Five Shapewear Bugbears You Can Easily Avoid

Once the go-to foundation garment only for plus size women, shapewear is now widely used by women of all shapes and sizes – and a hint of Spanx can often be seen on even the slenderest of A-list celebrities. If you’re thinking that you could do with a nip and tuck, but don’t want to resort to costly treatment, then it could be time to start thinking about wearing shapewear.  But where do your start, and how can you avoid the pitfalls and errors that other women have suffered and – for those in the public eye – often end up plastered all over our newsfeeds and tabloids?

1.      Avoid unsightly bulges

This has got to be the number one problem with shapewear. When you compress one area of your body, it can be displaced and create unsightly lumps and bulges. This can actually create issues where once there were none, so it’s important to avoid this problem. The one major tip here is to get measured properly. Buying a smaller size won’t make you look smaller, it will simply displace the weight and create problems where there were none.

2.      Stop shapewear rolling down

Unfortunately, even if you choose the correct size control briefs or boy shorts, if you’ve chosen a high-waisted option then you may suffer the discomfort of rolldown. Not only is this really uncomfortable, resulting in you constantly having to adjust your clothing, but it can also disrupt the line of your clothing and look awful. There are a few methods you can employ to prevent this:

• Make sure you select the correct size. If your shapewear’s too small for you, it’s more likely to roll down and not hold your curves.
• Don’t rush to put it on. Your skin needs to be fully dry to secure the shapewear to your skin, so don’t hurry to get into it when you’re fresh out of the shower.
• Look for high-waisted shapewear that hooks to your bra, or buy separate hooks to attach yourself.
• Choose shapewear with built-in shoulder straps. Control slips and bodies are available that can be worn over your own bra, creating an amazing silhouette that’s sure to stay in place.

3.      Choose the correct item for your clothing

Just as women will select shapewear to target a certain problem area, so each outfit will suit a certain type of shapewear. For overall streamlining under a dress or skirt, a full body slip or shaper slip will give an amazing silhouette. But make sure that the length of the shapewear doesn’t stop and cut in higher up your leg as this could be visible. Also, make sure your shapewear isn’t visible underneath the hem of a skirt or dress, or you’ll risk an exposure of Kardashian-esque proportions. The idea of shapewear is that it provides hidden figure-helping support!

Similarly, while thigh-slimming shorts are an excellent option under most tight-fitting outfits, make sure they’re not too tight as the compression fabric will cut in where the fabric ends, forming an unsightly ridge. This is especially important when selecting the best shapewear under jeans, as more and more of us adopt shapewear into our everyday wardrobes.

4.      Ensure it’s comfortable

Most women give up on their shapewear because it’s just not comfortable. Therefore, as well as making sure you’re properly measured and are selecting the right type of undergarment, you’ll also need to look at the level of control, what type of event you’re attending and how lo

ng you’ll be wearing the shapewear for. By considering all these factors, you’ll choose what’s right for you.

As a general rule, there are three types of shapewear available: light control, for gently smoothing out problem areas; firm control, which is more constricting and provides figure-reducing shaping and extra firm control, for extreme contouring. Don’t just go for the maximum level of control, think about how long you’ll need to wear it for and how you’ll need to move about in it. Yes, you may lose an extra inch or two from your waist wearing that corset, but if you can’t sit down for long, eat or dance while wearing it it, you’ll have a miserable time. The important message here is that you shouldn’t sacrifice comfort for shape. Choose the lightest control you can get away with, and only choose extra firm control if you’ll only be wearing it for short periods of time.

One important point to note, especially for all new Moms out there, is not to rush into buying shapewear after giving birth. Give your bodies time to heal, please don’t feel under pressure from social media to double Spanx for a night out!

5.      Prevent it shrinking in the wash

One final bugbear for us all is the dreaded ‘it’s shrunk in the wash!’ moment. This is really distressing, as the right shapewear can help improve the wearability of every item in your wardrobe.  So, once you’ve found the right pieces for you, you want them to last as long as possible.

By following the care instructions you’ll ensure a good lifespan for your shapewear and help ensure it continues to provide the right level of support. Here are our recommendations, to ensure not just your shapewear but all your lingerie stays in top condition:

• Don’t wash your bra after each use – unless you’re particularly sweaty, try to wash your bra after 6-7 wears, as washing will break down the material and in the long run damage the bra structure, especially if your bra has moulded cups
• Hand wash where possible – even if the care label states that it can be washed on a delicate cycle, it’s always better to hand wash your lingerie in warm water, using delicate washing powder. If you do need to use the washing machine, put the items in a pillowcase, as this will minimise damage from the rotating drum.
• Don’t tumble dry – this is a complete no no, as the intense heat damages the elastic material used for shapewear, leading to it being completely misshapen at best, or four sizes too small at worst!

Well, there you have it. Hopefully by following these simple rules you’ll choose the right shapewear for you, and it’ll continue to give you the support you need for as long as you need it to!