Get your clothes to fit more elegantly with the right underwear

Non-wired Smoothly is a minimizer bra, perfect for wearing under a blouse or shirt

A minimizer bra has cups that ‘flatten’ the breasts and spread them over a larger area, thanks to their cut, which is shallower and wider than on a traditional bra.

Joy underwired bra has padded cups that prevent the nipples form being visible through a top

Making the nipples invisible

If you’re worried about your nipples showing through your clothes then a bra with padded cups is an effective solution to the problem. It doesn’t increase the size of the bust since the padding is usually very thin. On the other hand, padded cups hold their shape and give an elegant shape to the bust and are available both in moulded versions and with seams. If you prefer an unpadded cup you can wear nipple covers.

Nipple covers, perfect when you don’t want your nipples to be visible but don’t want a padded cup

Underwear for warm days

Light underwear in breathable materials that don’t create a sauna effect under your clothes are perfect for warm days. Clothes made from the natural materials linen, bamboo, cotton, silk or wool are ideal to combine with cotton underwear.

Broderie Anglais is the perfect summer bra with cups in an unpadded cotton material that lets the skin breathe

Synthetic technical fabrics like Keep Fresh are also excellent on warm days. They are specially developed to be breathable and not feel damp when you sweat. A padded bra is perfect on colder days.

“Clothes made from the natural materials linen, bamboo, cotton, silk or wool are ideal to combine with cotton underwear”

Bra under thin fabrics

If you want to avoid your bra being seen through thin clothes, irrespective of the colour of the clothes, choose a moulded T-shirt bra. These have no seams on the cups. Here too it’s important that you find the right size bra. If you choose a moulded bra but are wearing the wrong cup size it will be very noticeably under your top.

Stay Fresh is an unpadded bra with no seams on the cups, perfect for wearing under thin clothes

A red bra under a white shirt

Do you know which bra colour is least visible under white clothes? Depending somewhat on your skin tone, a white bra is often just as visible under clothing as a black one. If you’re dressing in white, consider wearing a stylish bra with lace details or embroidery that you’re happy to show off a little.

“A red bra isn’t visible under a white shirt.”

If you don’t want your bra to show through a white shirt at all then it’s actually smartest to invest in a red bra. Red underwear creates a sort of optical illusion that makes it almost invisible. Certain shades of green also have this effect, depending somewhat on skin tone. Test it for yourself next time you’re buying a new bra. It’s certainly more fun to have a little colour in your underwear drawer than just classics like white, beige, brown and black.

Red underwear is perfect to wear under white. Try it for yourself.

How to avoid static electricity in garments

Certain loose-fitting dresses and skirts that drape beautifully can sometimes stick to your legs in an irritating and uncomfortable way due to static electricity. A tip to avoid this is to wear a thin underskirt beneath your clothes. If you wear tights, an underskirt can also become statically charged in some cases. Using fabric softener when you do your laundry can help, alternatively wet your hands or apply hand cream and then stroke the tights.

The best bra for garments with a plunging neckline

Invest in a low-neckline bra if you have lots of tops with a low neckline. There are plunge bras with extra low underwires that are designed specifically for this purpose. Make sure you don’t get a cup size that is too small so your bust spills out of the cups. Over my years working with bras I’ve encountered many women who like to wear bras that are too small because they think their breasts look bigger when they ‘spill out’ between the cups. In truth, your breasts won’t look bigger, you’ll just look like you’re wearing a bra that’s too small. If you want your bust to look bigger then choose a proper push-up bra in your correct size. The right bra size is the be-all and end-all.

“If you get too warm wearing that many layers, try a camisole that cools the skin”

A simple base camisole is excellent for wearing under clothes with a low neckline when you don’t want to show too much skin. Pictured is Cool Sensation.

If you’re not comfortable showing a lot of skin but still want to wear a dress or top with a low neckline, wear a camisole between it and your bra. A simple base camisole usually does the trick. If you get too warm wearing that many layers, try a camisole that cools the skin, for example the patented WinCool technique that we use in our Cool Sensation camisole.

A bra for garments with a plunging back

This is a classic dilemma. Certain dresses have a deep plunging back, and while you love the dress you don’t want the straps of your bra to show. Some people solve this by choosing a bra colour that is as close to their skin tone as possible. Another suggestion is simply to not worry if your bra shows. Wearing a bra is natural and something that most women do, why pretend otherwise. If you have a large bust it’s usually uncomfortable to go without a bra and it can be difficult to find a strapless one that supports the bust.

The Flames bra is just as beautiful from all angles. A perfect example of a bra that you can allow to peak out over a plunging neckline or back.

We suggest choosing a bra with beautiful lace details on the back. There is lots of underwear that is designed to be seen. ‘Underwear as outwear’ as the saying goes. Make your bra a part of your outfit.

Beautiful underwear for occasion dresses

There’s no point in investing in a beautiful dress if your underwear doesn’t give you the support it should. Make sure your bra gives you excellent support and lift. Invest in an underwired bra so you can get the lift and support you want. A well-fitting bra will instantly make you feel more secure and beautiful.

Rose, a neat but well-fitting lace bra that provides excellent lift, support and perfect shape under an occasion dress

Don’t choose a brand-new dress and then wear a washed out and bobbly bra underneath. I promise it makes a difference when you wear a beautiful and well-fitting occasion bra that has a luxurious feel. The outfit starts from underneath; it’s noticeable even if it can’t be seen.

Get your tight dress to fit more beautifully

If you have a tight-fitting dress and want to smoothen out your silhouette then a body is an excellent option. A body lets you avoid the unsightly edges caused by the bra back.

“A Body is perfect when you want a smoothing effect on the back”

Fantastic Flair is a body without a shaping effect. Perfect when you want a smoothing effect on the back.

Contrary to what many believe, a body isn’t always a restrictive shapewear garment. We have several bodies in our collection without a shaping effect; most are reinforced at the front and give a smoothing effect without reducing your waist size. If you’re after a strong shaping effect then there are streamlined shapewear garments. The most important thing is to choose something you are comfortable in. Underwear is for you.

Whether it’s shaping or not, a body always has a smoothing effect on the back compared with a regular bra. That’s why many prefer to wear a body under a tight dress or top.

A camisole with in-built bra together with a pair of high-waisted panties give the same cosy and smoothing effect as a body. Pictured Lovely Lace camisole.

A camisole with in-built bra and a pair of high-waisted panties is a good alternative if you don’t like having to undo your underwear at the crotch when you’re wearing a dress. It offers the same smoothing effect as a body. It is also an option for women who are too tall or short for a body to fit perfectly. Most bodies are made for a standard height. There are bras and bodies with moulded cups so choose these if you’re wearing a dress with thin material to avoid the seams being visible.

How to avoid visible shoulder straps

If you wear a wrestler back and don’t want the bra straps showing there are bras that offer different solutions. Some have shoulder straps that are removable or can be cross fastened. Others have a hook on the shoulder straps that allow them to be coupled at the back. There are lots of possibilities.

The Confident bra has shoulder straps that can be coupled at the back

Trousers that ‘dig’ into the waist

When you sit down in a pair of jeans the bulky waistband can sometimes ‘dig’ into your tummy. A body protects against chaffing and evens out the pressure. You also avoid the marks on the skin caused by tight-fitting elastic, for example from tights, as well as reducing the overall ‘muffin effect’.

A body allows you to avoid the edges caused by the bra back

The best panties for tight trousers

Some panties have stronger seams at the leg openings that can stick out under thin trousers. Choose panties with laser-cut leg openings or neater elastic. Panties with a vertical middle seam at the back offer a flattering cut that follows the natural shape of the bottom. There are also garments that provide the bottom with a little lift, for example our Diamond panty girdle.

Diamond panty girdle has reinforcement that lifts the bottom and gives it an elegant shape

Panties that roll down or bunch up

If you have a becoming little bulge on your tummy, as most women do, it’s common for panties such as hipsters to roll down after a while and end up under the bulge in an uncomfortable way. While you can sometimes prevent panties from rolling down when you’re wearing trousers, to avoid the discomfort it’s best to wear high-waisted panties that almost reach the belly button. Maxi panties or boxer panties are both high waisted.

Panties that reach up to the belly button stay up and don’t roll down

Another tip for avoiding problems with panties that roll down is to wear a body. Bodies made from a glossy material automatically give clothes a more elegant drape. Clothes glide over them more easily when the body moves rather than getting ‘stuck’.

Personal advice

If you’re in any doubt, our customer service will help you to find the right underwear for your needs. They answer all types of questions, none are too small or big. We are here to help you.