The number one rule in choosing the right shapewear for you, as Palep explains it, is to “not go tighter than your size in hope of ‘extra shaping.’” Shapewear will already come with sculpting effects, and sizing down will only cause discomfort. Instead, consider the occasion you hope to wear this to and choose whether you are in need of shorts, a bodysuit, or a bodysuit with shorts attached. Denise advises to consider the compression level, as you want to “be sure it’s holding you in at the right spots and letting you breathe everywhere else.” Not everyone wants the same level of compression, she continues, so decide whether you want to be cinched in or simply smoothed over, and shop accordingly. Some shapewear claims to take inches off you but be wary of any outrageous claims. It all has to go somewhere, after all! Mostly what shapewear does is just smooth out your silhouette, getting rid of any lumps and bumps so that clothes ‘hang’ nicely on you. So it can really change the way you look in an outfit but it’s not going to help you fit in a dress two sizes smaller or anything like that. How tight should shapewear fit? Jbkent Worth a try Much better than expected. Having bought and returned 2 different full bodys which were too short in length I tried this and was pleasantly surprised. Much better fit and comfortable. Medium control but smooths out the waistline nicely. When we want something with a little more contouring power, we turn to the SuperPower Short from Honeylove. With targeted, level three compression around the waist , these tummy control shorts provide some intense shaping on the body. While wearing these shorts, we noticed suctioning just about everywhere, but the tummy-controlling properties were particularly brought to life through the criss-cross bandaging around our midsection. Combined with the side boning, it really created an hourglass figure and cinched in the waist. The mesh is also very strong on the legs, despite looking deceivingly sheer, and helped smooth out our hip dips impressively. Our entire torso, hips, and butt area were expertly sculpted.

Mums to be: you’ll love the look of our bump bands. Perfect with any of the tops in our maternitycollection, this low-key stretch fabric band moulds to you and baby for a little extra warmth. And since this range is tailored to accommodate your new shape, you can wear your normal size. Bonus! The best in control vests If you have been given the go-ahead look for maternity-specific shapewear. SPANX has its own Mama range, including sheer, supportive Mid-Thigh Shapers and Seamless Leggings, whilst Skims’ (Kim Kardasian's shapewear label) maternity collection features everything from a nursing bra to a sculpting bodysuit. Shapewear should be an invisible layer that helps you feel like your best self, which is why we recommend adding a seamless piece to your collection. These shaping shorts from Commando focus on the lower half of your body by smoothing out the stomach, hips, butt, and thighs so that tighter-fitting garments feel more comfortable. From waist to thighs, you’ll find no seams closing out the ends, but rather raw-cut edges without elastic, trim, or taping to deliver a smooth finish.It feels much less firm than many other bodysuits on this list with only a compression level of one. But it did even out our skin enough to give us an overall sleek look, sans bumps and ripples. We found it very easy to slip in and out of, with a snap closure for easy access as well when going to the bathroom. You can absolutely wear shapewear whilst pregnant. Content creator Caralyn Mirang Koch, who frequently wore shapewear throughout her pregnancy, explains that “shapewear while pregnant is a personal preference, just like it is while not pregnant.” The mild compression will not harm you or your child in any way, although you may find it to become uncomfortable the more the baby grows. Skims, for example, offers a maternity sculpting short, if you want shapewear specifically made for pregnancy. How do you choose the right shapewear for you? Regardless of your size and shape, the best shapewear is all about delivering a smooth finish to your chosen outfit. While shapewear used to have a fairly bad reputation, the idea of using it to 'drop a dress size' is now considered passe and instead, new shapewear brands have a much more body positive approach and aim to enhance your assets, smooth your shape and support your curves. With a host of celebrity fans, shapewear is now taking its rightful place as a key foundation in our wardrobes. As a corset, this option functions more as a waist-trainer than shapewear, but it effectively cinches your body into an hourglass figure. Getting through the many tiny clasps at the front is a bit of a hassle, but once accomplished, we found the corset to sit snug along our stomachs and work exceptionally well in highlighting our waist and hips. We found that even our girls get a gentle push-up effect when combined with a bra. Let's be honest, the best shapewear has very much been a thing since, well, forever. Aside from that, who can forget the scene where Daniel Cleaver (AKA Hugh Grant) discovers Bridget Jones' control pants? Alas, not all underwear is created equal, so if you want the best shapewear for your next show-stopping outfit, you've come to the right place.

What We Don’t Love: While the top portion is impossible to spot under clothes, you can see the seams of the bottoms if worn with leggings or very tight pants. So, whether you're looking for a shapewear dress to wear as your actual outfit or require some tummy control pants to wear under that dress for your pal's wedding, we've covered all bases with our list of the best shapewear available right now. Closer's best shapewear at a glance: Unfortunately, trips to the restroom will require some extra effort because there are no clasps or openings at the gusset for easy access. You will be required to undress from the top down to use the bathroom. Or simply wear your shapewear underneath your outfit as intended. Either will give a bit of light control to help smooth your figure in a discreet way - a win, win. How to keep shapewear from rolling down? Gerry14 Fabulous! Absolutely fabulous! It 's changed the whole way I feel about myself. People have commemted on how slim I look and ask what's my secret. The product is very well made and comfortable. I had to ge one size up from my usual. Will definitely buy another one in alternative colour.Type: If you want extreme tummy control and contour, look for shapewear with mid- to high-level compression, she says. Looking for some control but mostly to just smooth your silhouette and enhance your outfit? Opt for pieces that focus less on compression and more on smoothing, so that you maintain comfort and keep your shape. Or if you're looking for shapewear as a modesty piece like a skirt slip, find lightweight fabrics with minimal compression and features that work for your personal style. What We Love: They have very minimal contouring effect, and can be worn daily for some smoothing effect. No. Not unless the brand says that the sizes run big so you need to size down. Buying a size smaller won’t ‘hold you in’ any more. In fact, it might make you spill over the top and just look worse so always buy the ‘right’ size for your body. Does shapewear actually change your shape? Once on, we were delighted to see what a remarkable job it did of smoothing our legs and waist. We tried on many shapewear, but this one provided one of the most noticeable visual changes to our bodies. We found no lumps or bumps while in this, and it really improved the way our clothing looked over it. As an added bonus, the opening under the chest worked hand-in-hand with our favorite bra to gently push the ladies up. The only thing we would change here is to add an opening around the bottom to make trips to the bathroom a little easier. While the garment doesn’t take a lot of work to slide off and on, it’s simply a hassle to first have to remove our top to get the straps down and perform our business.

Not only was the cup size correct, but the extra strong compression made her figure look more toned. The tightness makes it a little difficult to slip in and out of at first, though, which initially turned us off a bit to the piece, but once we had it on, though, we found it to be surprisingly comfortable. It also stays in place all day, and we didn’t tug at it constantly. We also liked the elastic around the leg holes to keep the hemline in place, which helped the briefs fit to not ride up as we wore it. The shorts claim to have a 400 percent stretch to them that adapts to your body, and therefore only comes in one size that covers bodies from zero to twelve in regular and petite. When we tested this on different body types, we did find this claim to be quite true, but we could imagine some sizes at the end of the spectrum (double zero and twelve and up) might not find it to fit like a glove. It’s easy to forget that these biker shorts are even on once you pull them on. They come with a minimal compression level — we couldn’t decide if they were more a level one or two —making them inviting for everyday use. The fabric itself feels lightweight and breathable. And while the brand describes the pair as “non-shaping”, we were pleasantly surprised to find it kindly molds our body shape and held in our thighs and midsection with gentle support. It worked its magic discreetly, though, disappearing underneath our clothes, and it never left a mark on our body after we took it off for the day. Body confidence is a beautiful thing, but some of us may need a little help on the way to achieving it – and there’s no shame in that. Create your best figure-flaunting looks with our latest shapewear. The curve-enhancing technology that underpins this collection shows off everything you love about your body – while concealing the little bits you don’t. Slip into something more comfortableAt a compression level of two, which describes how compressive the garment is, and goes up to level three (so, basically, this one has mid-range compression), the bodysuit smoothes the skin, without feeling too tight or sacrificing comfort. We wouldn’t turn to this bodysuit for exaggerated effects — it won’t take inches off your waist — but it does lightly cinch in our waist, give our chests a gentle push, and our bottoms a sweet little plump. The fabric is so kind on our skin, due to its soft touch, that it’s easy to forget it’s even on. The extremely lightweight material disappears under any clothes, even form-fitting ones, so we never have to worry about panty lines peeking through any skinny jeans or bodycon dresses. On the theme of wearing shapewear as your every day, you could even switch out the shapewear shorts for a shapewear dress - mini, midi or maxi depending on your mood. These sculpting dresses, like SKIMS dresses, or even some with built-in bras are perfect to wear with heels for your next night out or date night in. Pulling the shapewear on and off also felt like a breeze. We snapped ourselves in with the crotch closure (which never rode up uncomfortably), and at the end of the day, it simply rolled right off once we unsnapped the bottom. For our small chests, we noticed that the straps created a bit of a lift, giving our girls a nice look without the need to turn to push-up bras.

Lightweight-control: this level of shapewear is more about smoothing, rather than control. It often has a lot more give and stretch in it and its main job is to just smooth out any lumps and bumps under clothes offering a streamlined finish. It's not as rigid, but will still feel supportive. Lightweight control is therefore good if you want to invest in shapewear for day-to-day use. From the exterior, this bodysuit looks like any other seamless bodysuit. But while wearing it, you notice just how compressing it is. One look in the mirror will reveal a cinched-in waist and accented hips, thanks to the high-leg cut-outs. The girls are also supported through the built-in, wire-free power mesh bra to give you more of an hourglass figure. While the straps can’t be adjusted in length, the stretchy seamless material molds to your body and doesn’t dig into your shoulders — basically, you don’t have to worry about too-tight straps. With a luxe finish, the bodysuit successfully elevates your look, and can easily be worn as a top for evenings out as well. Ronetts Would recommend this Certainly gave me a good shape and lifted my bra too , certainly recommend it, I’m a size 18

This option comes with side and front panels for a more cinched-in look, but other than that, the compression level remains between a comfortable one and two. It provides some smoothing and a light hold but without any of the constricting feelings. We particularly love how thin the material is on the shorts as they never cause any chafing or the feeling of being sausaged. The only thing to note here is that it requires you to have a strapless bra, otherwise the straps on the bodysuit with bra straps and whatever shirt you are wearing become a little too much and can be seen from underneath your clothes.