You would be shocked by the sheer number of product pitch emails I get from PR firms on a daily basis. Shocked! Of the emails I can actually get to, if the product seems interesting, I will usually pass it off to Cameron, the Friday Fab Finds editor and writer, to explore further for a possible post. The rest I just delete. I'm not a snob or a jerk. It's just, sometimes, the pitches I get are plain bizarre.
However, when I received an email from Tuxe Bodywear I stopped in my tracks. This wasn't something I was going to pass off to Cameron to consider as a Fab Find, I was going to investigate this myself. Not only are these bodysuits brilliant and gorgeous, they are an answer to the prayers of women everywhere who have been wishing for shirts they can actually keep tucked in.
Tuxe asked me if they could send me a shirt to try out and consider for a possible post for this blog. Wanting to test drive them before recommending, I happily agreed. They sent me their CEO style in their new color, wine.
My review of Tuxe Bodywear
Bodysuit shirts are nothing new. In fact, I have written of an old DKNY style that I had in the 90's and still miss dearly for the fact that I never had to worry about keeping my shirt tucked in. Sure, I have tried all the tricks of the trade, like tucking my shirt into my underwear, the military tuck, and more, but, the second I would move, my shirt always came untucked and looked messy. Having a larger chest, whenever this would happen, I looked like a big, fat inflated balloon, like someone filled me with helium. I always seemed to have two options- fuss all day with tucking and re-tucking, or looking sloppy and unkempt.
This is why I jumped at the chance to check out Tuxe Bodywear. I'm a stylist, I love beautiful clothes, but I'm also a Capricorn, known for being all about efficiency and practicality. Seriously, I get excited about even the smallest of things that make it easier to get through a day. When I wore my new Tuxe shirt, I am not kidding when I tell you that being able to go throughout the day without having to check, re-tuck or fuss with keeping my shirt tucked in made me giddy. I know this sounds a bit hyperbolic, but you don't realize how much you fuss with your shirt all day until you don't have to. For this reason alone I love these shirts.
The next reason I really give Tuxe a thumbs up is because they are easy to wear. Noticing the small details, here is a particular thing I noticed and appreciated, that may not seem like a big deal: they are really easy to close at the crotch. First, there are three rows of eyes that you can use to hook the bodysuits closed, similar to a bra. Not only does this guarantee you'll find the right fit, but the tops are long enough that you can actually pull the crotch forward to see the hooks and eyes. Trust me, when you're in the bathroom closing your Tuxe bodysuit you'll be thanking the company for not making you need to blindly fidget in your nether region to get it closed.
The next thing I really like about my the tops is that it doesn't look like I am wearing a bodysuit. While I still reminisce about that old DKNY bodysuit shirt I had eons ago, the thing it didn't have going for it that the Tuxe tops do is these bodysuits still blouse despite the attached panties. In fact, when I stopped by my friend Peter Shankman's office and studio to take the photos of me wearing my top I had to explain to him several times that I was wearing a bodysuit. Okay, he's a guy, they don't get this sort of stuff, but the point still stands. Nobody will know you are wearing a bodysuit but you. Everyone else will just think you have magical powers that make it possible for you to keep your shirts tucked in all day.
Lastly, what I love is that these shirts come in longer torso lengths with their tall styles that also have longer sleeves. Not only do the shirts have three rows of eyes to hook for an adjustable fit, but if that is not enough for you, no need to worry about crotch burn and atomic wedgies, you can buy their longer torso styles. In addition, if you a thong girl, like me, or fear VPL (visible panty lines), many of their styles come with thong bottoms attached. So, no matter what your body shape, you will be comfortable. After I posed for some photos, I headed to do some pre-shopping for a client and bent, stretched and moved, and was completely fine.
Oh, and did I mention that Oprah loves these tops? Need I say more? Here is her favorite style.
Work outfits using Tuxe Bodyshirts
To give you some inspiration. Below are three outfits using some of Tuxe's many different styles. And be sure to visit their site for more to choose from.
Before I get into the outfits, I am sure you're curious what my entire outfit looked like, so here it is.
Remember this skirt? I posted about it when I found it in my closet after forgetting about it. The shoes are over a decade old, from Joan & David, and I am wearing blush pink earrings and a bunch of mixed bracelets on my wrist. I love it when I can bring something new into my wardrobe to breathe new life into what I already own.Okay, onto the outfits.
Outfit #1 For a classic work look, you can't pass up Tuxe's cotton Gatekeeper white button down shirt that I styled with a pair of grey tailored pants from Theory and timeless black blazer from Reiss. To finish the outfit, I added these blush pumps from Kate Spade and multi-strand necklace from Ann Taylor to fill in the neckline. Outfit #2 Tuxe bodywear isn't just about the blouses, you can also check out their simple knit styles that will work perfectly under jackets and cardigans but also on their own. If you are looking for a style like this, their Keynote bodysuit is definitely one to look into. Keeping knits tucked may seem easier than shirts, however, have you ever had lumps and bumps after tucking in your knit tops? Problem solved. In this outfit, I styled their Champagne color with a navy pencil skirt, ivory blazer from Theory, camel pumps from Trotters, and kept the look warm with this layer necklace from Banana Republic and stacked bracelets from Bauble Bar. Outfit #3 The reason I chose Tuxe's CEO style is because I can wear it professionally and casually. Seeing that my work clothing is more casual, this definitely is the style for me. In this look, I created a business casual look using their CEO style in ivory with black T Tahari straight leg pants, long cardigan from J. Crew, double wrap belt from Club Monaco, red flats from Modcloth and earrings from Melinda Maria.