Body Shaping - Off the Rack

June 20, 2009

ambracegirdle1 Sometimes a quick lift is needed to wear that great outfit hanging in your closet, and for whatever reason, our fitness workouts don’t seem to achieve those body contours - is it time to give up on wearing the styles and fashions you like? Absolutely not! Girdles are back. They’re not the kind that grandma used to wear, they’re bolder, stronger, silkier and sexier than ever before. Smoothers. Body shapers. Shapewear. Control-top pantyhose. Support boxers. The Mirdle. Whatever you call it, these compression undergarments are designed to hold, lift, smooth, and recontour the body’s bulges and sags, giving the illusion of a slimmer body and improving the way clothes look.

As men and women have become bigger, and clothes have become skimpier and sheerer, shapewear, made of combinations of nylon, Lycra, polyester, and elastane fibers, is replacing and augmenting underwear. “Everyone has lumps and divets that need smoothing out. Shapewear is not just for overweight people,” says Amanda Sanders of New York Image Consultant in New York City.

Some versions promise to lift the butt, wick moisture from the skin, improve posture, and prevent skin wrinkles. But most women — and men — expect shapewear to make them look a few pounds thinner, or even a size smaller.

Invented in 2000 when Spanx introduced footless pantyhose, that company is to shapewear what Kleenex is to tissue. Gwenyth Paltrow talked about wearing two pairs of Spanx Power Panties after giving birth to Apple. The seamless looks of the red carpet and proliferation of magazines devoted to celebrities have made “average” women want to look better in clothes.

But with hundreds of shapes and styles available — Spanx alone sells about 150 products — how can you know which one to choose? Here’s some advice from Sanders and Rita Watnick, a celebrity stylist and owner of Lily et Cie.

Shapewear: The Basic Pieces
Control-top panty hose, body-shaping pantyhose, and control briefs: Control-top panty hose holds in the tummy and may lift the rear a bit, but is considered “old- fashioned” by image consultants and fashion stylists as the barelegged look dominates. It can also lead to “spillage” or “muffin top,” the unsightly gut roll that forms over the waistband. Body-shaping pantyhose, such as Spanx’s All the Way Up! ($28) is a good, but potentially costly, option, as it smoothes the tummy and rear and eliminates VPL (visible panty line) while covering the leg. But if you snag a stocking, be prepared to throw them away!

Spanx’s Slim Cognito Control Panty ($46) has a “soft” waistband and no center seam because it is made on a special machine. Maidenform’s Control It! Waistnipper brief ($26), promises to pull in the waist.

Mid-thigh shapers: Perfect under pencil skirts and pants, this is what most people think of as shapewear. This style slims the thighs while also holding in the tummy and butt. These undergarments pull everything in and eliminate VPL. More expensive versions have a cotton double gusset or opening, so it’s possible to go to the bathroom without removing them.

Made of hosiery fabric, Spanx’s Power Panties Mid-Thigh Shaper ($30) and its lower-priced Assets’ Sensational Shaper ($20), provide tummy control and eliminate bulges.

Dubbed the “scuba suit,” Spandex’s Slim Cognito Shaping Mid-thigh Bodysuit ($72) is made of a thick, non-hosiery fabric and dispenses with the center seam for a smooth line. It extends from the thighs through the midriff, attaching to the bra for additional coverage. Most mid-thigh shapers are designed to be “leg-band free,” preventing a line or ridge at the thigh.

One problem with shapers made of thicker fabric is the butt-flattening effect. Shapewear companies have come up with techniques such as fanny pockets or zone-compression areas that claim to lift and shape the butt for a rounded derriere.

Body suits or slip suits: These pieces extend all the way from the bra line or shoulders past the knee, eliminating gaps and bulges. Not the most practical option, they may be difficult to put on and take off when nature calls.

Camisoles: Camis or shapewear bras such as the SassyBax Torso Trim ($68) come with a built-in bra. They smooth back fat and eliminate “bra bulge” under thin cashmere tops by compressing, and they slim the waist. While shapewear isn’t designed to look sexy, luxury brands, such as Cass shapewear, may come with lace edging and are meant to peak out under shirts. Its Wear Cass line comes in fashion colors.

Shapewear camis extend several inches past the waist so they can be tucked into other shapewear pieces or in underwear. MaidenForm’s Ultimate Instant Slimmer Torsette ($42) “with 360 degree shaping,” promises to smooth back roll. Assets by Sara Blakely Fantastic Firmers camisole, $20, “firms below the bra line.”

Shapewear: Miscellaneous Pieces
Full and half slips: Unlike your mother’s slip, which prevented cling and transparency, shapewear slips pull in the tummy and rear and help to keep clothes in place under sheer dresses and skirts. High-waisted versions eliminate the dreaded muffin top. V-neck full slips work well under clingy wrap dresses. The downside? These slips may give you a hobbled walk. New technology promises to keep the hem from riding up. Watnick recommends Calvin Klein’s half-slip with lycra and Spanx’s new slip.

Boy shorts: These stop at the upper thigh and work well under short skirts and shorts. One style is Maidenform’s Flexees Weightless Power Slimming BoyShort Panties ($23).

Shaper thong. Similar to a standard thong, but with a high-rise control panel. These work well under low-rise pants and jeans. Maidenform’s Control-it thong ($20) provides “360 degrees” of shaping and prevents muffin top.

Shapewear: Men’s Pieces
Male shapewear includes “mirdles” or man girdles, also known as support boxers. Go Softwear’s Waist Eliminator brief ($26) has a waistband that extends up the midsection, pulling in love handles. Slimming T-shirts or torso shapers such as Calvin Klein’s Pro Stretch T-shirt are designed to be worn under slim-cut shirts. Spanx is coming out with a line of shapewear for men in fall 2009.

Shapewear: Buying Tips

In general, more costly brands or versions are made of silkier fabrics and have less seaming, “giving a cleaner line to clothes,” says Watnick, whose vintage dresses are worn on the red carpet by Penelope Cruz and other celebrities who are not known for excess fat. But brands like Spanx can add bulk, so less expensive brands may be a better choice under some clothes, says Sanders.

Stay true to your own dress or pants size. Going up a size for comfort, or down a size for added slimming, can lead to rolling, a sign of poor fit.
Try shapewear on under the clothes you are planning to wear and pay attention to fabrics. Cotton dresses or skirts may cling to shapewear made out of hosiery fabric; silk and clingy jersey fabrics need seamless shapers.

Position your shapewear carefully. For mid-thigh shapers, place it where you want it to be on the thigh so it stays in place. For other styles, adjust for maximum lift and support and follow manufacturer’s directions.

Lastly, Sit down or hold on to a chair to prevent falls when putting on shapewear.