What Type of Shapewear Do I Need?

Shapewear has become a popular fashion item for enhancing your natural curves.

As we saw in our post on what is shapewear, these sculpting garments smooth bulges and create a sleeker silhouette under clothing. The right shapewear can transform your look by slimming and contouring your figure. It provides confidence-boosting shaping power to help you feel your best.

Shapewear offers many benefits beyond just a slimming appearance:

• Improves Posture: The compression and torso support of shapewear pieces can help you stand taller and more upright.
• Eliminates Visible Panty Lines: Seamless, one-piece shapewear prevents unsightly panty lines from showing through dresses and skirts.
• Smooths Bumps and Bulges: From back fat to muffin tops, shapewear flattens and smooths away unflattering bulges.
• Defines Your Waistline: Abdominal compression cinches you in at the smallest part of your waist to create an hourglass illusion.
• Boosts Confidence: When you feel smoothed and sleekly shaped under your outfit, it provides an extra confidence boost.

We cover this subject in greater detail in our guide to the benefits of shapewear. 

Understanding Your Body Shape

To choose the most flattering shapewear, you first need to identify your unique body shape. This allows you to target your specific problem areas for smoothing. Determining your body type is easy when you examine your overall proportions and where you tend to carry weight.

Common Body Shape Types

• Apple Shape: You carry more weight in the midsection with a rounded stomach and slimmer legs and hips.
• Pear Shape: Your hips and thighs are fuller with a defined waist and slimmer upper body and bust.
• Hourglass Figure: You have similarly rounded hips and bust with a narrow, defined waist in between.
• Rectangular Body: You have a straight up-and-down build with very little waist definition.

Identifying Your Shape

• Stand in front of a full-length mirror in minimal clothing like a bra and underwear.
• Examine the overall silhouette of your body from the front and side views.
• Take measurements of your bust, natural waistline, hips, and other areas if needed.
• Compare your proportions to the common body shape types to determine the closest match.

Types of Shapewear

Once you know your shape, you can match it to the ideal shapewear solutions that will flatter your figure best. The key is choosing pieces that smooth and contour your unique problem areas while enhancing your assets. Here are some top shapewear picks for different body types.

Shapewear for the Apple Shape

• High-Waisted Briefs/Boy Shorts: These provide tummy control and smooth out a rounder midsection. Great shapewear choice for belly fat.
• Open or Closed Bust Bodysuits: An all-in-one piece smooths from the chest to thighs while nipping in the waist.
• Waist Cincher: A firm compression waist cincher creates an hourglass illusion by defining your waistline. Our Waist sculpting shapewear is perfect for this. 

Shapewear for the Pear Shape

• Thigh Slimmers: These target the thigh and hip area to smooth away saddlebags and bulges.
• Shaping Bike Shorts: With full coverage and firmer compression, these slim and lift the rear and thighs. Check out our Booty Boosting Shapewear. 
• Contouring Slip Dresses: An all-over smoothing slip contours the bottom half while leaving the bust area free.

Shapewear for the Hourglass Figure

• Full Slip Dresses/Bodies: These skim over your entire torso and bottom to accentuate your feminine curves.
• Waist Cinchers: By cinching in your natural waistline, these create even more dramatic curves.
• Shaping High-Waisted Shorts: Offering full backside coverage, these smooth your thighs and bottom area.

Shapewear for the Rectangular Shape

• Open Bust Bodysuits: An open bust design avoids flattening your bust while contouring the torso. Check out our Booty Lift Corset Shapewear. 
• High Compression Shorts/Leggings: Ultra high compression adds flattering curves to straight hips and thighs. Check out our Booty Boosting Shapewear. 
• Waist Cinchers: Defining your waistline creates more of an hourglass illusion over your straight frame.

Shapewear for Specific Needs

Beyond targeting areas by body shape, certain types of shapewear also address other common concerns and outfit challenges. Whether dealing with clingier fabrics or wanting allover smoothing, these pieces have you covered.

Smoothing Under Clingy Knits and Sheaths

• Seamless Sculpting Camisoles
• One-Piece Slip Dresses/Bodies
• Convertible/Adjustable Strap Bodysuits

Creating an Ultra-Sleek Look for Special Occasions

• Firm Control Open/Closed Bust Bodysuits. Check out our Tummy Control Shapewear. 
• Maximum Compression Slip Dresses
• High Compression Shorts or Bike Shorts

Smoothing and Shaping the Lower Body Under Dresses

• High-Waisted Thigh Slimmers
• High-Waisted Control Shorts/Briefs
• Shaping Pencil Skirts with Built-In Shorts

Preventing Thigh Chafing and Riding Up

• Anti-Chafing Thigh Slimming Slips
• Slip Shorts with Silky, Non-Cling Fabric
• Cooling, Sweat-Wicking Biker Shorts. Get options with an open gusset. 

Choosing the Right Compression

Shapewear provides various levels of control and compression to suit your needs and preferences. The firmer the compression, the more powerful the shaping and smoothing capabilities. However, ultra-compressive styles can feel more constricting.

Light Compression Shapewear

• Best For: Everyday casual shaping and smoothing
• Fabric Qualities: Made from stretchy fabrics like nylon/spandex blends
• Fit Feeling: A snug, contoured fit without squeezing

Firm Compression Shapewear

• Best For: Creating a noticeably sleeker silhouette under dresses and close-fitting fashions
• Fabric Qualities: Made from sculpting fabrics with two-way stretch and recovery
• Fit Feeling: Compressive and smoothing yet you can still comfortably sit and move

Extra Firm Maximum Compression

• Best For: Ultimate smoothing and shaping for body-conscious looks
• Fabric Qualities: Features structured compression panels for max slimming
• Fit Feeling: Very tight and constricting so best for short wear

Comfort and Fit

While shapewear aims to compress and smooth, it shouldn't feel so tight that it's torturous to wear. Properly fitted pieces provide just the right amount of controlled shaping without causing discomfort or restricting your breathing and movement.

Signs Your Shapewear Fits Correctly

• You can sit, stand, and move comfortably without excessive pinching or rolling
• The garment lies smoothly against your body without bulging or digging in
• You can take full breaths without feeling constricted around the ribcage
• The shaping is snug but doesn't leave painful indentations in your skin

Comfort-Enhancing Shapewear Features

• Non-Roll Hems: Prevent the garment from riding up or rolling over
• Bonded Edges: Seamless construction eliminates digging or chafing
• Reinforced Seams: Supportive, reinforced seams won't rip or tear
• Moisture-Wicking Fabrics: Breathable knits dissipate sweat to stay dry

Care and Maintenance

Following the proper care instructions will extend the lifespan of your shapewear so you get the most out of your investment pieces. Improper washing and drying can degrade shapewear's shaping abilities over time.

Washing Shapewear

• Always Hand Wash using cool water and a mild detergent, avoiding any fabric softeners
• Machine Wash on the Gentle Cycle for sturdier pieces using a mesh lingerie bag
• Never soak, wring out, bleach, or put shapewear in the dryer

Drying Shapewear

• Lay garments flat in their original shape to air dry
• For faster drying, gently roll in a clean towel to absorb moisture

Final Thoughts

The right shapewear can give you a confidence-boosting, streamlined shape under your outfits. By identifying your specific body type and needs, you can find perfectly fitted sculpting solutions. With a wide range of styles available, there's shapewear to flatter every figure while providing a comfortable, smoothed look. Finding your ideal shapewear makes getting dressed easier and more enjoyable.