Support Solutions, with Marianne

Hi Ladies,

I’d like to share an email that I received earlier this week from Janice in Texas:

hi marianne- i am in desperate need of a butt lift! i have a naughty habit of eating cookies late at night, and i need a brief that can help ease my guilt during the day by shaping my cookie-dough filled butt!  how do i find a good butt-lifting brief?   thanks!  -Janice

Well Janice, while I do not necessarily endorse naughty eating habits that benefit the shapewear industry, I can definitely help you find a good brief!

What you want to look for you in your butt-lifter is a strong, wide stretch band that runs under the bottom and up to the waistline.  This lifts the bottom for a younger look in jeans, which is always nice!  It’s also a plus in your butt-lifter to have a “molded seat”.  This means that the back panel of the brief has essentially been pre-stretched to fit your bottom - just like some bra cups are made.  This ensures that your bottom is shaped properly and not just flattened out.

Va Bien’s butt-lifter is called Fanny Fabulous and like most control briefs out there, comes in a traditional cut, a high waist cut, and a cut with legs.  I wear the version with legs because it has a ’sweatpants’ type comfort that I really enjoy.

Best of luck to you Janice!  Have that cookie at night… but just 1 ok?

All the best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

First off I would like to apologize for my absence lately!  Things have been just wild (in a good way) in the office, and I have not had a moment to make any posts!

Last week however I received a call from Lorie, who is getting married this summer (I’m so excited that we’re getting into bridal season!) and I just had to make a post about her lesson learned.

Let’s take a step back first.  Lorie started shopping for a foundation (a bodysuit, bustier, etc to wear under your dress) back in January.  She gave me her measurements, described her dress, and pointed out the specific bodyparts that she wanted to control.  Her primary concerns were her tummy, her bottom, and her thighs - and she wanted extra firm control, no sissy stuff!  She described her dress as lightweight, clingy, and strapless.

My recommendation to her was Va Bien Style 1294, which will shape her perfectly in all those areas, and is strapless.  It also features a light touch of lace for a cute fashion look.

Now, back to Lorie’s phone call.  She sounded a bit unhappy on the phone, and told me that although her bust fit perfectly into the bodysuit, the material was bunching up around her tummy.

It turns out that she is 4′11 tall!  Ladies, bodysuits come in bra sizes, and although the length (the “stride” in industry speak) is graded as sizes increase, there is no way for brands to accommodate everyone.  Those of us who are not very tall should stay away from bodysuits and opt to combine a control brief with a supportive bra.  Some control briefs are high waist and can run all the way up to the bra, for the same effect as a bodysuit on a shorter woman.

So, I advised Lorie accordingly - she picked up the control brief and bra - and now she’s happy again and off to her dress fitting.  Good luck to you Lorie!

Best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies!  I received this note from ‘C’ last week and wanted to share it with you….

Hi Marianne. I stumbled upon the Va Bien website while googling for a long torso bustier. My wedding dress (picture attached) is made of double faced satin, so anything that I wear underneath the dress will show if it’s not smooth. So I have a challenging time finding the right bustier.

I live in Portland and 99% of the lingerie stores do not carry long torso bustiers. Most of them come up all the way to right above the belly button. My problem area is between the belly button and my hip. So a short bustier will just accentuate this ‘extra’ tire that I carry around the waist.

I’m interested in buying one of Va Bien’s long torso bustier but not sure which one to purchase. I hope you’ll help me! I don’t know who else to turn to. Please

Thanks so much! I appreciate your time.

C

Sounds like those Portland lingerie boutiques need to step up their game!

Your dress looks absolutely gorgeous, and the concern about your foundation showing through is not a unique one.  Many women today are looking for bustiers that are smooth and invisible under dresses such as yours.

Remember however that the primary function of your bustier is to create a sexy hourglass silhouette.  Unfortunately, many of the bustiers out there today that feature a smooth outer layer do not feature the traditional shapewear features that you will want working for you on your big day.  You deserve it all, so don’t settle for something that’s invisible under your dress but doesn’t shape you properly, or vise versa.

Since you are already looking at Va Bien styles, let me recommend our Style 1503, the Seamless Bustier.  It features not only a seamless microfiber outer layer to make it dissappear under your dress,  but also a hidden inner corset that will totally tame your curves, giving you the perfect shape.  Plus it features our patented ultra-Lift bra cups, which are the ultimate in support for your bust!

All the best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies, this just in from Tania…

Hi Marianne

i am going to be wearing a Chinese Cheongsam (traditional dress) with a low cut back and high slits. It will have built-in bra cups so I won’t need a bra but I would like to still wear something for firm tummy control and smoothness that won’t show up above the low back or on the thighs. I am also concerned with the waistband rolling. What kind of product do you recommend I select? 

Thanks!

- Tania 

Dear Tania,

Sounds like a wonderful outfit!  You must send me a photo!  I recommend a highwaist brief, which can provide roll-down in two different ways.  1) it can have small bones placed vertically from the waistband down, or 2) it can have a nice wide waistband.  In Va Bien these features are found in Va Bien Style 3766 and 1586 respectively.  3766 has small thin bones in the waist area which will prevent rolling.  1586 has no bones but a wide band which will hold you in, plus it also lifts the derriere. The fabric is super comfy microfiber.  If you give me your measurements for hips and waist I can tell you what size to buy in either styles!

All the best,

Marianne

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Hi Ladies,

I received this email from Tennille recently - she’s a bride to be…

Hi there,

I found this gown on The Knot.

 Let me know what shapewear you think is best. Also please remember I am a plus size. Thanks again for all of your help!

That’s a beautiful gown you selected!  The most important function of your shapewear here is to get an hourglass figure.  You will want something that has strong boning inside to keep you sucked in.

Also, the gown is strapless so the best solution for you is a well-made bustier.  It helps with bustiers to have more than one row of hook & eyes so that you can adjust how tight you want it to be.  In Va Bien, I would suggest that you check out Style 523.  It covers all the points that I just mentioned, and it’s very pretty!

Best of luck to you!

Marianne

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