A Complete Guide To Choose The Right Shapewear For You

We don’t need to tell you twice that losing weight can be a tedious and a time consuming process – think of the treadmills, sweat, diets…agrhh! But did you know there are ways to fake toned thighs and a flatter belly? Yup, using a shapewear for body allows you to look ‘thinner by dinner’! But there has been constant speculation on the trend of shapewear for women, with a lot of people (and celebs) swearing by it and some completely opposing it.

Use Shapewears To Get Your Body Into The Desired Shape You Always Wanted

We bring to you a complete guide on everything you ever wanted to know about shapewear, talking about all the pros and cons along with tips to wear it right, we are leaving it on you to decide.

How To Choose The Right Shapewear:

There are different types of shapewears available in the market and you first need to analyse that which part of your body needs to be focused while buying a shapewear. Here is a table which will help to find the right shapewear for women.

 

Body Fat Which Needs To Be Toned	The Shapewear To Buy For It
All over body	Bodysuits
Hips/butt	Thigh shapers, bodysuits, shaping briefs
Thighs	Shaping pantyhose, thigh shapers
Full legs	Full length pantyholes,shaping leggings
Back or posture correction	Back support shapers
Abdomen/Love handles	High waist briefs, shaping camisoles, shaping slips, shaping panties, waist cinchers, tummy tuckers

a.  The Bodysuit

Target areas: Tummy, love handles and butt.

This lace body shaper looks great and targets almost every major concern. It will give you full coverage and is great to wear under dresses.

POPxo Recommends: Marks & Spencer Lace Body shaper  (Rs 2,099)

b. The Camisole

Target areas: Love handles and tummy.

If love handles and a round belly are your major concerns, then this is perfect for you. It will give you coverage on the upper half and will tighten your tummy. It is very similar to the bodysuit, the only added perk being that you get to use the loo without any hassles.

POPxo Recommends: Jockey Seamless Shaping Camisole Shapewear (Rs 1,049)

c. The Mid-Thigh Shaper

Target areas: Thighs, butt and tummy.

Are heavy thighs a concern? Then this is the one for you. It perfectly conceals any imperfections around the thighs, butt or tummy and can be worn under dresses, shorts, pants or skirts for a smooth silhouette.

POPxo Recommends: Jockey Seamless Shaping Short Shapewear (Rs 999)

d. Shorts/ Panties

Target areas: Love handles, tummy and it lifts up your butt.

These are same as the mid-thigh shapers but sans the coverage on the thighs. They will smooth out all the imperfections without flattening out your butt, thanks to that added butt support.

POPxo Recommends: Jockey Seamless Shaping Bikini Shapewear (Rs 899)

e. Tummy Tucker

Target areas: Waist, tummy and love handles.

This one slims down your waist and love handles in the best way possible making it a perfect choice to sport under t-shirts, tops and tight dresses to give the illusion of a slim waist.

POPxo Recommends: Heart 2 Heart Tummy Shaper (Rs 999)

Now you know exactly which shapewear to buy for concealing the fat of a particular body part.

Benefits Of Shapewear

1. Instantly Sleeker Figure

There is no denying the fact that shapewears serve their purpose really well. With the right body shapers for you, you can look from five to ten pounds slimmer altogether. Sounds like a dream, eh?

2. Say Bye-Bye To Panty Lines

Most celebrities swear by shapewears because they are the most efficient way of kissing goodbye to those tricky underwear problems. Say bye-bye to panty lines by wearing a shapewear bodysuit, even when you are wearing your most well-fitted dresses!

3. No More Muffin Tops

Shapewears smooth out your body by redistributing your fat all over the area, to give you an appearance of a contoured, well shaped body. No more lumps and bumps!

4. Fight Cellulite

Shapewears, when worn correctly can make your cellulite disappear, giving you an even, smooth look. Plus, they keep jiggly fat in check, they’re a blessing for those of us with troublesome thighs.

Also Read 11 Lingerie Hacks That *Every* Girl Needs To Know!

How To Choose & Use Shapewears For A Better Experience

1. Size REALLY Matters!

In hope of looking extra thin, women often size down. This leads to bulges, fat spills and discomfort. And if you happen to buy a size that’s bigger than your actual size, shapewear loses its purpose and will not hide any bulges or bumps that you want to. So, moral of the story is, find out your size and stick to it!

2. When To Buy Online

You must never shop for shapewear online if you’ve never tried it before and are unsure of your size. A wrong fit can cause fat spills and can be unflattering. Although, if you are sure about your size, shopping online is a better idea as you often get things on discounted prices.

3. Take The Sit Test

This is a very important test which can help you choose better shapewear for yourself. Always sit and test while buying a shapewear, as you will understand better how comfortable you would feel while wearing it for longer durations. If you feel stiff and uneasy while sitting with your shapewear on, then it is definitely a wrong size.

4. Choose According To Your Need

If you want shapewear that just smoothes out all your lines, then choose one in a lighter fabric. If you want shapewear for a complete figure transformation, choose the one with a higher content of nylon and compression zones.

5. The Instruction Manual Must Be Read Carefully

Google and you will see a lot of hilarious incidents on how women got stuck while attempting to fit in their shapewears. Well, the key is to never wear it from the top. You should always start with putting your legs in first and then pulling it upwards. Also read the instructions carefully before proceeding.

6. Seamless Be The Best

Opt for seamless shapewear if you want smooth lines. This will not only save you from embarrassing panty lines, but will also keep the world from knowing that you’re wearing shapewear under your clothes. Sounds good, right?

7. Choose High-Waist Shapewears For Smooth Torso Look

Wearing a shapewear which is not high waist will make your torso an uneven look which won’t look appealing. So it would be a wise choice to buy a high waist shapewear which extends upwards till your bra line.

8. Choose A Shapewear Which Is Made Up Of Cotton

Shapewear for women is usually made up of synthetic fibre. Buying a shapewear which is made up of synthetic fibre is not a good thing for your skin as it cannot breathe under these fabrics. On the other hand, cotton fabrics let you breathe. So for a warm climate always buy shapewears which are made up of cotton. You can choose to wear synthetic shapewears when the climate is cold as it will trap the heat and keep you warm.

9. Choose The Right Style For You

Just refer to the aforementioned shapewear table for choosing the right shapewear for your body requirements.  

The Possible Cons (Reasons Why Shapewears Can Be A No-No)

1. They Can Mess With Your Digestive System

Wearing shapewears for long durations can cause bowel restriction due to the continuous pressure on your abdominal region leaving you either too constipated or too prone to loose motions. This of course is a super extreme case that can only occur if you practically live in them. Wearing them for a few hours sometimes is completely fine.

2. You Might Give Up On Working Out

Remember that shapewear only gives the illusion of a more slender, smoother figure. Don’t give up exercising just because you have these slimming babies in your wardrobe.

3. Bad Body Posture

A lot of women start depending on shapewears for a better posture. Straighten those shoulders and stand tall.

Needless to say these are all extreme cases. Now, if your decision is in favour of shapewears, we have some handy- dandy tips for you!

Also read: The Bra “Sister Size”: The BEST Trick For Lingerie Shopping!

Have you found the perfect shapewear for you, yet?