sheer styles may not be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of Royalty, Queen Letizia’s latest look proves that the style doesn’t always have to be raunchy.