Fitting room lighting is diffuse and flattering, which is exactly why open-weave dresses surprise people on the first bright afternoon of a holiday. Crochet, cutwork and lace all behave differently: crochet has visible gaps but thick yarn, cutwork is opaque except at the pattern, and fine lace or a slip weave is uniformly translucent. Each one calls for a different answer underneath. Hold the fabric up to a window before you commit, and look at it in the shade as well, because the difference between the two is where most regret lives.

Crochet and open knit want a slip or a bandeau and shorts in the same tone as the yarn, so the eye reads texture rather than layers. Cutwork usually needs nothing, since the base cloth is solid and only the embroidered pattern is open. Fine lace and slip weaves are the ones to plan for: a matching seamless set in a shade close to your skin disappears, while white under white glows. As a rule, match the underlayer to the dress rather than to yourself, and never assume a lining covers the full skirt without checking.

An open-weave dress tips into evening the second you add a high shine stiletto, which is useful to know in both directions. Flats in mesh, suede or soft vintage leather keep a lace maxi firmly in lunch territory. A low sandal in wheat or gold does the opposite and takes the same dress out at night. Tan and vanilla are the most forgiving against a printed or textured skirt because they add nothing to compete with it. Black flats work, but they anchor the outfit harder than most holiday dressing wants.

There is no such thing as a slightly sheer dress. It is either fine in daylight or it is not, and the only way to know is to check it against a window and in movement before you pack it. Buy the underlayer at the same time as the dress rather than hoping something in your drawer will work. If you take one thing away, let it be that matching your slip or bandeau to the dress instead of your skin tone is what separates a considered open-weave look from an accident.