The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word NUDES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
N
U
D
E
S
More clues leading to the result NUDES
- Some dressed — unusually, on reflection?
- Paintings new and used, needing restoration
- Students’ union is full of extremely decorative posers
- When turning up they may get some embarrassed, unsurprisingly!
- Journalist in tabloid set about providing page-three features?
- Result of undies one stripped off?
- Closed union is set up to expose such models
- Naturists closed unit backing trousers
- They’re not usually dressed, exposing skin initially
- Newspaper boss intervening over revealing pictures
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "They’re not usually dressed" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they’re not usually dressed = nudes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does NUDES mean?
NUDES noun- A painting, sculpture, photograph or other artwork or mass-media-reproduced image depicting one or more human figure(s) in a state of near or total undress.
- (with article, "the nude") The state of total nudity.
- A color that resembles or evokes bare flesh; a paint, dye, etc. of such color.