Shapewear is often misunderstood. It can be a powerful tool in the fight against weight gain and body image issues, but it’s not for everyone. Some people are very comfortable with their bodies and don’t wear shapewear at all. Others may buy shapewear as an impulse purchase to try to get dressed up for a special occasion or event, then find themselves wearing it every day from that point on because they still feel uncomfortable without it.
There are many different types of shapers out there – some are more suited to certain shapes than others – so read this guide before buying your first piece of shapewear.
What is shapewear?
Shapewear is any garment, usually tight-fitting and made of spandex or nylon that a woman wears to smooth out the shape under clothes. Shapewear can be classified as either body shapers (designed to slim down curves) or panty shaper shorts (to cover up bulges).
What are they used for?
As mentioned above, shapewear has many uses. Some women use it just occasionally for special occasions – but others may wear shapewear every day because it makes them feel more confident in their own skin. Shaping underwear also provides support around your pelvic area which prevents wrinkles on clothing from developing over time due to this natural movement of muscles when you sit or walk. Likewise, there are several shapewear products manufactured for different parts of the body.
Different varieties of shapewear:
You will find several types of shapewear available on the market. So, it is essential to know what’s the purpose of each of them and then choose the right one for your needs.
- Control Camisoles:
Control camisoles are a type of shapewear that must be worn with clothing. The purpose is to provide support for larger breasts and help them maintain their shape when wearing tight-fitting outfits.
- Body Shaper:
A slimming body shaper is designed to reduce the size of your stomach, waistline, and hip area. Body shapers usually come in a thong design, but there are also designs available like boy shorts or briefs, which vary in cut from control top (high coverage) to no rise at all (hip hugger).
- Strapless Bra:
It can be difficult to get a strapless bra that will stay up without straps – so many women use either extra tape or double-sided adhesive strips on the back of the bra to hold it in place. It’s a good idea to wear shapewear with strapless bras; otherwise, the bra will dig into your skin, causing discomfort and possibly pain.
- Minimizer Bra:
A minimizer bra is designed to flatten breasts while creating uplift by providing support from the front of the chest area up through the underarms – this can help those who have sagging or drooping breasts feel better about how they look in their clothing and may also be helpful for minimizing back fat due to excess breast tissue on top of muscles that cause bulging.
A minimizer bra might also provide more coverage than an average push-up style because there are no gaps between cups as you move around throughout your day. Another option is to buy boob tape, which serves a similar purpose and reduces the discomfort of wearing a strapless bra.
- Merry Widow:
A merry widow is a type of shapewear that comes up high on the torso and wraps around to cover your backside. It can be used as an alternative for those who want shapewear without it being visible under clothing. They may also use it to help with tightening their lower abdominal area to avoid bulging from excess weight in that region.
The Merry Widow was originally designed by corsetieres of the 1800s so Queens could take part in energetic activities like riding horses while remaining covered. Still, today it’s more commonly used by people looking for better posture or relief from chronic pain caused by poor sitting habits. This garment not only helps reduce pressure points but also provides support throughout the abdomen.
- Long leg: This shapewear is designed to go all the way down to your thighs, which means it can be a great shapewear option for those with small waistlines but curvier hips.
- Body Briefs:
These shapewear garments are designed to cover the upper and lower body, which means they have more coverage than other types of shapewear. These garments are designed with high-waist briefs, so they’re really good for those who have a larger stomach area and smaller chest.
Tips to remember while buying shapewear products:
- When shopping for shapewear, you’ll want to look at the fabric composition. This is because fabrics will affect how comfortable and breathable a garment is. It will also determine the comfort range of temperatures that the shapewear can be worn in.
- The right shaper for one person may not work well on another, so it’s important to try before you buy!
- You should also consider how much control or shaping power a given garment will give your body shape and size.
Conclusion:
It might be tempting to buy shapewear that looks good but doesn’t offer the right level of control, so make sure you know what you’re looking for before buying!