Aug 31, 20234 min read

The Ultimate Undergarment Guide

A personal stylist's guide to knowing what undergarments your wardrobe needs for ultimate efficiency and ease. After years of working with clients, we've learned that the right undergarments truly can make or break a look! The goal is always for an overall seamless look. Different body shapes have different needs when it comes to these pieces, so take this list for what is it, a compilation of undergarments advice (including our personal recommendations) by item. Not every woman needs every item, but hopefully you'll find what will be the most useful for your wardrobe!

Undies

When it comes to your everyday under garments, we're all about filling your drawers with the items you'll grab most frequently. That's why we love a seamless, neutral panty. They'll work with whatever your wearing, help avoid panty lines, and are so comfy! Here are a few options we recommend because of their seamless finish and lightweight fabric.

Bras

Does anyone actually enjoy bra shopping or are we all in agreement it's a necessary evil? We've found a few key elements that have eased the pain of bra shopping and even made it, dare we say, SIMPLE. Here's the tea..

1. Get fitted with an expert. Can it be awkward, expensive, or sales-y? Perhaps all three, but it's worth it to know you're learning your true and *current* bra size for easier shopping moving forward. This is an area we consistently see struggles with women because it's an area that can make a large impact on our overall image and very few of us actually know what we're doing. We recommend visiting a larger department store (not a Victoria's Secret, which uses vanity sizing and will cause confusion when you go to shop at other retailers) or do a little research in your area and see if you can find a small boutique that specializes in bra fitting. That's our favorite option!

2. Your daily go to bras really do need replaced on a yearly basis. Even the best of quality starts to lose it's shape after so many washes! Ready for a life hack we discovered last year? We suggest building these replacements into your budget during Black Friday (or another sale date you can keep track of) because it will be an easy reminder that it's time to update and worth saving on items you know you'll have to purchase at some point anyways. Carly did this last year and swears by the simplicity of it!

3. Different brands may work well for different women. If you're a smaller chested gal we recommend trying the following brands:

Maideform
B'Tempted
Pepper
Natori
Soma

If you're a larger chested gal, these brands are worth giving a whirl:

Wacoal
Playtex
Vanity Fair
Curvy Couture
Soma
Natori
Cuup

4. It's not you, its the bra. Just like any other aspect of fit, what and how you are wearing your bras is the variable needing adjusted, NOT YOU. So if there's something you're finding uncomfortable or that's just not working for you, make adjustments. Bra fitting experts will know what styles will work with your breast shape for the best fit.

Shape Wear

This is definitely an area that can be stressful for many shoppers, so we're here to make it simple and explain the different options when it comes to shape wear undergarments.

Biker shorts are a great tool to have in your arsenal for wearing under dresses when you want a little more security. Even if you're not looking for the shaping effects of them, many of our clients like them for the comfort of knowing they can move a little more freely. It's like building in your own skort. You can find these in a variety of price points and styles!
One-Piece shape wear is great for dresses and more as well, as it provides a smooth finish to your garment. Sharon prefers the Spanx thinstincts version because there's less compression, therefore less pressure on the body. Maidenform also makes a version of this that's budget friendly and Skims has gained a lot of popularity in this space the last few years.

Socks

It's pretty remarkable how difficult it can be to find a sock that is truly no show without slipping off every other step. We've purchased and tested this set from Amazon over the last few months and have great luck with them so far! We also love that they come in such simple colors.

Dress Slip

This is a garment that seems to be off of a lot of women's lists these days, but is still worth the mention! A simple slip can be great for wearing under dresses with a more see through fabric for a comfortable coverage. Think of it like your own insertable lining for dresses that don't have one!

Hose

Here's the low down on our personal preferences when it comes to hose! A high waisted fit gives a smooth line under dresses. Spanx is a classic brand with good long term hold up. The Assets brand is the lower priced version of Spanx and also has a good track record for staying nice.