There’s a lot that goes into choosing the right shapewear. Of course, you want it to work well and give you fantastic results, but you also want to keep it discreet beneath your clothes and remain comfortable when wearing it all day long. Additionally, quality shapewear pieces should offer compression, coverage, and smoothing ability exactly where you desire, and not where you don’t.
It’s important to have a few guidelines fresh in your mind when searching for new shapewear. Otherwise, you might get overwhelmed with the seemingly countless options or buy something you don’t need. Whether you’re a first-timer in the shapewear buying department or you’re adding to what you already have, be sure to keep these tips in mind the next time you shop for shapewear.
- Know Your Options: First and foremost, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different types of shapewear for women before you start shopping. Even if you’ve previously bought shapewear garments, you might find a style or piece that works even better than what you currently have. If you’re new to shapewear, though, this can be a thoughtful effort towards getting the exact shapewear look and feel you desire. From shaper panties and smoothing shorts to bodysuits and contour bras, there’s so much variety!
- Determine Your Target Areas: Before embarking on a shopping trip of the in-person or online variety, write down or mentally list your expectations and focus regions. When doing this, think about which body parts you would most like to shape, slim, smooth or contour. Though there are quite a few types of shapewear that focus on shaping both large bodily regions and smaller, more specific areas, the most popular target areas for shapewear include the tummy, hips, back, butt and thighs.
- Consider Your Closet: Your specific target areas can help you narrow down your search when it comes to shapewear, but so can your most loved outfits! What styles of clothing do you love most, buy the most and wear the most? The answer might help you refine your search even more based on which shapewear pieces pair well with your closet faves. For instance, if you love to wear jeans with a relaxed fit and lower rise all the time, a high-waisted shaper panty might not be the best fit. Instead, you might go for a mid-rise shaper short with added butt lift to enhance your jeans outfits. Decide what you need based on what you have!
- Sizing Is Everything: To ensure the best results and the most comfortable fit, it’s important to consider shapewear sizing in detail. For your best fit, break out the measuring tape and determine the size of your chest, hips and natural waistline. Don’t assume your shapewear size is your clothing size and know that sizing can differ between brands. Once you find the size that aligns with your unique measurements, try it on and put it to the test. Shapewear should feel like a smooth and secure second skin and should never leave lasting red marks or bruises on your skin.
- Try Different Compression Levels: When it comes to finding your perfect shapewear, the compression level is not something you should overlook. The level of compression in shapewear determines the level of slimming and sculpting power. As the level increases from moderate to firm, so does the intensity of the end result. It’s important to try shapewear made with different levels of compression so you can avoid being disappointed by insufficient compression and get exactly what you want.
- Shop for Multitasking Garments: Perhaps the greatest feature of modern shapewear is that you’re able to find pieces that shape more than one area at a time. Want to smooth your hips and lift your butt at the same time? There’s shapewear for that. Need an all-in-one piece that will slim your entire torso? That exists, too. From sculpting leggings that rise over the hips to shapewear bodysuits that use firm compression to shape the back, hips, tummy and butt, there’s a shapewear garment for almost any combination of focus areas.
Remember that shapewear is first and foremost meant to enhance your unique and beautiful figure. It’s designed to do things like smooth out the back and torso, flatten the tummy, slim the thighs to avoid chafing and, most importantly, help you love your amazing body! Take the time to shop for quality online shapewear brands and find your favorite pieces for everyday wear and special occasions.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
