How To Choose The Right Shapewear For Your Wedding Day

Most brides are looking to slim down for their wedding day in order to look as stunning as possible. Diet, exercise (and let’s face it the stress of planning a wedding) can all help. However, most people find that even with loads of effort they are still left with wobbly bits that show and can ruin the look of the dress.

This is where shapewear comes in and saves the day. From tummy bulges to back boobs, muffin tops to saddle bag thighs, strategically placed shapewear can smooth you out, make you look thinner and make your already fantastic dress look fabulous!

What Style Is Your Wedding Dress?

Traditional Lined Wedding Dresses

Traditional wedding dresses with a good lining in them are very good for wearing with shapewear. The fabric is usually quite forgiving towards what you are wearing underneath. This means you can go for super strong, boned shapewear, such as the Esbelt Waist Cincher or the softer fabric version of the Miraclesuit Waist Cincher. You can create a very dramatic slimming and shaping effect with a waist cincher. Your waist will be really pulled in, your stomach flattened out and you will look pretty amazing!

If you are wanting to slim your hips, thighs and bottom too, you could pair the waist cincher with a pair of shaping shorts, such as the Spanx Power Panties Shaper Shorts.

Strapless Wedding Dresses

Strapless wedding dresses are beautiful - I wore one myself! With strapless dresses you are limited to your choice of shapewear, especially if you are wanting to wear a bodysuit or a slip. You have to avoid anything with straps or that might interfere with the neckline.

Instead of a bodysuit, go for high waisted briefs such as the Spanx Higher Power High Waisted Shaping Briefs or body shapers such as the Spanx Higher Power High Waisted Shaping Shorts. If you are worried about them moving around or rolling down, get a bit of fashion tape (tit tape) and secure the top in place.

Instead of a full slip, go for a high waisted slip, such as the Trinny and Susannah Magic Body Smoother Skirt Slip, or the Miraclesuit Sexy Sheer High Waisted Shaping Slip. These cover all the same areas as a full slip but without the straps or bust bit.

Miraclesuit Sexy Sheer Shaping High Waist Slip - Wedding Bridal Shapewear For Strapless Wedding Dress

Lace Or Silk Wedding Dresses

Lace or silk wedding dresses can be tricky to wear shapewear underneath, especially if they are not lined. We recommend that you go for shapewear in a natural or pinky colour as this will blend in the best – even if your dress is white. Silk especially, clings to every little ridge and seam, so you need to go for shapewear that is completely seamless with laser cut edges.

Look at the Spanx Shape My Day range, which is FIRM in slimming control but is pretty much seamless with laser cut edges. Or try the Spanx Thinstincts collection.

Tea or Cocktail Style Dresses

I just love those knee length flirty tea dresses that are so fashionable at the moment. They are super stylish and so flattering. If shapewear is called for with them, you MUST avoid anything that is mid thigh in length. One sudden gust of wind when you are having your outdoor photos taken and your shapewear secret will be revealed.

If your dress is strapless and you are wearing a bra, go for a knicker style strapless bodysuit such as the Spanx On Core Build Your Own Bodysuit. If you are not wearing a bra, go for a pair of high waisted briefs such as the Spanx Higher Power High Waisted Shaping Briefs.

Ultra Slinky Fishtail Wedding Dresses

Fishtail wedding dresses are incredibly stylish and demand a super smooth line especially on your bottom. You should avoid anything with a knicker leg as this may cause VPL. You need to look at mid thigh shapers or bodysuits. Make sure your shaper also SHAPES your bottom. Some shapers don't and can make your bum look a bit flat. Try the Miraclesuit Sexy Sheer Waistline Bum Lifter Short or the Spanx OnCore Build Your Own Bodysuit Shaper Shorts.

Is There Such A Thing A Sexy Shapewear?

It's your super special day and as well as looking stunning in your dress you don't want to freak out your husband to be by wearing hideous granny pants!

There is quite a bit of shapewear out there that really looks lovely. It is not the strongest stuff in the world, but if you are just looking for a little bit of firming in a pair of normal, pretty knickers try the Spanx Undietectable range. They do a range of styles, colours and fabrics, including lace. Spanx also have a new range called Spanx Spotlight On Lace which is VERY pretty.

Things to consider before choosing your shapewear:

Always choose shapewear in your usual size. A really big mistake that people make is to choose a size smaller in the hopes that it will make you look even thinner. This won’t work. The shapewear won’t fit you properly, it will wrinkle, roll up or down and will cause bulges where it ends on your body. You will feel very uncomfortable and look more bulging bag lady than beautiful bride! If you are wanting greater slimming strength, go for shapewear in your size with stronger control.
Too strong! You need to be comfortable in what you are wearing on your wedding day, as you will be wearing it all day long. We recommend that brides choose from the firm or extra firm control range. This will give you tons of slimming power but will almost allow you to breathe, eat, drink and dance.
Struggling to fit into your dress? We do have a range of totally transforming shapewear that holds you in like nothing else. If all else has failed and you just cannot fit into your wedding dress then we do suggest that you try one of these. However, please do bear in mind that in order to slim you so much, you will be somewhat trussed up. You may become uncomfortable and there won’t be much room to eat and drink!
Don’t necessarily go for white or ivory shapewear. Natural works best under a white or ivory dress. This also means you have a much wider choice of shapewear as most shapes and styles come in natural.
Don’t avoid shapewear with seams. Seamless shapewear may be smooth, but its circular knit construction can’t control and shape the way seamed shapewear can. The reason is that seams allow fabrics of differing directions and tensions to be joined together to provide targeted shape and control. All of the seams on our shapewear are flat-sewn so that they lie as flat as possible against your body. Most of them are strategically placed so they will lie under the seams of your dress and so shouldn’t show through.
Looking perky! If you have a decent sized bust, never choose shapewear that covers your bust area. Wear your own bra shapewear is becoming increasingly popular as you not only get the best slimming control on your body, you also get the best possible shape for your bust.
Calls of nature. Take into consideration how you will be able to go to the loo. Most of our shapewear has some form of opening gusset, which means you don’t have to pull everything off to use the bathroom. However, we do have a few pieces that have a closed gusset as some people do prefer this. Make sure you have selected the right sort for you.
Take 5! Give yourself plenty of time to put on your shapewear (see our article on how to put on shapewear). Putting on shapewear can make you feel very hot and bothered so it is good to do it slowly and then give yourself a breather once you are in it. We suggest that on your wedding day to get into your shapewear, put on a dressing gown, get your hair and makeup done and then get into your dress. You will have cooled down and moved around enough to get comfortable in your shapewear. Once your dress has gone on over the top it is much harder to adjust things underneath.
Keep the lycra lovely. We recommend that you wash your shapewear before your wedding day. Something like 20 or so women handle Spanx during manufacturing, and although it is all done hygienically, we do think that washing it in your favourite hand wash will make it feel and smell much nicer. Always follow the washing instructions. Most of our shapewear contains lycra or spandex which deteriorates with heat. We recommend that you handwash your shapewear in cool water using fabric wash without bleach. You will need to line dry away from any direct heat source such as a radiator and you should not iron afterwards
Don’t tell the groom! Unless you have chosen a piece from our Spanx Undietectable collection (which does look really pretty), we recommend that you keep a pair of sexy panties and bra to slip into for the “after party”!

If you are still in doubt about what shapewear to choose, please contact us with your weight, height, usual UK dress size, waist measurement and any details about your dress that is relevant (eg strapless). It can also help if you have photos or a link to a picture of your dress. We will get back to you really quickly with our recommendations.