THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS

There comes a time in every girl's life when she must put away the yoga pants, pop on her sexiest dress, and go out for a $22 cocktail… I’ve gone out three nights this week and there are two things I’ve been doing to ensure I look scrumdiddlyumptious…

First I restarted my Rent The Runway subscription - get 30% off - and I’ve been wearing the proper shapewear under all my clothes.

At 28, I finally understand why my grandma insisted on me wearing slips as a young lady. They really do make your overall outfit look better. So, let’s take a peak under my dresses and learn about all the foundation garments I swear by!

For reference, I’m 5 ft. 2 inches, 215 lbs., with an hourglass shape.

Three Shapewear Essentials I Swear By

ThirdLove 24/7 Second Skin Bra

Where are all my big titty girls at?

After a random trip to Tyson’s Galleria, my girl, Kendra at the ThirdLove store, measured me and helped me try on every bra in the store until I fell in love with the 24/7 Second Skin bra.

The bra is wired, but soft and super stretchy and gives me the lift I need without discomfort. The straps are thick and hold in the armpit fat, but be warned, it’s unlined, so if visible nips bother you, consider the Perfect Coverage Bra bra instead.

This is a bra for the chill girls - it’s not too much or too little. At $72, she’s pricy, but thanks to your support on my review, ThirdLove has given me a discount code to share with you…

Women's Extra-Firm Tummy Tuck Waistline Bike Shorts

I’ve tried all sorts of shapewear shorts, from Spanx to Skims, and these from Miraclesuit are my favorite. The compression is tight but not painful - I can sit, eat, and dance without a problem. I wear the 3x for everyday wear and a 2x for when I really want to be snatched!

I never have an issue with the thighs rolling up or the waist rolling down - don’t wear lotion on your midsection! And these come up to my boobs so that I can tuck it under my bra for the seamless look.

The bodysuit and panty version in my cart as I type - can’t wait to see how these will look under my flirty summer dresses.

Boob Tape for Large Breasts - $6.99

From 2020 to early 2024, I owned one bra - it was too small and pinched under my arm, so I reserved it for demure events like funerals. So for all the moments, when a bra was needed, but I couldn’t (or didn’t want to) wear one, I used book tape.

This $7 roll from Amazon gave me incredible lift and nipple coverage and matched my skin perfectly. The adhesive lasted all day even though sweat, dancing, and high-stress photo shoots - check out my studio apartment tour in Domino.

My Boob Tape Application Tips:

• Don’t put lotion of body oil anywhere the tape might go.

• To apply, lay flat on your bed and tape in your desired direction. #gravity

• Practice your application at least a day or two before your event.

• Follow Jen Warnes - she has all the tricks for application depending on your dress style!

To remove, saturate the strips with oil, and it’ll slide right off.

If you have residual glue on your skin, take a hot shower with an African exfoliating net - you’ll have the smoothest skin ever!

And that’s my list! Short, simple, and each item is worth every penny. Should I share my body care essentials next?

Xoxo,

Imani