Don’t ruin your outfit! Paige dress | Sandals | Tote, similar | Necklaces: here, here and here | Shapewear | La Femme Bra
Closet Mistakes: Neglecting This One Item Can Ruin Your Outfits!
Last week, I made a quick trip to Chicago with my daughter Emily, and talk about a fun couple of days! As we were getting ready to go to the new Wacoal store, I realized I was wearing the wrong bra for my dress. As I looked down, there was WAY too much cleavage, which wasn’t appropriate for the Instagram Live and Meet & Greet I was about to do 😳 In addition, Emily announced she only had black underwear to wear under her pastel yellow dress — not a great way to start out the day haha!!
Good thing we were going to a lingerie store, because they quickly got us all sorted out. I was handed this bra, which fit perfectly, and it made a big difference in what I was wearing. I was lifted, breast tissue was in the cups (!!) and, more importantly, my dress looked so much better! Emily was given these neutral thong panties that blended perfectly with her pretty dress, crisis averted 😂 Funny enough, a couple of my Nordstrom 6 friends (and a few others) noticed how lifted I was and made a couple of comments LOL. It was a good reminder that having the right undergarments is critical for all our outfits!
We all know that owning the right undergarments is very important when it comes to getting dressed. After working with women in the dressing room for over two decades, I’ve discovered a handful of lingerie basics that everyone should know about. As always, I’m excited to share them with you … they’re that good! Keep reading to see the best strapless bras, bras that are comfy and ideal for every day, and a few other tips for all your spring and summer outfits. It’s time to clean out those lingerie drawers!
Summer outfits that need special undergarments
Left: Anthropologie dress | Bag | Sandals | Watch | Lingerie: Racerback bra with lace detail | Body Base smoothing shorts
Right: Farm Rio dress | Sandals | Tote | Lingerie: Everyday bra | Chantelle Soft Stretch panties
The white dress has a keyhole open back, so the lace on this bra was peeking out and looked pretty
P.S. I have an exclusive Anthropologie code that’s good for 20% off orders of $100 or more! The code is SUSIE20 and it lasts through Sunday, 5/12 – check out the sale board I made here. Some exclusions apply.
Bras that work in every situation: Starting with the Strapless
Left: Vince dress | Jacket, similar | Gold sandals | Red Carpet Strapless Bra | Right: Theory linen dress | Sandals | Comfort First Strapless Bra
Finding a strapless bra can be difficult, but it’s necessary for many of our summer outfits. Here are five I recommend!
#1 Red Carpet – This is the number one strapless bra at Nordstrom, and it’s a stylist favorite. It stays put, and is really supportive and comfortable. #2 Comfort First – I recently discovered this one, and it’s my new favorite. It’s better for women with average to smaller sized busts. And, it’s also comfortable and supportive. It’s less coverage however, so it can fit a little better. It’s best to choose between this one and the Red Carpet, you don’t need both. #3 Halo Lace – This lace bra is perfect for summer, and it’s a soft cup. This is better for warm weather, and for when you’re wearing thin cotton dresses or tank tops. I don’t wear this one as often, but in the summer it’s my go-to. #4 Visual Effects Minimizer – The minimizer actually reduces your profile by one inch! #5 Nippies – These work magic … seriously! When I was grilling my friend Danielle on how she could wear them under a silk cami, she lifted her shirt up to show me. Sold! Of course, then I tried them too 😂 The trick is to first position them a little lower, then pull your skin up and stick them on so you’re lifted.
Everyday, comfortable bras
Left: White t-shirt | Spanx Twill pants | Chloe tote | Sandals | Softly Styled Bra | Right: Tank top | Denim skirt | Chantelle Bra
We all need an everyday comfortable bra, so here are the two I highly recommend. I wear both of these all the time!
#1 Softly Styled – This one has a pretty lace detail, and it’s supportive and comfortable (really, they all are!). It also happens to be the favorite of Miryha, the lead designer for Wacoal. It comes in a wire free style as well, if that’s your preference #2 Chantelle Norah – The Norah is smooth and supportive enough for everyday wear. It’s seamless, and has a buttery-soft band. I love it!
Need a lift? These two are the best
Left: Veronica Beard cardigan | Fidelity denim | Sandals | La Femme Bra | Right: Ulla Johnson dress | Chloe bag | Elevated Allure Bra
Talk about the single biggest difference a bra can make! When we’re lifted, our clothes look so much better
#1 La Femme Underwire T-Shirt Bra – This is hands down my favorite bra, and it’s the one I wore under the Zimmermann dress at the Wacoal event. It’s perfect for plunging necklines due to the low center gore, and it will also give you a lift. This style is recommended for petites, as well as anyone with a shallow top and fuller bottom breast. #2 Elevated Allure Underwire Bra – The Elevated Allure Collection will lift your bustline up to 1″ — incredible! It’s a full coverage bra that everyone loves, and it’s available in a wire free option as well. Top seller.
Now, let’s talk about panties
3 styles everyone loves
#1 – Spanx Undie-tectable Lace panties – These are an all-time favorite, and a great option if you don’t love thongs! Not only are they really pretty, they are also tummy smoothing. And, they have elastic-free edges and a bonded waistband to make them invisible under clothes. Don’t ruin your look with panties that show! Stock up, these are good. Use code SUSIEXSPANX for 10% off your order. #2 – Chantelle soft stretch panties – This is a favorite panty if you ask anyone working in the lingerie department. The soft-stretch really is soft, and it comes in several different styles. I prefer these not-sexy ones, and wear these under dresses when I just want to be comfortable. I’ve also tried the thong and this style — love them all. Side note: they come in regular and plus sizes, and both are one size. #3 – Natori Bliss thongs – Hands down, Natori Bliss thongs are the best. They come in pretty colors, and I find that they fit perfectly under denim. This time of year, I prefer the lighter-colored ones under white denim.
Smoothing Shapewear
The Wacoal Body Base Shorts are the perfect smoothing shorts to wear under summer dresses. You can ruin a cute dress if your shapewear isn’t right; these kind of hold you in, and also smooth things out. In addition, they’re lightweight AND leave no visible panty lines! If your dress gets caught in the wind, you’ll feel more covered! I take a small in these. If you have a dress that needs even more shaping, see my favorite one below.
Best-selling Spanx Shapewear
Spanx shape wear – I can barely get dressed without this thigh shaper by Spanx. When I need more shaping, this is my go to — and it works magic every time! I alternate between the higher waist one and the regular short style.
Don’t ruin your look: get the right essentials
Halo Lace strapless bra | Wacoal Body Base shorts | Spanx shaper | Nippies | Natori Bliss thongs | Spanx Undie-tectable panty | La Femme bra (black) | Comfort First T-shirt bra (beige)
Thank you for reading xx
