How big of an impact can shaping underwear have? Journalist Ira Juvonen tried it.
Reporter Ira Juvonen tested how big of an effect shaping underwear has. Inka Soveri
Summer is the golden time for parties. Sometimes putting on a form-fitting party outfit can be a headache. That’s why we wanted to find out how big of an impact shaping underwear has.
We tested different shaping underwear, such as a shaping dress, shaping panties and an o-neck bodysuit.
Underwear versus shapewear
To begin with, we captured the images of how the skin-hugging dress looks with regular underwear of the right size.
Pictured wearing normal underwear. Underwear: Lissi Balconette T-Shirt bra, Lissi High Waist Hipster, Change. Inka Soveri
Lissi Balconette T-Shirt bra, Lissi High Waist Hipster. Total 93.90 e. Picture: Change.
Tights were deliberately left out of the test. This made it easier to see what kind of effect the self-shaping underwear has.
You should buy form-fitting underwear at a brick-and-mortar store
We went to fit some of the products in a brick-and-mortar store, while others we ordered online following the size chart.
It turned out that it is difficult to order the right size shapewear from the online store, because the suggestion of the size table can be exceptionally little trusted for this product.
According to the size chart, I ended up choosing the XL size, while the M size was better when fitted at the brick-and-mortar store. I suppose the M size would have been a better option otherwise, as the XL size products didn’t provide as much support as one would have hoped for.
Form-fitting petticoat, size M
Pros: The form-fitting petticoat felt surprisingly comfortable to wear. You can also see from the pictures that it smoothes the silhouette. With a form-fitting petticoat, you can leave out the bra.
The shaping Underdress of the Bye Bra brand did not contain lace or other frills, so nothing extra was visible through the skin-hugging dress.
Shapewear: Powermesh Open Bust Dress, Bye Bra. Inka Soveri
Powermesh Open Bust Dress by Bye Bra, €44.95, Stockmann.
Cons: Shaping underwear is always a rather tight variety. The form-fitting dress is otherwise a rather invisible helper, but the tightening edge of the skirt is visible at the thigh.
You can’t really wear tights with a form-fitting dress. Of course, you can wear them under a dress, but in that case, tights will not be as effective as if you wore them over shaping underwear.
School grade: 8.5
O-neck bodysuit, size XL
Pros: The form-fitting underwear smoothed the silhouette in a very model-like way, even though the size was unnecessarily loose.
The o-neck bodysuit from the Spanx brand is the perfect couple’s outfit if you’re planning a deep grooved outfit. You can also wear your own bra with the O-neck bodysuit if you wish. With this option, tights can be used to provide additional support.
Shapewear: Oncore Open Bust Bodysuit, Spanx. Inka Soveri
Oncore Open Bust Bodysuit by Spanx. €89.90, Zalando.
Cons: The bodysuit purchased online was too big, so it didn’t provide as much support as if the product had been closer to the correct size category. The tightest part of the bodysuit can be seen at the butt.
School grade: 8
Form-fitting petticoat with lace, size M
Pros: The shapely Underdress of the Change brand felt wonderful to wear. The material was breathable, and the feeling was not as tight as in most shaping underwear. The shaping Underdress smoothed the silhouette as desired.
Shapewear: Control Shape Lace Shapewear shaping dress, Change.
Control Shape Lace Shapewear shaping dress. 93.95 e, Change.
Cons: The form-fitting Underdress looked beautiful, but it contained quite a lot of lace and other frills, which were annoyingly visible from the skin-tight dress. The same thing as usually with shapewear, tights cannot be worn in the usual way.
School grade: 7.5
O-neck bodysuit, size M
Pros: Maiden Form’s o-neck bodysuit flattered the silhouette. When wearing the right size, the back bumps disappeared more clearly.
The o-neck bodysuit goes well with a deep ribbed outfit. With this option, you can also use a bra if you wish. You can also easily wear tights with a bodysuit. These repel bumps even more.
Shaping underwear: Cooling-body Open Bust Body Shaper, Maiden Form. Inka Soveri
Cooling-body Open Bust Body Shaper by Maiden Form. €69.95, Stockmann.
Cons: When wearing a smaller size, the tightening on the buttocks was more clearly visible than before.
School grade: 7.5
Shaping briefs, L size
Pros: Shaping panties are largely comparable to regular panties, but they come higher and give more support around the stomach and bottom.
The shaping briefs felt comfortable, they didn’t tighten too much. Magic brand shaping panties have a silicone band that keeps them well up. With this option, tights can be used to provide additional support.
Shapewear: Comfort Waistnipper Brief shapewear, Magic. Inka Soveri
Comfort Waistnipper Brief by Magic, 24.95 e, Zalando.
Cons: Form-fitting briefs gently smooth the silhouette. The underpants rise below the bra, so the support area is not very wide.
School grade: 7
Dress: KappAlh, other outfits: Zalando, Stockmann, Change.
Product images: manufacturers.