Bamboo bodysuit and what it is made for

Short answer: A bodysuit is a top with a sewn in bottom. It does not ride up and forms no ridge at the waist, and that is the whole reason it exists.

What a bodysuit is

A bodysuit looks like a close fitting top, but it continues down under your trousers and fastens at the crotch. That means it always stays where it should, however you move. It is mostly worn as a smooth layer under other clothes, but it can also be worn visibly under an open shirt or cardigan.

No ridge at the waist

An ordinary top forms a ridge under close fitting clothes, because it ends somewhere on the body. A bodysuit does not, because there is no edge. Under a thin knit or a tight skirt, that gives a smooth line from shoulder to hip. See bamboo bodysuits.

It never rides up

Because it is fastened at the bottom, it stays in place however you move. You can reach up, bend over and sit down without having to pull it back down afterwards. That is its biggest practical advantage, and you notice it most on long days.

The downside on toilet visits

The fastening at the bottom has to be opened every time. That is the only real drawback, and it is worth knowing about in advance. The fastening is made for exactly that, so it only takes a moment, but it is one more thing to think about.

Fit matters

A bodysuit should fit close without pulling. If it is too short in the torso, it drags on the shoulders when you sit. If it is too long, it creases at the stomach. Choose by torso length and not only by bust size, and sit down when you try it on.

Which clothes it works under

It helps most under close fitting clothes where a ridge would show: thin knitwear, tight skirts and dresses in a light fabric. Under loose clothes the benefit is smaller, because an ordinary top will not show anyway. A long top is often enough there.

The alternative

If you want to avoid the toilet drawback, a long top comes closest. It rides up less than a short one, but it does not stay put like a bodysuit. See bamboo tops for women and long sleeve bamboo T-shirts for women.

Washing and care

Wash the bodysuit at 40 degrees, ideally with the fastening closed so it does not catch on other laundry. Skip fabric softener, which coats the fabric. Hang it to dry or use the tumble dryer on low heat, so the fabric keeps its stretch and fit.

In short

A bodysuit is made for one thing: a smooth line with no ridge and no riding up. In return, the fastening has to be opened on toilet visits. Wear it under close fitting clothes where a ridge would show, and choose a long top when it does not matter.

Frequently asked questions

What is a bodysuit?

A top with a sewn in bottom and a fastening at the crotch, so it never rides up. It is mostly worn under close fitting clothes where a waist ridge would otherwise show.

Is it awkward to wear?

Only on toilet visits, when the fastening has to be opened. The rest of the day it is more practical than an ordinary top, because you never have to pull it back into place.