Dresses and Undergarments

dragonavicious

I am getting a sheath dress with a low back but I've always wanted a corset (to pull in that waist just a little) and I also wanted to wear shape-wear just to even everything out.

So here are my questions for the group. 1) Did you use special undergarments and if so what kind of dress did you (or will) you have?  2) What kind of undergarments would you advice for a sheath dress? It is silk underneath with a lace overlay. 

Thanks for your feedback. 

missdelilah

I actually have an irrational love of steel boned, waist training, corsets, and have worn them under all sorts of things over the years (perhaps this is the historian in me).  To be honest, I was slightly bummed that I fell in love with a dress that wouldn't allow me to wear to one, but I decided that the dress was more important.  

Here's my experience with them, if this is any help.  These things are uncomfortable!  There's a reason women largely gave up on them.  

Most modern dresses are not built to accommodate a corset, and as such, it will be really obvious that you're wearing one.  This is simply because the lacings create a lot of bulk at the back of the dress, that it's really difficult to hide unless you're willing to double knot the lacings, tuck them in, and crop them so that they sit flat and don't dangle everywhere.  This means you need to buy new lacings every time you wear the corset.  I've hidden mine with a matching wrap on occasion, but I didn't want that look for my wedding.

If you wanted to change for an after party or such, or wear one for any other event, there are so many gorgeous outerwear corsets around that would look great for a formal or cocktail event with the right outfit.

I've read a lot of stuff online about waist training - wearing a corset over a longer period of time in order to change the shape of your waist.  I know that it works because I've seen the results (although in these cases I don't know how long these women were wearing the corset for, and at what level of intensity, if you will).  The idea is that you start with it a little tight for a few hours a day, and tighten it a little more and add a little more time in it as you go along.  

I believe that it's extremely unhealthy, and can't recommend it to anyone.  Remember that a corset isn't removing fat from your waist, it is simply rearranging what's already there, including the placement of your internal organs.  

Additionally, finding shape wear with a low back doesn't make sense to me.  There are various links discussing that all over TK.  To work, surely the garment has to exert force, which works as it exerts force against itself.  

Sorry to be such a downer.  Go ahead with whatever you want, but if you do end up trying to pre wedding waist training, let me know how it goes.  I've always been curious about it, but not game enough. 

As for me, I'm just having the seamstress put some padded cups in that dress and that will be all.  You can ask one to add a panel of boning, although I'm not sure whether that will be obvious under your dress, or how much it will cost.  This will flatten things out, but not squeeze anything in.  It will likely be more comfortable than shape wear and definitely more comfortable than a corset.  

Good luck in your search!  Hopefully you'll get a medical professor, rather than a historian, who can weigh in on this topic.

erinlin25

for a sheath dress I would look for something more simple, solid and "no show" type of material.  If the material is too heavy it will be hard to hide.  I have been happy with the corset bra's from Fredrick's of Hollywood. They have a seamless corset that is a smooth microfiber (under special occassion/wedding).  It may be too heavy for a sheath dress though.  Either white or nude would be best.  I ordered in three different styles and tried them on at my fitting with the dress before picking, but my dress was not sheath so it was not hard to narrow it down. I still went with the no show one though because the others had the wire and not only was it uncomfortable but it was bumpy under my dress.

When you have access to the dress, buy a few corset options and try them on with the dress.  Return what you do not want/cannot use.

I was a dancer and we had a costume that was a sheath material in a  light pink color and I wore a microfiber/no show strapless nude bra (victoria's secret) with clear straps and it was fine.  

jensilva13

I found a few low back bra things that cover the torso at Dillard's. None worked quite right with my shape and chest size, but I would have loved them if they had so it might be a place to look