Support Solutions, with Marianne

Hi Ladies,

Hope your 2011 has gotten off to a fabulous start.  Seems like mother nature woke up on the wrong side of the bed this year, with typhoons in Australia and ice storms in the US - but as we say in France, “a la guerre comme a la guerre”.

Crazy weather aside, I am always excited this time of year because bridal season is getting into swing.  Here’s an email that I received from Alexa T. in Connecticut, who is looking for some strapless support:

Dear Marianne

I have my dress picked out but not my lingerie. I think I need something really supportive because I’m a G cup and my dress is strapless. Here is a picture of a very similar dress from Vera Wang. Can you help me out?

Cheers

Alexa T., Westport CT

Very pretty dress - leave it to Vera.  With a sweetheart neckline and no straps my thoughts immediately turn to the ultra-Lift Perfect Strapless.  Especially because Alexa is a G cup, she needs serious support to not just look great on her big day but also feel “held in” and confident.  Don’t want any surprises when that bouquet is thrown up in the air.

The bra features patented technology that seals three thin stays inside of each cup.  These stays, made of a very lightweight plastic, provide amazing support and even prevent the bra from sliding down. 

Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy 2011!

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,

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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Hi Ladies,

I would like to share a question that I received from Linda in Texas. 

Linda called up Va Bien to ask about how its bras fit, since she wisely knows that most brands fit differently.  For example, a 34D in Panache is going to fit differently from a 34D in Victoria’s Secret.

So when Linda considered Va Bien, she wanted some more information before ordering her bra - specifically the ultra-Lift Strapless Style 1506.  In other brands she wears a 34DD, but upon learning that the cups of Va Bien’s strapless bra have a deeper projection than most brands (they are very ‘full’), she decided to try out a 34D.

Here’s the email that she sent me after she received the 34D:

I usually wear a 34DD and this is the first strapless bra that I have ever found that fits and won’t slip down.  I did have to drop to a size 34D but it is perfect.  I am  about to go to your Internet site and order other styles.  I am so  excited!!  Thank you.

 

Linda

So what’s the moral of the story?  Do your homework when trying out a bra from a new brand.  Find out how that brand - and the specific style that you’re interested in - fits compared to the brand that you usually wear.

All the 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

I got this email in the other day from Dana in New Jersey about finding the right strapless bra…

hi marianne

i have always had a hard time with strapless bras. is there actually one out there that does not droop or slide down?

what do i look for in a strapless?

Well Dana let’s start with the features that a good strapless bra must have. First off, it needs to have a silicone lined back - this stops the bra from sliding down. It also helps if the backs are double-lined with strong stretchy fabric to keep the bra on nice and snug.

Next, you need supportive cups, especially if you are full busted. This is very very important. If the cups are flimsy and you can easilly bend the cup downwards over the underwire, then the bra will not only droop but slide down as well. This should be your test when checking out strapless bras in the store!

Finally, depending on the brand it’s a good rule of thumb with strapless bras to size down in the band and up in the cup. This will make sure that the bra fits nice and tight. You see, bra sizing often ‘cross-grades’ - this means that a 34B may share the same cup as a 32C - so don’t be afraid of trying on a bigger letter size in this case!

I personally recommend the Va Bien Style 1506 to you. It’s called The Perfect Strapless because it hits those important points like silicone lining, a double-layered back, and very supportive bra cups.

The cups are patented with a technology called ultra-Lift, which seals three thin stays (called “Magic Fingers”) between layers of foam inside the cups. If you ever check out a bra or body briefer with ultra-Lift, just give it the test I recommended and try to push the cup over the underwire - you won’t be able to do it! Because of this technology the Girls won’t break over the bra’s frame, and you’ll be Droop-Proof.

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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