How to choose comfortable shapewear you can confidently wear all day
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Shapewear is having a moment. With more celebs sharing red carpet secrets and giving it their seal of approval, it’s more popular than ever. In fact, surveys show that over half of women in the UK buy shapewear every year.
But if you’ve never worn this type of underwear before, you might be unsure where to start. When should you wear it? Do you need a body shaper or a control brief? How firm should it be? And what on earth is a ‘cincher’?
In this expert guide, you’ll learn all about the best shapewear for every occasion - we’ll explain what it is, how to choose it, and how to wear it comfortably.
What is shapewear?
Shapewear is underwear that’s designed to accentuate the parts of your body that you want to highlight.
There’s a misconception that it’s intended to make the wearer slimmer, but that isn’t entirely true. Rather, shapewear can be used to smooth, support and enhance your natural curves, to elevate your outfit and emphasise the areas you want to show off.
For example, if you wear a top with a plunging neckline, an open-bust bodysuit will create an hourglass figure to accentuate your glamorous style choice. Or, if you choose close-fitting jeans, then thigh shapers would smooth out the curve of your hips for a seamless silhouette.
How is shapewear made?
Both women and men have been wearing shapewear for hundreds of years, but thankfully, things have improved dramatically since the days of whalebone corsets!
Modern shapewear is primarily made from synthetic fabrics like nylon, elastane and polyamide, and they typically have seamless designs to avoid chafing. They may also use sculpting panels to further enhance your form.
When you’re choosing the best shapewear, look out for designs and materials that:
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Can stretch in every direction without losing shape
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Let your skin breathe to prevent overheating
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Allow moisture to escape so you stay dry and fresh
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Feel comfortable after several hours of wear
Different kinds of shapewear
There are lots of types of shapewear out there. Over time, you might want to build up a wardrobe of different types for different outfits and occasions.
Body Shapers
Bodyshapers resemble a traditional swimming costume with straps over your shoulders. This design helps to create a seamless hourglass silhouette.
Control slips
Control slips are dress-like shapewear that go from the bust (or just below) down to your thighs. Some models come with shoulder straps, others are strapless.
Control Camis
Designed a bit like a corset, control camis or ‘cinchers’ fit around your waist to emphasise your hourglass figure. They’re arguably the best tummy control shapewear out there.
Control briefs
Control briefs are made to create a seamless shape around your bottom, hips and tummy. Some designs extend upwards to create a smooth shape around your waist, too, combinng tummy and waist control.
Thighshapers
Designed to deliver a smooth silhouette from your thighs to your torso, thigh shapers are seamless to prevent any chafing. As an added bonus, they can help avoid visible panty lines, too.
Control tights and leggings
Firm up and smooth your legs, thighs and hips with control tights and leggings. Using compression panels and support for your bottom, these base layers make your legs look extra elegant.
Does shapewear actually work?
Absolutely! Today’s shapewear has improved dramatically compared to the styles that were available even 10 years ago. So long as you choose the correct size and shape, they really do help to finesse and smooth your natural curves.
The best shapewear is made from ultra comfortable, breathable fabrics, while using compression panels to offer additional support and structure.
Millions of women are voting with their feet and buying more shapewear than ever before - and they’re loving the results!
How to choose shapewear
Never worn shapewear before? No problem. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the right type and style for you.
Think about what part of your body you’d like to shape
Shapewear can do a wonderful job of smoothing and sculpting specific parts of your body. The choice is ultimately about which area you want to accentuate.
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Think about the outfits you’d like to wear
Because shapewear evens out your natural curves, it can make most outfits look even better on your figure. Here are just a handful of examples:
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Consider the colour
Shapewear comes in a wide variety of shades. Often, you’ll want it to match your skin tone, so here at JD Williams, we offer shapewear that blends naturally with all skin colours.
On other occasions, you might want to choose shapewear in different colours to offset an outfit or add allure to your cleavage.
Think about control level & firmness
Shapewear also comes in a range of control levels, depending on how much support you’d like. While the best shapewear should always be comfortable, higher control levels will feel tighter when you're putting them on.
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Light control shapewear will smooth out your curves
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Medium control shapewear will noticeably even out your figure
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Firm control shapewear can significantly sculpt and reshape target areas
Understand shapewear sizing
When you’re choosing shapewear, you should always buy it in your current size. People sometimes buy styles in the size they’d like to be, but wearing pieces that are too small will be uncomfortable and can also damage the underwear. While it’s true that shapewear can smooth out your curves to make you appear slimmer, you don’t need to buy a smaller size to achieve this goal.
If you’re shapewear shopping at JD Williams, use our handy sizing tool to help you choose the right style for your measurements.
If you find a piece of shapewear doesn’t seem to have the desired effect despite being the correct size, you may want to choose a higher level of control or firmness.
Details and design
Some styles are made to shape without being seen. With a focus on structure and practical support, they tend to have simpler designs, using versatile skin-colours or tan shades.
At the other end of the scale are the pieces with more intricate designs. Featuring details like lace, frills and bold colours, they make a confident statement in the bedroom or as a base layer.
Tips for wearing shapewear
If you haven’t used shapewear before, there are a few easy tips you can follow to get the most out of your new underwear.
Putting on your shapewear
Shapewear is designed to be tight, so it can be a little tricky to put on - especially if you’re wearing higher firmness styles.
For cinchers
Wrap the cincher around your waist. Start with the hooks at the bottom and work your way up, pulling in your tummy as you go.
For all other kinds of shapewear
First, you should always step into shapewear, and never pull it over your head. This is especially important to remember if you’re wearing control camis or control slips.
To finish getting your shapewear on, just act like you’re putting on a pair of tights - bunch them up at the top, then slowly pull up and over.
Breaking in your shapewear
The best shapewear doesn’t usually need a ‘breaking in’ period. However, the first time you wear a new item, it’s worth spending a few hours in it at home to help the fabric adjust to your specific shape. And this way, if you find it tight or uncomfortable, you can simply take it off, rather than being stuck in it all day.
Follow your instinct
Shapewear should be comfortable - yes, even firm control styles. If you notice that it feels too restrictive, you’re feeling hot, you’re getting pins and needles, there’s swelling, or you can’t breathe easily, follow your instinct and take it off. It may be that the sizing just isn’t right for you, in which case, you might want to consider going a size up.
The best shapewear for you
Shapewear can be a priceless addition to your underwear collection. Not only can it elevate your outfits and sculpt with all-day comfort, but it can instantly take your confidence to a whole new level.
That’s why we’ve curated a huge collection from leading brands, including the best Spanx, MAGISCULPT, Miraclesuit, Ann Summers shapewear, to name a few. Explore our incredible shapewear selection today, and get set to stun with your fabulous figure.