A wiggle dress dream ~ Talking about foundations ~ the Rago #6207 Panty Girdle

So foundation garmets are something I wear a lot of and therefore something I get asked a lot about. 2015 seemed to be the year I embraced more traditional foundation garments. As my weight jumped due to my struggle with my anxiety, foundations became my amour, my savour and the only thing really keeping me in half my clothes. While it started as a way to fit into my clothes, I began to actually really fall in love with foundations and began branching into pieces that were completely alien to me. 

The whole point of foundations is to smooth the body and help you achieve certain shapes. I was finding that I wasn't loving my body in wiggle styles and that suspenders weren't really giving me the desired look under tight dresses. Plus, being a girl with thicker thighs, I found just wearing suspenders was leading to some hell bad thigh chaffing, which at times made walking near impossible! Hard to feel confident when you feel like Satan is rubbing your inner thighs! So, after looking around and possibly stalking the Nylon Swish's blog I decided to do something that felt very scary and order myself the 6207 Panty Girdle, to try and aviate my foundation woes. 

So sizing? Knowing I am quite bigger in the booty with a 44 inch hip and as low as a 30 inch waist, depending on the day, I sized up to a XL in this piece, because honestly I'd rather it be a little bigger than feel I was getting cut in half. I find the XL to be comfortable and the right level of shaping for me. Because I am quite short in the torso, I find I need to wear a longline bra (also Rago No #2202) with this panty girdle to help smooth above it, as it finished for me not far below my rib line, which can cause a noticable bump which really isn't flattering. 

Not wanting to wait for international shipping, I purchased mine from MisKonduct in Newcastle and with express shipping I had it the same day. Now the first thing you will think, when you unwrap your new panty girdle in excitement, is OMG this thing is TOO small!! I personally had a mild freak out thinking there was NO way I was ever going to get my ass into it. But chill. Relax. Its actually really deceptive. I got home that night, feeling very apprehensive but I locked myself in my room and battled the elements (not really but it felt like it!) to wiggle this sucker up! The first time is honestly always the hardest because it hasn't been stretched out before. 

Once I was in it though, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It didn't hide my natural curves, just smooth them out and bring them in a little. The difference was quite noticable in reducing the appearance of bumps and cellulite through clothes as well as nipping me in at the tummy and waist. Its also long enough in the legs to stop thigh chaffing!!! So its perfect for days you want to wear a wiggle dress without feeling like your thighs are on fire. It also has detachable suspender hooks inside the bottom of the legs (see above left picture) which means you can still wear stockings with tighter styles without the bumps being hugely noticeable. 

Now this girdle does come with a slight flip in the leg and crotch for using the bathroom. I wouldn't recommend using it. I speak from experience! Simply pull this down like underwear and wiggle yourself back in when you're done. Over time it will get easier to shimmy it up and down but you'll still have awesome results with your shaping. Also I've never had an instance of thigh chaffing while wearing this bad boy! It truly is amazing in that regard!

So how, you may ask, does this translate to changing how you look in clothes? Well, I'll show you. I chose this dress from Starlet Fever (read my review of this dress here) as the lighter colour and silk fabric shows shaping the best. Left is with a normal bra and undies. Right is with the longline bra and panty girdle. 

 

As you can see, the panty girdle ultimately smooths lines, nips the waist in and really helps define your curves.

This girdle is on the firmer side and I'd honestly recommend stepping upto something like this after starting with a firmer style suspender belt and a longline bra first. If you aren't used to wearing foundations this piece could be very daunting to wear!

I hope you've enjoyed this review! Please feel free to ask me questions if you have any!

Til next time darlings!

Lets talk foundations...because I honestly get asked ALL the time!

Morning darlings!

Kmart Bra, Orchard Corset mesh underbust, What Katie Did suspender belt and stockings

I didn't have a post originally intended today but after a few comments I've gotten recently online when I've posted my foundation garments, I felt this post was a little....necessary. 

Kmart Bra, What katie did Morticia Corset, suspender belt and stockings

Its no secret that I wear foundation garments. I make a point of posting my foundations because I use them to make to manipulate my natural shape to create the shapes I want under clothes. I do this to achieve a certain look but also because I enjoy how foundation garments feel. I share not just to show women how the shapes are created but also because for me personally I think its unethical to let women believe my body looks a certain way when it doesn't. Its a bit like old school photoshop. And as someone who believes in body positivity I don't think pretending my body looks a certain way when it doesn't really is not setting a good example for the ladies who follow me who may struggle with their own body confidence.

La Senza Bra, Orchard Corset and Rago Panty Girdle

In 2015 I really fell in love with corset regularly and most days I wear one for around 8-10 hours, depending on what I'm doing. I wear suspenders a lot of the time, with the exception of SUPER hot Sydney days this summer. I'm starting to brand out more into more authentic cuts of bra as well as girdles. No I do not find these uncomfortable. I personally find them to be more comfortable than 'modern' lingerie. Recently on one of my foundation photos (pictures above) I got my first ever negative response from people, but I did note these people were people who had very little understanding of what real foundations actually do. 

First let me say what I wear is primarly reproduction vintage as well as some true vintage foundation pieces.These are no even in the same world as the kmart and target 'shapewear' you see. These are firm fitting, designed to smooth and create a vintage shape of a small waist and smooth hips. Some are definitely a wriggle to get into but after abit of practice its only really added maybe 5 minutes max onto my morning dressing routine. It doesn't take anywhere near as long as newbies think it does. If you follow Elinor of the Nylon Swish on Periscope she posts photos showing her getting dressing in the morning. It doesn't take long at all. 

Kmart Bra, Kiss Me deadly Girdle, Myer stockings

Using the bathroom is also a BIG one I get comments on a lot. No, wearing a corset does not affect my ability to use the bathroom. When using the bathroom in my panty girdle I just pull it down like underwear and back up. Same deal goes for suspender belts. I literally pull it down from the top, suspenders still clipped and then back up when I'm done. It might add at max and extra 1-2 minutes to a toilet trip, which hardly really affects the overall experience.

Revival Suspender belt, Kmart High waisted undies, What katie did stockings

Then I've been starting to get negative comments from people who clearly follow mainstream trends and like to wear simple bras and undies combos which is fine. Why I do what I do isn't anyone else's business. I don't share it for women who think that foundations are a waste of time/unattractive. My posts aren't for them. My posts are for the women who are interested, who I want to know how I achieve shapes and those who don't judge others on what works for them just because its outside their own personal preferences.

Sorry to rant a bit darlings, I've just been getting this a LOT lately and its been driving me a bit barny!

Thank you for the read!