I don’t post much about bras and underwear, so it might come as a surprise that the most common questions I get are actually about undergarments! They are the foundation of every outfit (unless you’re a commando kinda girl…) – when done right undergarments should not be noticed, but when done wrong, they can be all someone sees. I’ve rounded up a number of outfit “situations” below that are fairly common, and the type of undergarments I own and rely on as solutions in this undergarment guide!

UNDERGARMENT GUIDE

Situation: Sheer skirts / dresses, or unlined skirts / dresses that cling to your legs or tights.

Solution: Half slip skirt. Slips may sound like a thing from the past, but I seriously wear mine ALL. THE. TIME. As brands are skimping more often on quality (i.e. using thinner fabrics, or only lining half of a dress), a slip can be an easy and affordable way to “rescue” a garment. I wear them with all unlined white dresses, and especially like them in the winter to keep unlined dresses or skirts from riding up against hosiery. Vassarette makes some simple and functional half slip skirts (under $10!) in nude, white & black. If you tend to wear shorter skirts and dresses, it’s worth getting your slip skirt hemmed even shorter so there’s no chance of an unsightly peek-a-boo.

Situation: Narrow-shouldered, angled neckline, or halter tops.

Solution: A bra with convertible straps that can be criss-crossed in the back (see: convertible strap bras below), or, use a racer-back bra strap clip to hold your bra straps closely together in the back. BONUS: wearing your bra straps in a racer-back style using these clips can also help “lift” the breasts a bit and create a little more cleavage.

Situation: Top or dress with a slight dip in the back.

Solution: An elastic bra-strap converter. Try one of my most popular DIY tutorials, or buy one for cheap like this option or this wider strap option. Please note this solution is only for slightly lower-back garments, not ones with a dramatic dip or nothing on the back. The elastic converter can pull your regular bra band down about 2 inches in the back before the fit of the cups get affected in the front.

Situation: Strapless, cross-back, halter, off-the-shoulder, or one-shoulder tops and dresses.

Solution: Convertible-strap bra. Nearly all the bras in my closet are nude-colored (save for a few black ones to wear under dark clothing) and convertible. “Nude” is not the same for everyone – the closer the bra is to your actual skin tone, the more concealed it will be under light or white clothing. Convertible straps are also not created equal. If you’re shopping online, be sure to look closely at photos and descriptions to see where the straps can clip on or off. Here are some comfortable bras in my everyday rotation with varying levels of convertibility:

– Little Bra Company Sascha strapless underwire bra – shoulder straps unhook completely from the front and back, so you can wear it totally strapless, regularly, or with an X back. This also has little removable pads in the cups.
– Calvin Klein wireless contour bra – I love the comfort of wire-free bras. These straps don’t unhook at all, but there is a little clasp to secure the two back straps together at a midpoint. This will work under most racerback-style or narrow-shouldered tops.

Situation: Low-cut tops & dresses.

Solution: A plunge bra. I have this Uplunge bra (cups run small) which comes in both nude and black, and has straps that converts into 3 different configurations!

As an alternative, try filling the neckline gap with a bralette or camisole that is pretty enough to be seen visibly. Please note bralettes are usually just like half tank tops and don’t have much structure, thus may not work well for those who need support.

Situation: Backless, very low or intricate-back garments.

Solution: Adhesive bra cups. A key benefit of these full front stick-on bras is that the adhesive cups can push & keep the girls close together for extra oomph! I have this push-up NuBra which I’ve re-worn several times over years and it’s still going strong. Shop all NuBra options, including this more affordable feather lite option.

Situation: When any of the above bras just won’t work, or, you want the girls to feel “free” without being indecent.

Solution: Nip covers! After trying so many brands and styles, my friend introduced me to one that definitely stands out from the rest. I’ve been wearing these Bristol 6 “nippies” covers SO much. If you don’t need much chest support, just stick these on in lieu of strapless bras, plunge bras, etc for nip coverage. They’re so comfortable, you’ll forget they are there. These covers are a little pricier than some, but in comparison, they are thicker, seamless, and can be reused dozens of times without losing adhesive power.

You guys may have noticed two major categories I didn’t cover here: shapewear and undies! For shapewear, I’ve tried on a few styles from Spanx but they did not fit right and were still visible from the outside. And for underwear, I’m all about the nude panty, but am still in search of the perfect ones that result in no VPL underneath slacks and skirts. I would love to hear about your favorite brands/styles for these, and also about any other must-have undergarments that I missed!

And for fellow Pinners, below is a compilation of all the solutions from this post! You can hover over any image on this blog, and a Pinterest button should appear over the upper left corner.