What Underwear to Wear to a Bridal Appointment

A building is only as good as its foundations. And a look is made or broken by the underwear underneath. Never is this more important than when you’re thinking about what you’ll wear walking down the aisle (and dancing the night away) with your Beloved on your wedding day.

And so, deciding what underwear to wear when you’re off to choose The Dress is pretty important. Wash-day panties and a sports bra are probably not going to cut it.

Just a quick note before we begin:

Once you have chosen the dress of your dreams and you’re re-visiting a store for your fittings with the seamstress, then the best advice is to turn up wearing, or take with you, whatever underwear you’re going to be wearing on the day. That way the seamstress (and you) knows what fit you’re aiming for and what alterations need to be made. You can also work out how comfortable you want to be on the day (or whether you’re not bothered as long as the look is on point!).

But here we’re talking about what to wear to the exciting appointment where you get to try on all the dresses (even the ones you’d never be seen dead in!), without really knowing what you want.

How on earth do you know what to put on underneath when you haven't really decided what you're going to be wearing on top? A slinky fishtail number with a Basque bodice is going to require a totally different set of underpinnings to a princess gown complete with hoop skirt and enough tulle to sink a ship!

Well, on this visit there are really two ways you can go:

Full coverage underwear

Underwear to Wear to a Bridal Appointment

This is for you if you’re not feeling too confident about your figure right now, or you just know you’ll feel more comfortable with a little support.

This is also the path you can go down if you are worried about prancing around in your underwear in front of people you hardly know (and possibly your MIL!).

There are loads of reasonably priced (and not so reasonably priced) shapewear possibilities out there. You can even go with something all the way down to mid-thigh, if you want to be sure. For example, SPANX recommends their High Power Capri which will leave you with absolutely nothing to worry about below the waist!

Some things to think about: If you're not sure whether you'll want shapewear or not, there's nothing to be lost by bringing it with you just in case. That way you can pull it on if a particular dress demands it. You could also consider taking a slip with you in case you're particularly worried about see-through fabrics.

Barely there underwear

If you’re not bothered about having someone else see you in your thong while you clamber in and out of dresses, or if thongs are your everyday underwear of choice, then barely there is the way to go. This way nothing will get in the way of the lines of the dresses you're trying on, and you can breathe (slightly) easier.

Fuller briefs can also make your bottom square, so if you’re confident in your (obviously totally awesome) shape, then a high-waisted thong won’t cut you off at the hips and will let your behind be itself under your dress! You can even get thong-style shapewear if you love your butt but would also love your waist to be slightly less wobbly.

Underwear Tips for Bridal Appointment

You should go nude: Under bright lights or the flashing bulb of the photographer’s camera, underwear of any other color can show up. The last thing you want is to eagerly await your wedding photos only to find that your first dance is upstaged by your white wedding underwear. Nude will stop this playing on your mind (and the minds of your watching guests!)
You should go seamless: This will give you the confidence you need if you’re feeling a bit shy about the whole experience but make sure that you’re not distracted by VPL whilst trying to decide between the full-on princess gown or the slinky sheath number.
Do think about bras: A strapless bra is the sensible option, whether you’re planning to go strapless on the day or not. You don’t want to be worrying about shoving straps out of the way while deciding on necklines. It’s worth remembering that you may end up ditching the bra altogether depending on the dress style. Often a seamstress will suggest sewing cups into the bodice of the dress to give you lift without adding bulk.
Don’t be shy: Bridal consultants have seen it all before: They’ve zipped more thong-wearing women into dresses than you’ve had cocktails, and they’re not bothered if you’ve gone for full coverage, suck-you-in Spanx, or a barely-there nude thong. They are there to help you through this experience and make you feel like the princess you are. They’re not going to comment, and they’re not going to chat about it when they get home either, it really is no big deal. And, trust me, you will need their help getting in and out of that hoop skirt!

So there we have it: now you're all set for the shopping experience of your lifetime!

Gather up your nearest and dearest girlfriends, let them know what sort of styles and themes you're thinking of, and head off to your appointment; secure in the knowledge that you're definitely wearing the right knickers, and you're definitely going to look fabulous!