The Best Shapewear for Every Outfit

Slimming style

Which body-shaping underwear is best for skinny jeans? A pencil skirt? A little black dress? Our guide breaks it down.

Shape up!
Worried about your bottom line or a bad case of muffin top? Shapewear can make you look 10 pounds slimmer—but only if you pair the right shaper with the right outfit. Here, we break down the best shapewear option for every look: skinny jeans, a strapless dress, a pencil skirt, and more.


Clingy wrap dress
It’s not easy to feel slim in such a tight dress. To the rescue: an all-in-one micro-thin full-body shaper slip like the TC Fine Intimates Even More Full Slip Torsette ($74; tcfineintimates.com) that lets you wear your own (most flattering) bra.

Curve-hugging sweater
Knits hug your shape, which means you risk VBL (visible bra line). Go for a cami bra (it’s got little or no bulge-y hardware) like the Shapeez The Unbelievabra Ultimate ($85; shapeez.com), says stylist Jenny Altman, co-founder of the intimates website iloveagood.com.

 

Skinny jeans
These Lycra-loaded pants show every bump and cranny. Another pitfall: muffin-top spillover. Solve both problems with a shaping thong, says stylist Suze Yalof Schwartz. We like Assets Red Hot Label by Spanx Luxe & Lean High-Waist Thong ($42; spanx.com/assets).

 

Off-the-shoulder (or strapless) little black dress
This pairing won’t leave you fighting with your straps, squirming, or suffocating: Spanx Bra Cha Cha Convertible Bra ($68; spanx.com) has removable (or adjustable) straps and Skinnygirl Skinny Boyshorts ($24; skinnygirlshapers.com) smooth your lower half.

 

Pencil skirt
A super-slim, narrow fit shows everything, from tummy overhang to a rear that needs a little firming. You need new, not-your-mom’s control-top tights with a high firming panel, Schwartz says. Try Hanes Hosiery Silk Reflections Ultra Sheer High Waist Control Top Tights in Black ($11; Macy’s).

 

Dress with a plunging neckline
Going deep makes it hard to keep your girls in place. Try a plunge bra with a thin, low-set “bridge” between the cups, says Jené Luciani, style expert and author of The Bra Book. We like Maidenform Sexy Plunge Bra ($35; maidenform.com).

 

Sheer or lace T-shirt
This wearable trend isn’t too risqué if you slip on a long (so it won’t ride up), smoothing, opaque camisole underneath, Altman notes. We love one of Rachel Zoe’s “Major Must Haves” from Jockey—the Strappy Tank ($38; jockey.com). The bottom and top are knit T-shirt material, so if they peek out, no one can tell you’re shaping.

 

Source: Lambeth Hochwald