Foundation Garments

The art of foundation dressing is something that the French have mastered. In America a woman will pay $1,000 for a dress and wear a $10 pair of underwear with it. In France women will spend $550 on a dress and $500 on foundation garments to support the look of the dress. Basically ladies… your panties matter.

I have been receiving a lot of questions lately about the type of slips and other foundation items I wear. Just from losing weight and having a baby I have trouble areas that need more support than others. I always want to appear streamline my body but not hold everything in to the point that I am uncomfortable. This is an area where I try to embrace my features because the extra skin I have on my stomach isn’t going anywhere.

This is the important thing I want you to remember when going through this article. You need to remember that not all bodies are the same and what works for me may not work for you. I will give you some suggestions on brands that I like but it’s important, especially with bras, that you have a proper fitting on virtual fitting for your items.

Panties

I have tried all of them. ALL. Pre pregnancy, post pregnancy and more. It can be really hard to find a style that fits when you have a lot of lower abdomen skin like most women who have had a baby do. I try to keep three different styles of panties in my drawers at all times; boyshorts, bikini briefs and thongs.

My first pick may surprise you a little. These are just basic Hanes underwear that you buy in a pack at Target. Like I said I have tried on lots and lots of underwear and these are magic. First of all they stay where they are supposed to be. I can put these on and they don’t give me issues all day long. They also come up on my lower abdomen high enough that they don’t roll down and have me tugging on them. They work well under most clothing with the exception of pants. I can get away with them when I am wearing shorts but when I am in pants I have to do something else.

These are also available at Target.com but you can get jockey a variety of places like Dillard’s and even Amazon. These are comfortable and easy and seamless. These are my favorite to wear with jeans and anything that is tight.

I don’t wear thongs often but every now and then a certain outfits calls for them. These are my current favorites from Soma. They are high to give you that support in the front for your tummy but still look sexy and cute.

Bras

I wore the wrong kind of bra for a long time. While I was pregnant and after I got into a bad habit of just buying something off the rack and not even putting a lot of effort into it. I didn’t realize how bad this had gotten until I got a good bra and was shocked at how much it changed how I looked in what I was wearing and also how I felt. A good bra is probably the most important thing you wear under your clothes so invest in a good one and treat it well and it will last for a long time. I like to have a bra, strapless and bralette on hand at all times. These are my favorites.

I decided to give Thirdlove a try several months ago. I did a whole post on it here. I didn’t think that they could get me the right bra just by doing a virtual fitting but I was wrong. It was the most well fitting bra I have ever worn and right out of the box. I have one now and I plan to order more soon.

I have a hard time finding bralettes that fit my DD breasts but aren’t too big around. The issue I find is that most bralettes come in SML so there is no cup size. The Free People bralettes have bigger cups to account for the ladies like me. I also find that some companies are starting to sell them with cup and band sizes so you can find a 36DD no problem. If you cant find that fits you the easiest solution I have found is to wear your bra and then but the bralette on top.

Slips and More

Pretty much any picture you see of me I am wearing some type of foundation garment like a slimmer or a slip. I like the way it gives a smoother look to my body and in general I think most clothes look better with a little something under them. The exception to this rule is if I have a dress or pant that is lined. A good foundation garment will give your tummy, hips and bum a smoother appearance and enhance your curves. It also give a great base for your garment and makes that look better too. I have several on hand that I like and wear often.

This slip is life changing. I have it in white, black and tan and I wear it under everything. It fits super close to the body so I can wear it when something is sheer or a flowy skirt in case the wind gets hold of it and my bum is covered. It is also very slimming and because of the one size I wore it when I was pregnant too. They hold up well in the wash but I don’t dry them.

I have had several different sets of Spanx in the last few years and this one is my favorite because it is the easiest to put on. I don’t know what it is about spanx that leaves me in actual sweats once I get them on but it never fails. This pair is easy to put on and also gives me the smoothest look. Several pairs that I have owned had a large seam down the front and this pair does not have that so it is ideal for wearing with thin fabrics and also body con dresses. Plus the straps keep it from rolling down at the top.

This slimmer is great for shorts or pants. The only downside to the one I listed above is that it does not work well with pants. The line tends to show on the pants and does not give that seamless look that we are always trying to achieve. This will still smooth out all of the right spots but not give you the line on our leg.

Everything in your wardrobe will look a little better when you put the right foundation pieces on. I know it sounds silly but living in south Louisiana we all know the importance of building the right foundation. Make sure that you are spending the same amount of time planning your undergarments that you are planning your dress, shoes and bag.
XO,
Tiffany