Shapewear has come a long way. No longer designed to pinch, squeeze or alter your body, the best modern shapewear is about creating a clean foundation, supporting the cut of a dress and - most importantly - being comfortable enough to wear all day.
For many brides, a wedding is the first occasion they’ll consider wearing it. For celebrity stylists, however, shapewear is one of the key foundations of nailing a red-carpet look.
We asked Aimée Croysdill - the woman behind the epic wardrobes of Nicola Coughlan, Marisa Abela and Ellie Bamber - what she looks for in modern shapewear and how to find the right solution for your own wedding look.
“Shapewear is such an integral part of finishing and perfecting a look, but for me it’s never about changing your body - it’s about changing the way the clothes sit on your body,” she says.
“The right shapewear can make a dress look like it’s been poured onto the skin, rather than gathering or catching in places you don’t want it to. Sometimes it’s simply about creating that smooth layer underneath so a fabric can glide over the body rather than pucker, buckle or cling - you’re helping the clothes fall and behave exactly as they were intended to.”
That said, finding the right pieces isn’t always straightforward. Whether you’re looking for a smooth foundation beneath satin or are seeking a solution to a low back, the right underwear depends entirely on the fabric, cut and construction of your gown - and sometimes the best solution is barely anything at all.
Here, we break down the bridal shapewear solutions worth knowing - and which dresses they work best with.
