Editor-Tested Shapewear For Every Concern

“If you’re looking for some intense sculpting, this is for you! Made of stretch rubber with hook and eye closures down the front, the upper portion almost mimics a waist trainer; below, the shorts shape your thighs. It removed inches off my figure, and seamlessly disappeared under my fitted sweater dress. That said, I did find the style a little restricting after a few hours (I had to remove sooner than expected), and would recommend saving  it for a specific event rather than daily use—and preferably in cooler weather or air-conditioning. The rubber can really cause you to overheat, especially if you run warm like me.” —LaShauna Williams, senior credits editor

“Just the thought of wearing shapewear in the stifling heat of summer is usually enough to keep me firmly planted next to my AC. But the super-fine, lightweight feel of Spanx Skinny Britches was a welcomed surprise. Underneath my body-hugging black ASOS midi dress, the capri legging was smoothing without being sausage-like, and breathable enough to keep me pretty cool—despite the soaring temps of N.Y.C. in late August. Better yet, where the shorts-style shaper I usually wear under snug dresses create a mid-thigh crease, this silhouette was all long, lean lines. If you’re still worried about the capri length peeking out from underneath your hemline, it's easy enough to snip an extra inch or two off the bottom with a pair of scissors since they already have a smooth unfinished hem.” —Jennifer Ferrise, senior editor

“I highly recommend this for fuller busted women! It’s comfortable, provides great support (without bulky padding), and it gave me the perfect amount of smoothing right where I needed it. Plus, no one can tell you’re wearing it—nothing showed under my clothes or rode up!” —Marina Budarina-Sánchez,  deputy chief of reporters

As someone who embraces her assets, but doesn’t want a pooch in form-fitting dresses, I found this to help me with concealing imperfections in the tummy area. It didn’t bulge through my clothes or slip down throughout the day and, overall, I was impressed with the product—although I wish they made it with a separate cut that accommodates girls with a booty, as these ran quite small. If you have hips, I highly recommend sizing up.” —Jamé Jackson, video optimizer

“Let me preface this by saying I am not a fan of shapewear. I do not like its binding fabric, or the complicated logistics of putting it on; I hate the ugly nude tone it usually comes in. Most of the time, if a particular item of clothing requires complicated undergarments, I’d just as rather not buy it. This smoothing one-piece by Wolford, however, left me pleasantly surprised. Because it’s both a bra and bodysuit I didn’t have to deal with any uncomfortable pinching around my waist or ribs; honestly, once I was properly cinched in (which, be warned, took me roughly 5 minutes of wriggling and strap adjustments), it felt like I was wearing very thin, very supportive bathing suit—and one I quickly forgot I was wearing at that! Also, it is worth noting the soft rose color: so much prettier than standard tan, but subtle enough to disappear under sheer material.” —Alison Syrett, fashion writer 

"I’m a fitted T-shirt tucked into a pair of jeans kind of girl, so when I pulled on this contraption under a particularly clingy top (you know the type, a rayon-spandex blend that highlights every roll), I thought I had found God. It smoothed everything from just under my bra right down to my hip. There was a somewhat weird indention below my ribcage where I guess my chub is particularly pliable but it wasn’t awful. Anyway I headed to the office with an unusually elevated level of confidence, which lasted about an hour until the discomfort set it—so much so that by 4 p.m., I had barely done any work because I was so distracted. It also messed with my self-esteem because it made me feel like I was this enormous Godzilla-like monster squeezing into a party dress. But do not misunderstand: This thing worked, so if your threshold for being constricted is higher, it’s an excellent buy." —Stephanie Trong, fashion features editor

“This one-piece really gave me a whole new understanding of what it means to be 'sucked in'—it gave me even more of a thigh gap. I wasn’t overheated either (as is the case with most shapewear) and, overall, I found the style to be surprisingly comfortable for something so constrictive. Since I have such a long torso, however, I’d probably go up a size for the extra length.” —Elana Zajdman, accessories editor