This decade has seen its share of trends come and go, including quiet luxury, cowboy-core, and the second renaissance of Y2K. But the staying power of sheer knows no bounds. In recent years, transparent attire has made its way from the Met Gala to the Academy Awards and every A-list affair in between. As innovative as Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, Halle Berry, and Kendall Jenner’s see-through looks are, these A-listers certainly didn’t invent free-the-nipple numbers or naked dressing. Back in the day, Barbra Streisand, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, and Grace Jones (to name a few stars) walked so your favorite fashion muses could run — in translucent looks, no less.

Back in the day, sheer pieces were primarily reserved for the bedroom, unless you were gutsy like Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich, or Streisand. Rogers, an American actor at the helm of Hollywood’s golden age, frequently posed for photoshoots wearing a see-through style (or two). As early as 1938, she pulled off a translucent top — not without great societal judgement, of course. “Producers looking to boost ticket sales often urged costume designers to design provocative clothing,” says Charlotte Engel, a clothing historian at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society in Connecticut. This prompted the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930, a.k.a. the Hays Code, which prohibited “suggestive nudity.”

Significant underlays started to disappear around the 1960s, when the “Nude Look” was introduced. “In the ‘60s, sheer and nude fashion was being pioneered in bigger, bolder ways,” Engel says. “Skirts got shorter, midriffs were being exposed, and dresses featured cheeky cutouts.” In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent made the female chest visible for the first time with a see-through cigaline design. From there, the sheer revolution was off to the races.

At the 1969 Academy Awards, Streisand accepted her first Oscar in an illusion pantsuit, courtesy of Arnold Scaasi. Underneath the stage lights, the sparkly one-piece appeared see-through from top to bottom. This decade abolished the rules of fashion. “Sex appeal was expressed through fashion in bold new ways, which challenged existing societal norms in a very visual way,” Engel says.

Streisand’s one-piece was immediately attacked by the public, which is still standard for celebrities today. “Sheer looks are often criticized for immodesty and impracticality due to shifting perceptions of modesty, paired with society’s ever-changing idea of the ‘ideal body type,’ both of which can be traced throughout history,” Engel says. By the ‘70s, women used fashion to “assert individuality and challenge traditional gender roles,” she adds. “Sheer fabrics signaled an ongoing shift in greater female autonomy as women championed feminism, gaining more rights in political, economic, and social spheres.” With this association in mind, celebrities like Jones, Madonna, Cher, and Cyndi Lauper stretched sheer into later decades. Once the ‘90s arrived, sheer took an unexpected turn. “It became subverted from its glamorous, hyper-sexualized origins and emerged in minimalism, punk, and the birth of Kate Moss,” says fashion historian and lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, Whitney Jordan.

Sheer dressing has never been more accessible than it is now. This year alone, Berry, Kravitz, Victoria Beckham, Florence Pugh, Zoe Saldaña, Dua Lipa, and more have pulled off naked numbers. However, Jordan says it’s still a provocative statement that highlights power, resistance, and vulnerability. “Sheer styles emerge during periods of cultural rebellion because women are always at the forefront of civil change,” she adds. So, it’s no surprise that risqué dressing is dominating the zeitgeist once again.

While you await the next see-through serve (which could drop any minute now), take a stroll down memory lane to see who pioneered sheer and how it’s evolved to present-day.

Ginger Rogers, 1938

If you look closely enough, you’ll see the 42nd Street star’s patterned summer dress has a semi-sheer bodice.

Marlene Dietrich, 1950

Dietrich was of the first to free the nip in a photoshoot, wearing this bedazzled long-sleeve gown.

Marilyn Monroe, 1955

Throughout her time in the spotlight, Monroe frequently made waves on the fashion front. One of her most risqué moments? The transparent puff-sleeve nightgown she wore in a photoshoot.

Sophia Loren, 1964

While filming her movie, Marriage Italian Style, Loren layered a corseted mesh gown overtop a lace thong.

Barbra Streisand, 1969

With her Oscar for “Best Actress” in hand, the legend posed for photographers in the aforementioned jumpsuit, complete with sheer sleeves and bell-bottom pants.

Jane Birkin, 1969

Back in ‘69, Birkin made headlines for her see-through mini dress and peek-a-boo underwear. Jenner, Kravitz, and Berry have pulled off similar sets inspired by the fashion muse.

Grace Jones, 1978

Inside Studio 54, Jones delivered an energetic performance in a bold bodysuit, covered head-to-toe in sheer mesh.

Madonna, 1985

During the “Virgin” tour, sheer styles dominated Madonna’s performance rotation. One of her signature on-stage pieces? A lacy push-up bra in a notable neon shade.

Cher, 1988

Cher is practically synonymous with see-through designs. At the ‘88 Academy Awards, the icon sourced her longtime designer, Bob Mackie for a plunging, sequin-covered gown. Her sun-kissed skin peeked through the bodice and skirt.

Cyndi Lauper, 1989

Similar to Madonna, Lauper frequently took center stage in transparent attire. At the Palladium in New York, the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” singer wore a mesh pinstripe dress overtop a balconette bra and high-waisted undies.

Diana Ross, 1990

Ross was one of Thierry Mugler’s longest muses and friends. She frequently walked his runways in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. At the Spring/Summer 1991 show, the Grammy winner slipped on a see-through jumpsuit, with carefully-placed embellishments.

Kate Moss, 1993

At just 19 years old, Moss styled one of her most iconic ‘fits: a bias cut slip dress, which left little to the imagination.

Tina Turner, 1997

The “Proud Mary” singer brought this trend to the silver screen during a performance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

Rose McGowan, 1998

Alongside her then-boyfriend, Marilyn Manson, all eyes were on McGowan in an X-rated midi dress by Maja Hanson at the ‘98 MTV VMAs. A bedazzled G-string thong peeked through the sheer chainmail.

Pamela Anderson, 1999

The Baywatch star never turned down a lingerie-inspired look. See this flowy nightgown she wore to a Caesars Palace event in Las Vegas.

Jennifer Lopez, 2000

In today’s sheer standards, Lopez’s famous Versace gown is considered tame. But at the 2000 Grammys, it was revolutionary.

Britney Spears, 2001

Before performing “I’m A Slave 4 U” at the MTV Video Music Awards, Spears walked the carpet in a lace mini dress from Dolce & Gabbana, plus matching lingerie. Over 20 years later, Tate McRae channeled the outfit at the same A-list affair.