Support Solutions, with Marianne

Hi Ladies,

How about another bridal post?  I received this note recently from “KL” in Miami:

Dear Marianne,

This May I am getting married in a low plunge dress.  I don’t have a picture of my dress itself, but I found this one online that has the same cut:

See how low it is in the front, and how it nips in around the waist?  I am not full figured, but I am not as perfect as the girl in the picture.  How can I slim down a bit around the waist while not showing anything beneath the low plunge cut of the dress??

Thanks so much

I love the cut of that dress.  Traditionally, it was only possible for very slim, small busted women to wear something like that.  Sure, we all lose weight heading into our big day, but sometimes there’s only so much we can do!  Today there is a the perfect solution:  a low plunge body briefer.  They tuck in the tummy and the waist like a traditional body briefer, but feature a “u-wire” in the middle of the neckline that forms a deep “U” - hence the name - allowing the garment to hide under a low cut dress.

Now, there are different low plunge body briefers out there.  You must make sure to shop wisely, because if you find one without the right features, you might be facing a serious impending wardrobe malfunction!  (Think when you throw up the bouquet, or when you’re on the dancefloor)  Here are two features that your low plunge bodysuit must have:

1) An adjustable u-wire.  This is critical because not all women have the same width torso, or the same bust size.  That means that if you buy a style with an in-flexible, non-adjustable u-wire, there’s no guarantee that the “U” will hit you in the right place, and hold you securely.

2) Supportive bra cups.  For obvious reasons, you want the Girls to be held in securely by some extra supportive bra cups.

There is an example from Va Bien that hits both points HERE.

Good luck to you “KL”!

Best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

Hope everyone is having as much fun prepping for Thanksgiving as I am!  I ordered my 12lb organic turkey, can’t wait to pick it up on Tuesday!  Now I am just figuring out what kind of dessert to serve!  Speaking of preparation, just around the corner is Bridal Season, and brides everywhere are starting to think about their dress.  Here is a note that I received from one such bride, Kim:

Hi Marianne. I’m getting married next year and am looking for the correct type of bridal undergarment to wear. Here is the dress I’ll be wearing :

What do you recommend? I’m 5′2.5″ tall and wear a cup size of 38D. Thanks in advance!
Kim

Cute dress, isn’t it?  I love the detail around the bust.

The subject of her email to me was “Bridal Shapewear” (she also wrote a comment here) so she is looking to slim down.  For starters, as I have detailed in previous posts here and here, a petite girl such as Kim - standing 5 foot 2.5 inches tall - should consider a bra paired with a control brief.  A bodysuit, and even many bustiers, may be too long for her, and a bra / control brief combination is sure to work.

That said, one of Kim’s top priorities here should be choosing a bra that stays up - especially since she is a full-busted 38D.  Doesn’t her dress look like something that you would typically pull up all night long?  Well let’s give Kim peace of mind on her big day with a strapless bra that will stay up through every dance number. She should make sure that the bra she picks has supportive bra cups, double-lined back panels, and a silicone treatment along those back panels.  These features will keep the bra standing tall.  I have to strongly recommend the ultra-Lift Perfect Strapless Bra from Va Bien - its patented technology truly gives the cups excellent support, keeping the Girls lifted exceptionally well and with great comfort.

Regarding her control brief to pair with the bra, Kim should make sure that she picks a style that does not roll down (see here for tips) and has a high waist to run up to her bra for a smooth seamless look.  Here are some choices from Va Bien.

As a final pointer, she should make sure that the color of her undergarments are nude - this will show through less than white.

Best of luck to you, Kim!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

I received this note from “J” last week who is getting ready for a party and needs the right support under her cute new dress:

Dear Marianne,

I picked up the Alexander Wang dress below from Net a Porter to wear at my girlfriend’s upcoming cocktail party:

There is good news and bad news.  The good: the dress cost only $95!  The bad: it’s very form fitting on me and even though it’s black it’s rather unforgiving… and I’m not exactly as flawless as the gal in the picture!  So I need something that will shape my body to wear under the dress.  As you can see it is one-shoulder so whatever you pick needs to accomodate that.  I am fairly tall (5″8), in case that helps.  Thanks for anything you can suggest!

First off, how about an Alexander Wang dress at $95!  Could it be an AW sub-brand?  Anyhow, down to business.  It’s quite helpful that J volunteered her height, because now I know whether to recommend a bodysuit or a convertible bra / control brief combo.  As I’ve gone through in previous posts, bodysuits work best for taller ladies, whereas bras paired with control briefs generally work best for those who are more petite.

So, a bodysuit it will be for J.  As she mentioned it needs to accomodate her one-shoulder dress, which rules out all bodysuits that are not convertible or not strapless - that does not leave many left on the market.  I should also note that a dress slip would not work in this case because strapless ”mini” dress slips on the market will not be nearly as effective in controlling the body.   Here’s a suggested bodysuit from Va Bien:

It’s pictured strapless but it comes with straps that are fully convertible.  J could wear the garment strapless, though it’s nice to know that for extra security the one-shoulder strap can be attached.  Additionally the garment features patented ultra-Lift cups to lift and shape the bust, and a firm front panel to tuck in the tummy - along with light boning to keep the garment in place, and sheer panels for a sexy touch.

J: Have fun at the party and cheers to your new outfit!

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

Hope everyone is doing well!  Here’s an email that I received from “Allie”, who is looking to give her Girls a “Defining Moment”:

Help!! I am in need of a bra with maximum lift. I am large breasted but small around the back. I wear 32DDD in most brands. I have a slim fitting satin wedding dress that has a fitted bodice but loose neckline. I thought I found the perfect bra, but when I went for my fitting the seamstress told me I needed more lift to distinguish between the bottom of my breast and the bodice. (No uniboob). I was on line trying to find something in my size and came across your website. Can you recommend a bra that may work for me?

This is a great opportunity to point out a feature that can help bras distinguish between the bodice and the bust: a banded frame.  That is the area on some bras that runs underneath the cups, made of stretchy or rigid fabric with a narrow “facing elastic” band along the bottom.  Here’s a bra with a banded frame and another without:

Notice the difference along the sections below the underwires?  In terms of design, it’s mainly a fashion vs function thing.  Bandless frame bras look smaller, which makes them popular - and while there are plenty of good ones, the added strength of a banded frame definitely adds some extra support in large sizes - such as Allie’s - and creates that extra bit of definition between the bust and bodice.

Given that pointer, here are some specific recommendations for Allie.  She would do well with the first bra pictured above, Va Bien Style 1515, the ultra-Lift Balconette.  Or if she needs the bra to be strapless, then definitely our Style 1506, the ultra-Lift Perfect Strapless.  Both feature banded frames for extra lower bust definition - plus of course Va Bien’s patented ultra-Lift cups for extra lift and support.

All the best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

Here’s a note from “Allie”, a young bride to be!

Hello,

I was looking for a solution to my wedding lingerie.  This is the dress I will be wearing:

I am (barely) 34B and would like a lot of help in enhancing my bustline.  I have considered a bustier, but my only concern is that I have a long torso and my problem areas are more in the hip and thigh areas.  My stomach is quite flat and my waist is already small, so I’m afraid if I get something that cinches my waist I’ll only be accentuating my larger hips.  Can you suggest something that can accentuate my bust without accentuating my hips while keeping lines hidden for the dress.  The dress is chiffon, but multilayered.

Thank you for your help.

Cute dress, isn’t it?  Let’s first address what seems to be her primary concern: her bust.  A small 34B looking for some extra Va Voom should be thinking about push-up foundations.  She should either look for styles that feature bra cups with pockets that push-up pads can be slipped into (like THIS Va Bien style) or foam cups that have a bump already molded into the shape.  Problem with the latter though is that the bump may not offer the right amount of push-up that she’s looking for.  To get a more customized amount of push-up, she can go for the pockets and slip any size pad inside that she wants - but beware:  too much push-up and her boobs will look like they’re trying to escape out of her dress - always make sure not to pick pads that are too big!

Now, regarding her hips, let’s take a look at her dress.  With multi-layered chiffon, I don’t think she has to worry about them looking big.  That fabric really “drapes” from fairly high up on the waist, and a bustier will not at all make her proportions look awkward.  Plus, since her stomach is already flat, a bustier won’t even cinch her midsection in further, it will simply lay nice and flat on the body.

Best of luck to Allie!

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

I received this email from “Laura” recently, thought I’d share it with you!  (Just FYI, when a name is in “quotes”, it means that the person requested anonymity.)

Dear Marianne,

I recently purchased a new little black dress for an upcoming charity benefit.  It’s this cute versace number, found it on www.saks.com:

 

Now I just need to find the right foundation to wear under it, and was hoping that you could help me out.  I definitely want to have a nice smooth silhouette when wearing the dress, just like the model in the picture!  I think a slip would be best.  I’m not full figured, but I can use a touch of help in the right places so I can’t wear just a bra… spkg of which I’m a full 34D… that’s another problem - most of the slips that I’ve found don’t support me enough.

Thanks in adv for your help.

First off, how about her new dress?  Fabulous.

Now for her foundation.  She mentioned a slip and is on the right track.  I’m glad that she came to me because it’s not always easy to find the right one.  Just like bras, bustiers, shapers, etc, slips are often challenging to choose from.  They come in a variety of lengths, sizing structures, necklines, degrees of control, and more.

Let’s start with lengths.  Most slips that you’ll find on the market are measured from either the center bust (lowest part of the neckline) or the top of the side seam (next to the underarm), down to the bottom of the slip.  Half-slips are of course an exception, since they start at the waist.

I found Laura’s dress on on saks.com to check the specs - they say that the dress measures about 23″ from the waist down.  Looking at the dress, that means it probably measures anywhere from 30-36″ from the center bust down.  So, what length slip should Laura wear?  Obviously, it should be shorter than 30″ down from the center bust or side seam - but how much shorter?  I would say that 6″ shorter is a safe distance, so a 24 or even a 25″ slip should work.  If the slip is too short, it will ride up quite a bit, so she should avoid “mini slips”, which measure around 18″.

Now onto the neckline.  This part is much more simple.  Her dress features a scoop neckline, and so should her foundation.  Some slips come with v-necks, that’s clearly not what she needs here.

Regarding bust support and sizing structure, most slips out there are sized either by dress size or Small/Med/Lge/etc.  However, some are sized by cup size, like bras - this is the sizing structure that Laura should look for.  A slip that is fitted to her bust, with bra cups and underwires, will keep her perfectly lifted comfortably throughout her charity benefit.  At Va Bien, we built our patented ultra-Lift bra cups into our slip, with women like Laura in mind.

As for control, Laura should look specifically for a “control slip”.  Many, if not most slips out there are intended to hang loose on the body.  A control slip however is made of stretchy, figure-hugging fabric designed to slim and smooth the body to varying degrees, depending on fabric content and the cut.  Usually levels of control are indicated in product titles, such as “moderate control slip”, “firm control slip”, etc.  From what Laura said, it sounds like she needs a moderate control slip, as she needs just a “touch of help in the right places”.

Best of luck to you Laura, enjoy your event!

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

First off I want to thank all those who participated in my first live chat session last Friday.  It was a pleasure advising all of you on your innerwear issues!  I thought I’d write this post to share one of the questions that was asked; it’s not a typical request for advice, but rather a factual question - why not switch things up a bit, right?

The question: why do some panty styles start at Size 5, while others start at 1 or even 0?

Well, the panty sizing scale was formulated over 50 years ago, and since then many apparel sizing scales have trended downwards.  Some panty manufacturers did not participate in that trend and their scales still start at 5.  Others did, and theirs start lower.  Most brands have avoided the confusion all together by switching to a lettered scale (Small/Medium/Large/etc).

Now, why did apparel sizing trend downward?  Some say it’s because of “Vanity Sizing”, an alleged marketing ploy designed to ”trick” women into feeling good about wearing a small size number, even though the product is actually bigger than that size number was years ago - or because the same size in a different brand is smaller.  Do any of you wear the same dress size that you did 20 years ago, even though you have gained weight?  Were you ever surprised to fit into a certain size in one brand because you could never fit into that size in another brand?  Some call that Vanity Sizing.

Others do not agree that the fashion industry uses Vanity Sizing as a psychological tactic.  They argue that sizing evolves to serve the best interest of the consumer by reflecting differences between brands and their respective demographics.  For example, if a brand’s customer base grows wider over the years - as was the case in the US over recent decades - sizing should adjust accordingly.  Or, they argue, if one brand’s customer base tends to be much thinner than another, its sizing scale should reflect that as well.

The concept of Vanity Sizing presents a big debate.  Please feel free to add your comments - I know that sizing is something that everyone needs to vent about sometimes!

Best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

I recently received this email from “Trisha”  on a subject that I hear about quite often:

Marianne- i like to wear high waist underwear to smooth out my middle. But one problem that i have with any high waist underwear that i buy is that the waist always rolls down. It’s annoying because the rolled up part of the high waist creates bulges under my tops… and it’s embarrassing having to pull it up all the time.  And it’s not like i have some real active job where i’m moving around a lot, i just have a desk job. That high waist just keeps rolling down like it’s running away from my boobs help!!

Well Trisha, high waisted shapewear is definitely a great call for smoothing out your midsection and eliminating muffin-tops.  However, when you shop for it you need to make sure that it has at least one of two features - I suspect that the pieces that you own have neither:

1) A waistband over 1″ in width

or

2) Boning along the front of the midsection

#1 will go far towards preventing roll-down, as you can imagine with the wide elastic waistband holding the garment up.  However if you are wearing the wrong size - too big or too small - the garment will still roll down because there’s nothing structural built into the high waist to stop the fabric from creasing downwards.

#2 will guarantee that your shapewear does not roll down.  No matter what the boning is made of it will keep the high waist right where it’s supposed to be, all day long.  This is most effective when complemented by an inner lining in the high waist section of the garment.

Here are examples of shapers that meet the two points, respectively: #1, wide waistband; #2, boning

Good luck to you Trisha, don’t give up on high waist shapers - you have the right idea!

Best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

I recently received an email from “Jane”, who is shopping for some strapless shapewear to slim down on her son’s wedding day!  (Exciting!!)  Here is an excerpt from her note:

I am long-waisted and need strapless shapewear and can’t tell if one piece would be right; or if a combination of a bustier and body shaper would be better.  I wear a size 12-14 and measure a full bra size 38D by your site instructions.

 Just as I advised Lorie back in March, petite ladies should go for 2-piece shapewear - a bra or bustier and a brief - whereas taller ladies may opt for one-piece bodysuits.  Since Jane is long-waisted, I advised her to go for the bodysuit.

Now, she also needs her foundation to be strapless.  Although she didn’t mention it in her email, I’m sure that she - like all of us - is concerned about her bust when going sans straps at a special event.  There is a litany of potential issues, particularly since she is a full 38D, ranging from simple slippage to the dreaded pop-out!  Her son’s wedding is a day when she is supposed to be standing proud, not worrying about pulling her dress up every 5 minutes.

In turn, I recommended our Style 1570 which will securely hold her D’s high all night thanks to ultra-Lift technology inside the cups.  The bodysuit also features a firm control front panel to tuck the tummy, and cute sheer paneling on the sides for a fashion look.

Hope you enjoy your son’s big day, Jane!

Best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

This just in from “Amy” who is shopping around for a bustier:

Hello! I am searching for an undergarment for my dress, and I think that a bustier would be the appropriate choice. I am just very unsure about which to choose. I like the look of Va Bien Style 185 and Va Bien Style 6363.  My dress is a size 4 and I will be needing a size 32A bra. I am looking for something that hides under my dress, but that also gives me some kind of lift to my bust (it needs something!). Below is the front  my dress, it is made of chiffon and charmeuse. What do you think??
Thanks for any help

Isn’t Amy’s dress cute?

First off, she has made a great first choice in narrowing down her bridal foundation selection to bustiers.  Her dress is quite narrow around the waist and a bustier is the best thing to slim down for a perfect hourglass figure.  That said, her primary concerns are her bustline and show-through, not her waist.

When you’re shopping for something to “pump up” the Girls, you have two options.  One is to buy a bra/bustier/etc with foam padding already molded into the cups.  The other is to buy a style with pockets inside the cups that let you switch in and out pads of your choice.  (These pads have several pseudonyms, including “cookies”, “cupcakes”, and even “chicken fill-its”!)  The choice with pockets gives you a bit more flexibility, since you can swap in larger or smaller pads depending on how much “umph!” you’re looking for.

As far as show-through goes, your safest bet is to buy something with a smooth bodice and only a touch of lace.  The smoother and flatter it lays to your body, the less it will show through your dress.  Regarding color, although most brides ask for white, many say - and I take stock in this theory - that a flesh toned foundation will hide much better under your dress.  In the end though it’s really all about you and if you want to wear all white on your big day then that’s exactly what you should buy.

I recommended Va Bien style #6363 to Amy, which satisfies the necessities mentioned above.  It trims the waist with firm body panels, has pockets in the cups for push-up pads to be placed, and is nice and smooth on the outside to dissapear under a tight-fitting dress - it only features a touch of lace in the center between the cups.

Best of luck to you, Amy!

Kind regards,

Marianne

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