Are you curious about shapewear? You’ve come to the right place. Body sculptors are all the rage right now, with celebrities and influencers alike flocking to show them off on various platforms. With new brands popping up left and right, companies in the industry are taking it upon themselves to come up with increasingly innovative designs. If you have limited experience with shapewear, this can be a bit overwhelming. Here’s the lowdown on sculptors, their purpose, and some of the best options available on the market.
What is a Body Sculptor?
A body sculptor, otherwise known as shapewear or a foundation garment, is an undergarment that helps to create a smooth silhouette and sculpt your figure to favorably bring out your natural curves, especially when you’re wearing tight-fitting clothes.
How a body sculptor helps
Body sculptors gym shape your body, essentially contouring your body when worn. There are different varieties of these sculptors for different body parts. You can slim and smooth any one or more of the following areas:
- Waist
- Arms
- Legs
- Stomach
- Back
The Best Body Sculptors
To pick the best body sculptor, you’ll want to shop based on your body type. While the outfit you choose to wear ultimately determines the style of body sculptor you go for, you can flaunt your figure or add balance to your outfit with the best body sculptor for your form. All body shapes and sizes are fabulous, but if you want to get the most benefits from body sculptors, choose an option that will best suit your figure.
-
Body sculptor for an hourglass figure
If you have an hourglass figure, it means you have a clearly defined waist between shoulders and hips that are the same width. To show off your distinct figure, consider going for a high-waisted style body sculptor in a medium compression. That way, you’ll smooth the desired area while keeping your curves and waist defined.
-
Body sculptor for a pear figure
The pear body shape is characterized by full hips which are wider than the shoulders and bust. If you want to add balance to your outfit, you might want to wear contouring tights or leggings for a sleek appearance. Alternatively, you can go for a body sculptor that features a built-in push-up bra to balance out the top and bottom. If you don’t want to dramatically change your appearance, a camisole body sculptor that smooths your waist and stomach without altering your hips should work just fine.
-
Body sculptor for an apple figure
An apple figure is characterized by narrow hips, a large bust, and a full midsection. A high-waisted body sculptor that features a thong- or panty-style bottom rather than shorts won’t make your hips or thighs appear smaller. Instead, it will help smooth and flatten your stomach and waist.
-
Body sculptor for a rectangle figure
A rectangle body shape is characterized by a straight silhouette with shoulders and hips of similar width and little to no waist definition. To add some curves to your appearance, use a push-up bra style body sculptor and designs that give your backside a boost. You can also go for contouring garments that cinch your waist to add curves to your silhouette.
Body Sculpting Trends
What are the Benefits of Body Sculpting?
While body sculptors are by no means a must-have item, there are several advantages to wearing them. Here are some body sculpting benefits to keep in mind:
1. Body sculptors allow you to wear specific styles
Some outfit designs are specifically made for certain body shapes. While that’s ideal for women who can rock their natural figure, others may also want to flaunt their figures in these styles. Body sculptors can keep everything smooth for tight-fitting looks and define your waist, regardless of your figure type.
2. Improve your posture
One of the benefits of sculptor wearing is the fact that they can help you stand straighter and taller, which in turn reduces strain on your back and muscles. As a result, you’ll feel more comfortable in your outfit.
3. Boost your confidence
You don’t need to throw on a body sculptor to appreciate your body and how you look in your outfits, but sometimes, it can help you look and feel more confident. Wear your favorite fitted outfits and other vibrant looks with boldness to let your personality shine through your sense of style.
4. Body sculptors allow you to wear clothes you haven’t in a while
Everyone has that one outfit at the back of their closet that they would love to wear, but it simply doesn’t fit the way you want it to. It could be that the material is a tad too clingy, or the piece is just too snag around some areas of your body. With a body sculptor, you can smooth and flatten these areas and slip into these once-forgotten outfits.
5. Prevent chafing
If you’ve ever worn a skirt or dress without tights underneath, then you’re probably aware of the unpleasant chafing you’re likely to experience. Some body sculptors can serve the purpose of tights without being visible under your outfit. Therefore, you can prevent chafing without having to compromise your look.
6. Reduce undergarment lines
Another one of body sculpting benefits is that it can help manage undesirable undergarment lines. Shapewear helps to smooth the lines and bumps created by undergarments, and as long as you choose the right kind, you don’t have to worry about them adding lines themselves.
Sculpting the Ultimate Body
Each body is unique, so it comes as no surprise that some people gain and lose weight faster (or slower) in different parts of the body than others. There’s no perfect body sculpting technique, and what may work for you may not work for someone else. While shapewear can temporarily sculpt your body, there are ways you can control and shape your figure on a more permanent basis.
Ways to sculpt your body
For those who want to achieve the perfect curves, body sculpting can be done in many ways. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Swap starchy carbs for healthier carbs
Instead of eating high starch food (white bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), switch your carbohydrate intake to whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. You’ll also want to incorporate healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados into your diet. These foods will provide you with the calories needed to build muscle while increasing your metabolism to shed fat.
2. Increase your protein intake
You’ll want to increase your intake of healthy protein to help sustain muscle as you shed off the pounds. This is especially crucial when losing weight quickly as your body can actually lose the muscle mass you’re after which will, in turn, affect the desired toned look. Some high protein foods for perfection body sculpting include:
- Black beans
- Salmon
- Lentils
- Skinless chicken breast
- Lean beef
3. Don’t skip meals
Contrary to popular belief, skipping meals won’t help you achieve your sculpting goal faster. Your body requires fuel to kick your metabolism into gear. Make sure you eat as much nutritious food as possible throughout the day. Five to six small portions of high-quality food in a day is a great way to go.
4. Drink plenty of water
Muscle is made predominantly of water and dehydration typically leads to muscle breakdown. To increase the generation of new muscle tissue in your body, make sure you stay properly hydrated with water and the right electrolyte balance (magnesium, sodium, calcium, and potassium)
5. Try interval training
If you tend to do cardio-focused exercises, you may want to switch to interval training if you want to lose fat without sacrificing muscle. In an hour-long Pilates workout, for example, you can speed up and slow down the exercises, as well as alter the resistance on each exercise.
6. Try to stay relaxed
Stress is known to elevate the hormone cortisol, which can increase your appetite and cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods. To manage cortisol levels in your body, get enough quality sleep, breathe, stretch, laugh more, learn to recognize stressful thinking, and just try to stay relaxed.
Steps to Achieve Perfect Body Sculpting
Here are some of the steps to help you achieve perfect body sculpting,
1. Set realistic goals
Body sculpting means different things to different people. To achieve the results you’re after, get specific about what your goals are and what changes you’re after to help you determine how to get there. You also want to be realistic about your goals. It’s crucial to consider where your journey is beginning and how much time you can dedicate to body sculpting. If you hardly have time to work out a training regimen that requires twice-daily workouts is probably a tad unrealistic for example.
2. Do the right types of workouts
Resistance training will help grow your muscles and define their shape. You also want to do some cardio to burn calories. The right combination of exercises depends on your body type as well as your fitness level, but generally, you want to keep adding to your workout routine to challenge yourself.
3. Eat right
What you eat is one of the biggest determinants of how much sculpting you can achieve. The specific combination of protein, fat, and carbohydrates that is ideal for your boy depends on your genetics, your workout program, and a couple of other factors. That said, a lot of people successfully sculpt their bodies by cutting out added sugars and adapting higher protein and fiber diets. Make gradual changes to your diet to allow your body to adjust.
4. Get plenty of rest
Resting is just as important as working out. Avoid over-exercising by incorporating rest days into your workout routines. You also want to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night to allow your body to recover.
5. Be consistent and patient
Keep in mind that it will take time for your body to change. It can take weeks or even months to see the results of your hard work, so don’t feel discouraged if you don’t notice any tone and sculpting the first few weeks you embark on a new program.
Your Wardrobe Helpers
If you’re looking for a way to quickly sculpt your figure, shapewear is one of your best options. Here are some of the most common body shaping underwear:
Control underwear
Control underwear is one of the easiest ways to integrate definition without adding any extra layers. Here are some of the most common types of control underwear:
1. High-waisted control underwear
If you typically carry weight around your midsection, high-waisted seamless underwear is the most ideal option because it will cover both the waist and the midriff, coming up to just under your bra.
2. Mid-waisted tummy control briefs
Mid-waisted shapewear underwear is easy to get on and off and is also quite comfortable. They feel a lot like normal underwear, but they come with added slimming support that can help you pull off a variety of looks.
3. Tummy control thong
Some body shaping underwear can squash your backside, making it look a bit flat. If you’ve encountered this problem, consider going for thong sculpting underwear to keep things looking peachy.
Corsets
Corsets are designed to make your waist look smaller and enhance the shape of your bust. Body corsets shapewear has been in use for centuries. Today, you’ll find a wide range of corset designs, from full body corsets with zipper or hook closures to detachable and pull-up versions.
Bodysuits
A bodysuit combines all of the smoothing perks of shaping bottoms with higher coverage at the back. A full body shaper bodysuit provides coverage across your whole torso and boobs, eliminating the possibility of any bumpiness between the top of the brief and the bottom of your bra. A waist trainer bodysuit will ensure that there is a clear definition between the top and bottom parts of your body, giving you an hourglass figure.
When it comes to the bust area, you have three options - built-in cups, compressed bust, or open-busted (if you want to wear your full bodysuit women with your bra). The third option is ideal if you wear a bra size that’s hard to come by, or if the outfit you plan on wearing has a low-cut neckline so that you can wear your best bodysuit shapewear with a plunge bra.
Active Shapewear
Although you’re at liberty to exercise in shapewear, consider wearing an active style of shapewear for women. Here are some common examples of active shapewear:
- Abdominal high compression waist trainer
This type of waist trainer is meant to help you shed localized belly and back fat while improving your posture and adding definition to your waist at the same time.
- Sauna pants
Sauna pants are a great choice of active shapewear for those who want to sweat off those extra pounds. Well-made sauna pants should be comfortable and easy to move around in as you work out.
Tops
If you’re looking for shapewear for your upper body only, you might want to consider a shaping camisole or corset top. Some designs feature powerful stretch fabric on the tummy, waistline, and bust, providing adequate support and eliminating the need for a bra. You can also opt to throw on a lace corset top over a bra if you prefer, especially if you want to cover visible bra seams for a smoother line under your outfit.
How to choose the right shapewear?
With so many different types and designs of body sculptors on the market, it can be difficult to find something that will suit your needs. To choose the best shapewear, you’ll want to keep the body sculpting tips mentioned above in mind, as well as consider the size, style, compressions, and material.
1. Pick the right size
When choosing shapewear, the size has to be just right. For the best results, take your measurements into account and consider the clothing sizes you currently wear when picking a size.
If the body shaper you pick ends up being too small, you’ll be uncomfortable and could end up with rolling and bunching instead of the smoothed-out look you were going for. Worse still, you risk issues with your blood circulation and nerves that can lead to swelling. If the body shaper is too big, it could bunch up and create unsightly lines under your outfit.
2. Pick the right style
Different styles of shapewear go with different clothing items and achieve varying effects, so you’ll want to choose based on what you want to contour and wear.
- Arm shapers
If your shirt or dress features fitted sleeves or you want to flatten bumps under a work blouse, an arm shaper can come in handy. Some designs are simply fitted sleeves, while others sit comfortably under your bust.
- Shapewear shorts
These come in different heights and lengths. Longer varieties contour your thighs, making them ideal for wearing with fitted shorts or pants. High-waisted varieties help smooth your tummy and contour your waist.
- Tights, leggings, and jeggings
These contour your legs, and there are even options that are made for body contouring. They work great with tunic-style tops or dresses.
- Strapless styles
Strapless shapewear can be worn under sleeveless, off-the-shoulder, or strapless outfits. Many of these options feature built-in bras, so you don’t have to wear one.
- Full body styles
Slips and bodysuits offer coverage from your bust to your backside. The bottoms can be briefs, panty, or thong-style, so make a choice depending on how much contouring you want for your hips and backside.
3. Pick the right material
Body sculptors come in an array of materials from spandex to nylon. Different materials serve different purposes. Here are some factors to keep in mind when considering shape:
- How much control do you need?
As long as you choose the right size, many fabrics will give you contouring control. For the best results, go for shapewear styles with elastic bands through areas like the thighs for an extra slimming effect.
- Do you want the shapewear to keep heat in?
If you live in a colder climate, you might want a layer that keeps you warm without compromising your outfit. Fortunately, shapewear typically features synthetic materials like spandex and nylon that adequately hold heat in especially in firm compression designs.
- Is breathability a priority?
If you live in a warmer climate, you likely want to steer clear of shapewear designs that retain heat. Instead, look for breathable options or designs that wick moisture away. Body sculptures featuring materials like cotton and microfiber will allow your skin to breathe but still streamline your look for a comfortable yet fashionable appearance.
Tips for Buying Shapewear Online
Buying shapewear online can be nerve-wracking especially if it’s your first time. Here are some tips that might help to make your shopping experience a bit more pleasant:
1. Do your research
Before placing an order for shapewear online, make a point of taking some time to browse and weigh your options. You’ll likely come across blog posts and guides to help you make a more informed decision.
2. Keenly go over the provided sizing guides
Ordering the right size of shapewear can make all the difference in how comfortable you’ll be wearing it. The wrong size can leave you feeling squished, breathless, and generally uncomfortable. Before making a purchase, look over the sizing guide to help you correctly measure yourself for an ideal fit. If you find that you’re between sizes, go a size up if comfort is more of a priority, or a size down if you’re looking for more compression.
3. Read the reviews
Read any available reviews to get a better idea of what to expect when you buy a particular body sculptor. Reviews can be very informative - be sure to check out customer feedback on things like size, material, and comfort.
4. Keep your priorities in mind
Are you after a generally smoothed-out look? Or do you want a simple black corset top to feel more confident in? Whatever your priorities, make sure you have a general idea of which outfits you’ll want to wear your shapewear with.
Made-to-Order Body Shapers
Made-to-order body shapers are designed specifically to fulfill the set of requirements you provide as the client. Some body sculpting brands offer this service for women looking for unique designs that they can wear with specific outfits. To have this type of body shaper made, you’ll need to provide accurate measurements - that way, the designer can come up with the best shapewear for your body.