Finding shapewear for your wedding dress is a minefield, so we have researched and got recommendations from real brides on the best options out there.
Before looking for shapewear, think about your dress and think about what kind of underwear makes you feel the best. Do you want to shape your stomach? Do you want your boobs lifted? Does your dress have a low back? do you want straps?
So many questions!!! Let's try to find you the perfect shape!
Here are some different options:
1. Strapless
Here is the Spanx 'Suit your fancy strapless cupped panty bodysuit'. This is great for tummy control! It has so many different options which means you can use it again and again! If you are looking for a strapless body then this is a great shout!
Pro - Multiway straps can be worn 5 different ways to suit lots of dress styles. They stock sizes 6-22. They Also include clear straps!
Con – A bit pricey & they only have two colours to choose from.
2. Low Back
This is the Skims 'Seamless Sculpt fitted stretch-woven body'This is a great bodysuit if you have a dress with a Low back! Always measure how high your shapewear sits on your back to make sure your dress covers it!
Pro – 5 colours to choose from to match your skin tone. They stock sizes XXS-4XL
Con – No easy access for wees!
3. Full Body
This is the Shaperx 'seamless Bodysuit for tummy control shaping.' This is a great way to scalp your tummy, hips and thighs. It is great for a smooth line! It also has a cheeky bum lift! As it is quite full coverage you would need a dress with a high back to cover this one.
Pro - Good body shaping as well as boob support. They Stock sizes XXS-5XL
Con - The mid short version has a strange crotchless hole that makes it very difficult to go for a wee without pissing all over yourself (speaking from experience at my own wedding).
4. Own Bra Bodysuit
Here is the 'Body Define™ Firm Control Wear Your Own Bra Bodysuit' This is great if you want to shape your tummy and waist but wear your own bra! Sometimes you just fall in Love with the fit and comfort of a bra! So this way you get to wear both! We love the V neck back which gives you more options with how low your dress can be.
Pro – You can wear your favourite bra and still have the body support you want! They stock sizes 6-24
Con – Only two colours to choose from.
5. Stick on Bra
These are 'Rabbit ear' stick on bras. If you are looking for some lift on the puppies these are your friends!! I personally love these! they really give you a great lift and cleavage and are so comfy!
Pro – Great lift even on my sad post breastfeeding boobs! They have different sizes for cups AA-E
Con – They lose their stickiness after one or two uses.
6. Boob Tape
This is the Buub adhesive bra. These are so versatile and can solve so many boob issues! they cater for lots of sizes which we LOVE!
Pro – Lots of shades to choose from, and different thicknesses for bust sizes. They cater to cups AA to F and beyond.
Con – Takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it! (they have great how to videos on their website and Instagram!)
7. High Waisted Underwear
These are Spanx 'highest power pants'. Great for tummy shaping and showing off your curves! These are awesome but just remember that the shorts come quite high up the back so you wouldn't be able to have a super low back.
Pro – Seamless and lightweight.
Con – Has potential to roll down. They only stock sizes XS-XL
8. Single leg shapewear
The incredible 'Solution short right/left leg exposed' by Skims. A bloody great invention if you have a dress with a high split. You can even choose which leg to have covered!
Pro – Perfect for dresses with high splits. It has loads of colours to choose from & stocks sizes XXS-4XL
Con – Not very versatile!
So there are a huge amount of options available! It is great that the shapewear industry is slowly getting better with colour and size options!
If you need some help deciding what shapewear is right for you, here are some top tips on making the decision:
Top Tips
- Make sure you test out your shapewear, we recommend wearing it on a night out to test comfort and durability. You don’t want to feel uncomfortable after a few hours on your wedding day!
- Get your shapewear sorted before your measurements appointment for your wedding dress, shapewear can really change your measurements and you want your dress to fit like a glove on the day!
- Choose your shapewear colour wisely, if you are wearing a white dress it is much better to go for nude rather than white. A lot of brands offer different shades of skin tones, try to find one that matches your skin tone.
- Do you research when buying shapewear, shop around and read reviews, some shapewear can be pretty pricey and you want to make sure it will work for you before you buy it!
- Try a few different styles and brands. Everyone’s body is different, and we all have areas we want supporting more than others. A brand that works for your friend might not support you in the same way and that’s okay! If you can, order a few different options and try them out and see what works best for you!