In my previous post, I told you about the Shapeez Ultimate Unbelievabra. Today I share my second discovery: the open bust option. (If you scroll all the way to the bottom, I’ve also included a bonus review of my new favorite no panty lines underwear.)
2. Review of the Spanx Slimplicity Open-Bust Mid-Thigh Bodysuit
This is a very practical option that I’ve avoided for a very impractical reason: it’s ugly. Modern fabrics or not, it reminded me too much of the rubberized girdles and other undergarments that I watched my grandmothers layer beneath their dresses. However, when I failed to lose a few pounds before the AICI convention, I needed something to give me more breathing room in my 14L Campbell & Kate shirt.
Guess what? I’ve become one of those annoying Spanx converts. Until a better option becomes available, I’ll trade pretty underneath for a confident and smooth exterior.
1. Each of the three times that I’ve worn it, I’ve forgotten that I have it on (with three exceptions that I’ve listed in the dislike section below). My mother and I both tried the TC Fine Shapewear Even More Thigh Slimming Torsette 4041 on the same shopping trip, and while we both agreed that the TC Torsette felt like it gave more support, the Slimplicity bodysuit looked just as good or better in the mirror. So why wear something that feels like it’s supporting you when you can wear something that you’ll forget about instead?
2. The straps adjust. I’m only 5’3″. The TC Torsette doesn’t adjust, so the extra fabric that tall girls need tends to bunch at my short girl waist, defeating the purpose of shapewear.
3. The lower back makes it more versatile. I didn’t notice this until the saleswoman pointed it out to me at the cash register. The TC Torsette is much higher.
4. I experienced NO STATIC CLING. This is actually the most important feature to me because when I wore the Shapeez Unbelievabra and another cami under my Campbell & Kate shirt, the shirt fabric clung to the undergarment. Having my bust so clearly demarcated by clinging fabric was almost as bad as having a gap at my bustline. It made me feel so self-conscious that it destroyed the confidence that my shirts were created to provide. I couldn’t wait to get home and change.
5. Wearing my own bra gives me needed predictability. I usually only wear shapewear for special occasions with other items that I don’t wear every day. With special occasion clothing, I inevitably have to address special issues that I’ve forgotten about from the last time I wore the outfit. Or if it’s the first time I’m wearing the outfit, I’m learning about the issues for the first time. In these situations, a D+ woman doesn’t need any surprises from her bra. It’s reassuring to be able to wear a well-fitting bra that I chose in calmer moments and have tested at least once a week.
1. By the middle to end of each day of wearing the Slimplicity Bodysuit, I felt some pain where the bodysuit strap rested at the pudgy little place at the entrance to my armpit. You can see more clearly what I’m describing if you look at the image on the Spanx website. Do you see where the bra strap curves in but the bodysuit strap stays straight? If you’re not used to having a strap there, you’re going to notice it. It doesn’t feel good, but it’s not terrible enough for me to forego the benefits of the bodysuit.
2. If it’s hot, I’m aware of the bodysuit with every drip of sweat down my torso. Yuck. When that happens, I think about the longline bra and girdle that Janie Bryant puts Christina Hendrick in for Mad Men, and I try to suck it up. Unfortunately, this is an industry-wide issue, so take it with a grain of salt when a company tells you that its fabric is breathable and light.
3. Finally, I’ve been surprised to remember that I’m wearing a bodysuit each time I need to use the bathroom (which goes to show how much I’ve forgotten about it the rest of the time). The bodysuit has an opening for this purpose, but so far I’ve simply taken everything off to use the toilet. Some day I may take the faster approach, but until there’s a long line waiting outside my stall, I’ll take my time.
Bonus: My Favorite No Panty-Lines Underwear . . . the Naomi & Nicole Lace Trim Hipster
I’d rather show a panty line than wear a thong, but I’m always looking for a normal pair of underwear that is
- invisible under clothes
- pretty, and
- won’t ride up.
The Naomi & Nicole brand has all three features. I discovered it at Macy’s in January, just after it launched.
See the difference in the two pictures below (I’m wearing a pair of unlined thin cotton pants).
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Interestingly, the same company owns TC Intimates, Miraclesuit shapewear and Naomi & Nicole. This explains the great no-ride feature in each of their products (and unfortunately, the high back and unadjustable straps in each of their torsettes). Don’t let the $10.50 price deter you. It drops the more you buy, and who doesn’t need several pair of new underwear at a time?
