Emily Bader's sheer Elie Saab gown drew 'granny panties' criticism after her appearance at the Airbnb.org Gala, although one commenter praised the design despite objecting to its transparency.
The actress, whose credits include People We Meet on Vacation, attended the inaugural gala at Milk Studios in Los Angeles on 28 October. The gala highlighted Airbnb.org's work providing free emergency accommodation for people affected by disasters and other crises, with Bader among the evening's early arrivals.
Emily Bader's Gown Pairs Florals With Lace
Her floral gown came from Elie Saab's Resort 2027 collection, pairing a decorated bodice with a transparent lace skirt and visible brief-style underlayer. Pale, dimensional floral embellishments cluster across the green-toned bodice, with individual flower shapes standing out against the finer patterned fabric beneath them.
Thin straps and a low neckline frame the decorated section, which extends towards the upper hips before giving way to the more transparent skirt. Lace patterning continues down towards the floor, so the lower half is not undecorated, although it provides substantially less opaque coverage than the bodice.
The brief-style section and Bader's legs remain visible through the fabric, creating the contrast that became a focus of the discussion.
The collection's wider design language includes embroidery, lace and floral appliqués, giving context to the decoration visible in Bader's look without establishing its precise manufacturing techniques. The online praise was more general, referring to the dress and its details rather than naming particular materials or methods.
Underlayer Draws 'Granny Panties' Criticism
'Beautiful dress over granny panties. Just, why?' Technical-Gold-294 wrote in the dedicated discussion of Bader's outfit in Reddit's r/whatthefrockk community, pairing approval of the dress with criticism of the visible layer beneath its skirt.
Hoaryvervain expressed a broader objection, writing: 'JUST STOP ALREADY with the sheer dresses. This looks completely ridiculous,' before adding: 'And it's too bad because this is a clearly well made dress with a lot of nice details,' the clearest quoted acknowledgement of the design's appeal despite dissatisfaction with its presentation.
Several responses proposed keeping the dress but adding coverage beneath the skirt, rather than replacing the design altogether, with the silhouette a particular concern. Emilythatglitters began: 'I am not a sheer hater but this really ruins it,' distinguishing their reaction from opposition to all transparent clothing.
'So weird just to see the legs peeping out. It spoils the line of the dress and would be much better lined,' the commenter continued, while owntheh3at18 agreed: 'Yes this would have been so beautiful with a lining!', favouring a more covered version of the same look.
Sheer Dresses Draw Further Criticism
Other contributions expressed frustration with visible-underwear styling more generally, extending the discussion beyond the proportions or decoration of Bader's individual gown. Ethnafia_125 wrote: 'Seriously. I'm so tired of seeing people's undies. Desist already,' while rudderlessbarge praised the look 'from the waist up' despite criticising the bottom.
The thread displayed 224 comments when retrieved, a figure covering all responses rather than the number criticising the outfit or sheer dresses. The photograph does not establish whether the brief-style section is separate underwear or integrated into the gown, leaving 'granny panties' as a commenter's description rather than a verified garment name.
