Vivienne Tam's printed mesh tops are wearable art: a fine stretch net covered in color, so thin you can see your skin or whatever sits beneath it. That transparency is the whole point, and also the thing people worry about. In my experience the outfit is decided by what you wear under the mesh, then by how calm the bottoms are. Get those two right and the top goes with jeans as easily as with satin. Below are twenty complete outfits, from denim days to dinners and colder months, with the underlayer for each one.
What to Wear Under a Printed Mesh Top
The layer beneath changes how the print looks more than anything else you add. I plan it first, then choose the bottoms.
- Black: the colors look deeper and more saturated, and the mesh reads almost opaque from a distance. The safest choice for work.
- A shade close to your skin: the print seems to float on the body. It looks lighter, but in bright light people may read it as bare skin.
- White: the colors turn crisp and graphic, a little pop-art. Good with white or pale bottoms.
- A color from the print: picks out one shade and makes it the main one. Hold it under the mesh before deciding, since some shades turn muddy.
Pick a smooth fabric with flat seams. Lace, ribbing and visible bra seams all show through the net and break up the pattern. A bodysuit is the neatest option under skirts and high-rise trousers, because it never untucks.
1. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Straight Leg Jeans
Straight-leg jeans are where I start anyone new to printed mesh. Put a black or skin-tone cami under it, depending on whether you want the colors to look dark and saturated or light and floaty. A front tuck shows the waist without crushing the print. Medium wash keeps it casual; dark wash dresses it up. Pointed ankle boots and silver hoops finish it, and the bag picks up one shade from the top rather than adding a new color.
2. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Black Maxi Skirt
A black maxi skirt gives the artwork a dark frame, and a black tank under the mesh makes the colors look richer. I'd go for a column or bias-cut skirt; lots of pleats next to a busy print just looks cluttered. Ballet flats are comfortable, low mules more polished. One bold cuff is enough jewelry. Petite wearers should keep the hem at the ankle so all that black doesn't pool on the floor.
3. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Wide Leg Trousers
Fluid wide-leg trousers balance a fitted mesh top, which is exactly the shape most of these tops come in. Tuck the cami and the mesh together into high-rise pants so neither layer bunches at the waist. If the print has a dominant neutral, match the trousers to it; that one choice makes the whole outfit look planned. Pointed pumps for a business lunch, loafers for a creative office.
4. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Leather Pants
Mesh next to leather is a texture contrast I like a lot: one is see-through and soft, the other smooth and solid. Skip skin-tight leather and choose a straight or gently tapered pair, because tight leggings plus a clingy top leaves nothing for the eye to rest on. A black tank underneath links the two. Burgundy or brown leather can work when those colors are in the print. A long black blazer adds coverage for concerts or evening dinners.
5. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Denim Midi Skirt
A denim midi skirt takes the drama out of the print. Pick a clean A-line or straight shape in medium or dark wash and tuck the layers in fully or just at the front. Ballet flats suit spring; tall boots carry it into fall. If the skirt sits high on the waist, a slightly cropped mesh top looks proportioned without showing skin. A cropped cardigan adds warmth and leaves the print visible.
6. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Cargo Pants
Cargo pants and art-print mesh shouldn't work together, but they do, because the utility fabric is so plain. I'd choose a slim cargo with flat pockets; big bellowed pockets at the thigh make the lower half look heavy against a fitted top. Olive, khaki or charcoal suit most prints. Wear an opaque tank under the mesh and leave the top out if it ends at the waistband. Low sneakers and a nylon shoulder bag keep it easy for travel and markets.
7. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Satin Midi Skirt
Satin and mesh are both delicate, so the pairing needs a smooth base. A smooth, seam-free bodysuit stops the cami hem from making a ridge at the waist under a satin skirt. Pick a solid skirt in black, champagne or a shade taken from the top, with no embellishment, so the soft shine stays in the background. Slingbacks and slim drop earrings suit an art opening or birthday dinner. A cropped blazer gives it more structure.
8. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Mini Skirt And Boots
This is the most nineties way to wear the top, and it suits its vintage roots. Choose a plain mini in black, brown or dark denim that sits firmly at the waist, plus an opaque tank or bodysuit under the mesh. Knee-high boots balance the short hem; a block heel is easier to walk in. I'd add semi-opaque tights in colder months. A coat that falls below the skirt hem keeps the line long.
9. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top Under A Slip Dress
Wearing the mesh top under a slip dress is one of my favorite layering tricks. The mesh sleeves and neckline become the pattern, and the dress becomes the solid. Choose thin straps and a neckline low enough to show some print. Check the fit across the back: a slip that pulls tight across the shoulders will drag the mesh and twist the sleeves. Ankle boots and a long wool coat take it into cooler weather.
10. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Blazer And Trousers
Opening a blazer over mesh gives it a frame, like a picture mount. A matching suit in black, navy or charcoal keeps everything around the print calm. Make sure the jacket has room in the shoulders; a tight blazer drags across mesh sleeves and makes them bunch at the elbow. Wear an opaque cami underneath for the office and tuck both layers into high-rise trousers. Loafers or pointed pumps both work.
11. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Tailored Shorts
Tailored shorts suit warm days, and a longer inseam keeps the look grown-up. Black, cream or navy shorts with a high waist and a slim leather belt give the print a neat border. A smooth cami underneath, sleek sandals or loafers, and earrings in one color from the top are plenty. For a more covered version, try knee-length Bermuda shorts and a linen blazer.
12. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Flared Jeans
Flares and printed mesh both belong to the late nineties, so this is the pairing with the most early-2000s mood on the list. The fitted top and widening leg make a long line, as long as the top is tucked in cleanly over a close tank. Hem length matters: flares need to almost touch the floor in your shoes, so I'd decide on platforms or heeled clogs before getting them altered. A curved shoulder bag and tinted sunglasses fit the era. Leave other prints out.
13. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Pleated Midi Skirt
Fine pleats give a fitted mesh top some movement below the waist without fighting the print. Wide, stiff pleats add bulk at the hip and compete with the pattern. Pick a solid midi in a shade from the top, wear a smooth seam-free tank, and tuck everything in. Ballet flats suit lunch; low block heels suit a dressier daytime event. A short fitted jacket adds warmth without hiding the waist.
14. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Black Jeans
When I'm short on time, I reach for black jeans and a black cami under the mesh. The black underneath links the top and the jeans, so the print floats on a dark base. Any cut works. Black loafers or boots keep the lower half in one line, and a shoe swap takes it from errands to dinner. Add a denim or leather jacket for cooler evenings.
15. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With White Pants
White trousers make the colors in the print look clear and bright, but they also test what's under everything. I'd always check white pants by a window for show-through and wear seam-free underwear. Under the mesh, a skin-tone cami looks subtle; a white one looks crisp and graphic. Keep shoes light, like cream loafers or metallic sandals. A beige trench carries it into spring.
16. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top Over A Tank Dress
Layering the mesh over a fitted tank dress is the most covered option here, and the dress does all the work of an underlayer. Pick a simple midi in black, brown or cream whose neckline hides under the top. The mesh should end at the waist or upper hip; any longer and the two layers blur together. A slim belt adds shape when needed. Sculptural earrings echo the artistic print nicely.
17. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Oversized Shirt And Jeans
If mesh alone feels too exposed, an oversized shirt worn open covers the sides and back and still shows the front print. I'd pick white, pale blue or black, ending at the upper thigh. Roll the shirt sleeves a little so the printed mesh cuffs peek out. Straight or relaxed jeans, loafers and a roomy tote complete it. It's how I'd ease someone into mesh for the first time.
18. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Matching Printed Skirt
A matching printed skirt is the boldest option and asks for the most restraint elsewhere. Wear a neutral cami, choose a skirt that balances the top (a straight midi or a soft maxi) and keep accessories to one solid bag and small earrings. Black pointed shoes anchor the pattern. If the full set feels like too much, a long black blazer breaks it up. It photographs very well, which makes it a good choice for events.
19. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Satin Cargo Pants
Satin cargo pants combine a sporty cut with a fluid drape, and their slightly glossy surface sits nicely next to matte mesh. Pick black, olive or bronze with flat pockets. A tonal cami underneath and a loose tuck keep the waist soft. If the trouser leg is relaxed, the top should be fitted and the bag small, or the whole outfit loses its outline. Pointed mules dress it up; sneakers keep it casual.
20. Vivienne Tam Mesh Top With Cardigan And Midi Skirt
Mesh doesn't have to be packed away when it gets cold. Layer it over a fitted tank, add a solid cardigan left partly open, and wear a straight midi skirt. I prefer a cardigan that ends at the waist; a long one hides the print and shortens the leg. Burgundy, charcoal or chocolate pieces pick up the darker colors in most prints. Tall boots, opaque tights and a tailored coat finish it for fall.
Buying Older Tam Mesh on the Resale Market
Many of the most sought-after Tam mesh pieces date from the nineties, so a lot of shoppers buy them secondhand. Stretch fibers age, and this is what I look at before buying.
- Stretch the hem gently and let go. Good mesh springs back. If it stays wavy or feels crunchy, the elastic fibers have broken down and the top will bag out.
- Hold it up to a window. Pulls, runs and tiny holes are easy to miss on a busy print and hard to repair in fine net.
- Look at the color along the shoulders and folds. Sun and storage fade can leave a line where the top hung.
- Ask for measurements laid flat. Sizing on older pieces often runs smaller than today's labels, and photos can hide a lot.
Stopping Snags Before They Happen
Fine mesh catches on anything rough: velcro, chunky zips, rings, even the hook side of a bra. Wash it by hand in cool water with a gentle detergent, or in a mesh laundry bag on the delicate cycle, and never in the dryer, since heat weakens the stretch. Roll it in a towel to press out water, then dry it flat. Store it folded in a drawer rather than on a hanger, and keep it away from sweaters with loose loops.
Let the Print Lead, Keep the Rest Quiet
Every outfit here follows the same idea: one printed mesh top, an underlayer chosen on purpose, and calm pieces around it. Jeans and a black cami are the easy start; satin, tailoring and matching skirts take it further. When you want more structure, put the mesh under a blazer, a cardigan, an open shirt or a slip dress. Repeat colors already in the print, and keep jewelry small.
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