When you think of shapewear, you always think of uncomfortable girdles and corsets. But the shapewear of today are comfortable, breathable and promises to smoothen your silhouette especially around the hips, thighs and tummy making you 10 pounds slimmer. Shapewear are available in different sizes including plus size shapewear and can be worn by men and women. Also known as body shapers, these products are made of Spandex fabric, which is intended to compress the body but is breathable and non-constricting and seamless.
Shapewears offers high waist control styles to eliminate the muffin top. It can reach under the bust line for a slimming silhouette. Body suits are an ideal way to shape and contour the waist, hip and thigh areas and are designed with reinforced panels and non-binding waist and leg bands with no visible panty lines. Plus size shapewear slips comes in strapless models with silicone strips so that it can be worn under strapless eveningwear or dresses. Shapewears need not be visible under clothes since it comes in neutral colors and in semisheer fabrics like stretch lace.
Some of the more famous brands in body shapers are: Simply Vera Vera, a clothing line by designer Vera Wang, offer control-top tights. Cas Luxury Shapewear has an almost complete line of shapewear like tops, bottoms and shaping dresses. Its line of shaping tops can be alternative to bra since they provide support while slimming the torso. Performance stretch retention and colorfast for life means the product line is durable and doesn’t need special handling like hand washing. Cas shaping bottoms can be worn underneath cloths or can be seen outside as leggings or as work out shorts. Made of breathable lightweight microfiber, it is said to shape and slim the thighs and raise and shape the derrière. The Cas shaping dresses smoothens and shapes the silhouette under dresses and skirts from the neck to knee. It controls and slims the profile all the way around.
Spanx power panties have soft hosiery fabric that is body shaping and slims the tummy, hips and bottom and has a cotton gusset to comfort and an alternative to underwear or panties to eliminate visible panty lines. Magic Knickers and Power Magic Knickers looks like a pair of cycling shorts made of strong and stretchy material the covers from the thighs and waist and midriff to prevent muffin tops, that bulge that seems to spill over the waistband. The product promises to bring you down a dress size.
Shapewear for men are also available. Designed for overweight men, these shapewear offers benefits of back support, stomach support and internal organ support since it helps regain the regular pressure of the abdomen to help the organs and spine properly function. Not sold on the medical claims? Then just use it to reduce your love handles, shrink those man boobs and reduce the waist up to 2 sizes. These products are made out of the same materials for post-operative patients and burn victims.
Generally the shapewear benefits are: you look better in clothes that you normally shy away from because they tend to show bulges and bumps. With shapewear, form fitting clothes skims over trouble spots like muffin tops, bra bulge and underwear lines, making you look slimmer and sexier. Wearing a shapewear helps to lift and firm trouble areas like the tummy and the buttocks which are the difficult areas to tone and shape even when you are not overweight. Body shapers in the form of tank tops or camisoles can give better posture since they tend to pull the shoulder up and back. Prolonged use help strengthen the abdominal muscles adding support to the internal organs and helping them back in proper position. Another benefit of shapewear is you don’t need to have costly cosmetic surgery like liposuction to get into shape. You can wear a body shaper to instantly lose inches and look great in your favourite and dream dress and outfit.
There are shapewear types for specific problem areas that needs concealing and smoothening. The mid thigh waist shaper is the most common, usually made of nylon and spandex, and fits over the stomach and upper thighs. It provides a sexy fit by smoothening and compressing the abdominal region and thighs and can be worn under dresses, skirts and pants. When the problem is the upper body, a slimming cami or camisole gives the stomach a lean and toned look and skims over love handles. You can choose models that can flatten the bustline or one where you can still wear your favourite maximaxer bra. For those whose problem is just the lower abdomen or tummy area, a slimming pantie smoothens that problem area and is generally seamless so visible panty lines are also eliminated aside from a more shapely rear. A body suit provides all-over coverage since it is a mid thigh waist shaper and slimming cami combined, though it can be a problem slipping on and off when you need to ‘go’ since it looks like a leotard although some styles offer double open cotton gusset that comes with an adjustable hook and eye closures for bathroom convenience. An alternative to the body suit is the shaping dress or slip providing control from the neck down.
One major concern in wearing a body shaper is how to wear it since most have trouble wrestling themselves into it, pulling a muscle now and then. First and foremost, wear your own size and resist the urge to buy sizes that are just too small. Shapewear comes in a variety of sizes, from small to 2X, 34C and 42F. Name brands carry plus sizes for every woman of different ages and lifestyle. A rule in thumb in shopping for lingerie also applies in buying and choosing a shapewear. If it hurts, it the wrong size and tighter is not recommended for shapewear. Comfort is a must in wearing body shapers and when it is not comfortable it is not your size. Measurement of the hips, waist and bra size with a matching size chart will enable you to choose the right size for you. Try moving around, like twisting and bending, do the pretzel twist, do the movements that you would do in any normal day and see if the shapewear stays in place. If it shifts while moving, you need either a smaller or a bigger size. When an old shapewear rolls up your thighs or waist, it means you need to buy a new one, since it has lost some of its elasticity. For the thighs check the binding when you move, you need a different size or a longer leg length when it cuts in or is just uncomfortable. The crotch fitting is just as important and should fit naturally and comfortably. When it is either too high or too low, it will make wearing a shapewear awfully uncomfortable. If even in the right size you still see bulges then maybe it is time to get a higher support level shapewear. Wearing shapewear should give you a flawless silhouette without the health risks.
To achieve a smooth body line, try not wearing any other underwear with your shapewear. This will prevent panty line and bra bulges, the very thing you want to avoid. Choosing the right shapewear for you will let you achieve a flawless silhouette under that favourite dress, boasting confidence and making you feel sexy.