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