Choosing the Right Undergarments for Your Wedding Gown

Bride Getting Ready Photo via Shutterstock

When all eyes are on you during your walk down the aisle, you want all of “you” to stay in place. The girls should be up. The stomach should be smooth. Back fat begone, and there isn’t a muffin top in sight.

This is when choosing the right undergarments and shapewear for under your gorgeous gown is a must.

“The right undergarments are the first step to wedding gown perfection. The right shapewear is the kind of shapewear that does its job on the big day, performing at the highest level, smoothing, shaping, and staying put,” says Tara Cavosie, founder and creator of HookedUp Shapewear. “Undergarments have the ability to make a beautiful wedding gown look even more amazing. On the flip side, the wrong undergarments can make a gorgeous gown look like a total mess.”

Aside from look, comfort is also a big issue. “An ill-fitting bra, tight and bulky corsets, or digging, pinching, rolling shapewear will turn your dream day into an uncomfortable nightmare,” she says.

Here are a few tips from this shapewear expert on how to find the right garment for under your gown.

• For a strapless dress, bust support is number one. You don’t want to be tugging on your dress all night or risk having a wardrobe malfunction. Because of their built-in bras, bustiers work really well for supporting most bust sizes while also cinching your waist to the perfect proportion. Caveat: If your gown already has boning, this might feel like overkill. Try a strapless bra instead, but choose wisely. “Most women don’t know this, but 90 percent of the support of a woman’s breasts comes from the band, not the cups or straps,” says Cavosie. “As a result, the back band must be snug to achieve maximum support. If your strapless bra band is too loose, you’ll spend the entire wedding pulling it up.”

• Mermaid dresses are the most body-con of the wedding gowns, so you’re looking to achieve a gorgeous hourglass silhouette. “Back fat, muffin top, and total tummy control is a must for this body-con bodice,” she warns. “Look for pieces with long legs, so you have all-around thigh control, which is crucial for this hip-hugging style.” Another option is to pair a strapless bra with a high-waisted control shaper. Cavosie’s Hooked Up High Waist Shaping Slip, for example, latches onto the back of any strapless bra that has removable strap hooks, so it doesn’t roll down and banishes muffin top and back fat, all while compressing the tummy.

• Because ballgown skirts are so full, you won’t have to worry about thigh or butt shaping. These silhouettes are known to flare at the hips, so you can primarily focus on shaping your waist and supporting your bust. Again, bustiers are a great choice for this style of gown. Cavosie also suggests a high-waisted shaping brief style for a sexy, contoured mid-section.

“Brides should feel confident in their shapewear and know it won’t let them down. She shouldn’t have to think about it for even one second after putting it on,” she says.

Should you bring in your choice to the final fitting, just to be sure it works?  Cavosie says a resounding yes: “The bride should always wear the bra and shapewear she plans on wearing the day of her wedding to every single fitting. Doing this will eliminate any surprises, especially for the seamstress doing the alterations.”

Another tip: Do a little dancing in the dressing room in front of mirror. If anything pops out or rolls down, it’s back to the drawing board for you and your gown.

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