What to wear under there

The Foundation Guide for the Soon to be Bride
No matter the size of the bride, most women choose to wear some sort of bridal foundation garment.  Your wedding day is the one day when literally all eyes will be on you, so you want to be confident with what your engaged audience is seeing.

Spanx shapewear designer, Sara Blakely, agrees that most brides should consider wearing some sort of shapewear:  “White is one of the hardest colors to wear. It shows everything that’s going right or wrong beneath it. And your wedding is the one day that your rear end has a captive audience. Brides think everyone is looking at the train as they walk down the aisle, but guests are really checking out the caboose.”
To ensure your caboose and the rest of your body is looking flawless, here is a breakdown of some simple shape-up solutions: 

Under a Ball Gown - This tight-fitting bodice top will sit firmly on the waist. Try a lengthening bustier or boned corset that will not only cinch in your waistline, but help bring some extra support to your bustline. If your bodice is made of a thicker material, feel free to buy lingerie with all the extra frills and bows, but opt for something more seamless when wearing something a bit more sheer as you may be able to see those details through your fabric.

Under an A-line Dress - Fitting narrow throughout the top and then gently flaring out above the waist into an ‘A-shape’, the A-line gently skims over the waistline without giving it full definition as opposed to a ball gown bodice. While this is often considered the most flattering fit of them all, you may want something to keep the fluidness throughout your waistline.  Try a high-rise panty or high-rise body shaper to help smooth over and tuck in the tummy. This dress does not have a waistline so you do not want to create one with regular- waist panties!



Under a Sheath Dress - Perfect for the slender bride, the sheath dress will glide over the entire body, showing every line of the body and because of this, little can be hidden in a sheath dress without the proper foundation. Try a smoothing slip that will aid in creating even lines and keep wobbly parts under control. If your bottom half is more of your issue area, try a high-rise footless pantyhose, which will help to keep your thighs and hips in place.

 
  

Under a Mermaid Dress - The mermaid or trumpet style gown will accentuate your figure showing off curves throughout your body and then will flare out into a full bottom hemline. Wear a thong or microfiber boyshort panty to avoid the ever dreaded panty line! For extra body support, wear a seamless body shaper or microfiber slip that will reach to at least mid-thigh.

 



 Additional Tips:

• Feel free to bring foundation garments along when dress shopping. If you are concerned about your lower body: stomach, thighs, and rear end, bring along a simple pantyhose to smooth out problem areas.

• Undergarments are just as essential as your dress, so start shopping for foundations as soon as you find your dress. Take pictures of the front and back of your gown as well as precise measurements of how low the back or neckline may drop. This way your local lingerie specialist has all the information they need to find you the perfect undergarment.