Dress Dilemma! Which Lingerie to Wear Under Which Dress

You're getting ready for the party - your hair is done, your makeup looks fantastic and then you slip on that stunning frock... and your bra shows through. Now what? Do you leave it alone and spend the night hitching your dress up to hide it or do you go bra-less and hope it doesn't fall down? Luckily, you can avoid both of these if you pick out the right lingerie to start with.

Many girls find it difficult to find the right lingerie to wear under their dress, whether that's a short party dresses or an elegant evening gown. Of course, you could go bra-less and hope some lingerie tape will keep things in place, but a bra will provide your bust area with support and have an uplifting effect which can greatly help to enhance the overall appearance of any dress.

So, take some time before the big night to find the perfect style of lingerie for beneath your dress. Below are some examples of types of lingerie that will fit perfectly under different types of dresses, enhancing your figure without showing through...


Image via Megan

Strapless Dress

It always surprises me the number of girls I see wearing a strapless dress, with normal bra straps showing. A strapless dress is designed to look a particular way - you don't see celebrities on the red carpet with their bra straps on full view in a little strapless number!

So, a strapless bra is absolutely essential. Try on a few and find one that will provide you with excellent support and comfort. A bra with moulded cups and underwire will help to achieve this, and look for one that has a thin, clear-rubber trim along the inside of the tops of the cups as this will help it to 'stick' in place and not fall down as you party the night away!


Image via Natalia

Plunge Neck Dress

A plunging neck line means inevitable bra showage, or does it? Plunge bras have been uniquely designed for this style of dress, with the centre gore (that bit that sits between your breasts) being thinner and lower than usual. Of course, if your dress plunges right down to your stomach any bra will be visible, but some bras 'plunge' more than others so take your party dress out lingerie shopping with you and try it on with different bras to see which are too low to be seen.

Plunge bras also provide you with support and extra uplift for stunning cleavage! For added security (especially if your dress has a very loose or floaty neckline) you can wear a plunge bra and use a little lingerie tape too to make sure the dress stays in place all night long.


Image via Laurent

Column Dress

A jersey shift or bodycon dress is a column style one, quite clingy and figure hugging. It is sometimes hard to select a suitable bra for this dress as most are very visible, the outline easy to see through the tight fabric which detracts attention away from the dress.

For this dress, you want a t-shirt bra which is designed to be as invisible as possible under clothing, with perfectly smooth cups and no fancy adornments. Lace for example is easy to see - you want the plainest bra possible, with very few seams. It doesn't sound very sexy and probably it isn't, but you'll look so much better in your dress!

Do you have any other handy bra tips?

Michelle Star writes for Esty Lingerie, a luxury lingerie retailer specialising in independent lingerie designer brands. Pick up a cheap bra today to match your party dress and spend the night having fun, not worrying about your bra being on show!