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. This is particularly useful for static fabrics or skirts that benefit with a smoother silhouette, such as slips. We wish this came with an extended bra size offering, particularly ones with smaller bands yet bigger busts.

We even paid attention to how easy it was to use the bathroom, and whether or not the shapewear came with any clasps at the crotch.

Higher cup sizes can go without a bra as well, but it depends on the comfort level of the individual. 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. 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.

We loved how this shapewear evened out our bodies to create a smooth figure, but more than that, we adored how near-invisible it felt once on. We all have everyday undergarment go-tos: comfy bralettes, seamless undies, performance sports bras. Otherwise, the bra portion is completely sheer, and while it does have an underwire for support, it does not provide coverage to the nipples. The semi-invisible criss-cross bandaging around the waist tucks in the belly nicely without constricting it. Close-fitting style, provide compression to your midsection area, reduce your waistline, flatten your abdomen and smooth your body line perfectly.But there’s just something about wearing it underneath our clothes, especially to formal events, that just dials the confidence-meter up a few notches. Thick, rigid jeans hid the lines well, but other form-fitting fabrics might give away what’s underneath. As an added bonus, the opening under the chest worked hand-in-hand with our favorite bra to gently push the ladies up. Similar to the low-back piece from Spanx, it offers an additional clasp to the built-in bra band for a more firming effect. For a seamless look, opt for one in a silhouette that mirrors the shape of your garment, be it strapless, a U-neck, or a bustier design.

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. 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. 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. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. 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.

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. The mesh is also very strong on the legs, despite looking deceivingly sheer, and helped smooth out our hip dips impressively. 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. We wrote out the compression level on each of the options, but even with a high compression level of three, like the Spanx Ahhh-llelujah 'Fit to You' Everyday Short, you should still be able to move around and sit down easily.