Over the centuries women have tied themselves into corsets that were way too small and stuffed themselves into girdles that almost suffocated them; all in an attempt to enhance the shape of their silhouette. Well, thanks to recent innovations in fashion, women all over the world can now breathe easy! 21st century Body shapewear comes in a variety of styles in fabrics that are capable of shaping and controlling contours without constricting.
No longer do women have to confine themselves inside corsets of canvas and whalebones. Today’s undergarments enhance and minimize a woman’s figure so that she can wear the sleekest, most form-fitting styles with nary a bulge in sight.
Body Shapewear Comes In Forms For Every Style
Finding one’s personal shapewear depends on two things: which body part needs to be enhanced and the amount of control that is desired. Body shapewear encompasses everything from all-in ones to long-line bras and waist nippers to tummy-controlling panties. Levels of support that range from light to extra-firm give women helpful alternatives to control their shapes.
Let’s take a look at the various shapewear styles available for women today:
The Bodysuit, also known as an All-in-One, covers the body completely. It includes a built-in bra, so this garment is sized by bra sizes. For instance, if you wear a size 42D bra, you’d choose a bodysuit in the same size. A variation on the body suit is the shaping slip, which is open at the bottom and comes in short and long styles. There’s also a long-leg bodysuit that includes thigh control
Beyond the bodysuit, shapewear is designed for specific body areas. Bust-style shapewear could be a bra, but it also could be a camisole, a long-line bra, a bustier or any other garment designed to enhance the bust. For this reason, this type of shapewear comes in bra sizes as well.
Often appreciated by new mothers as they work to get back their pre-pregnancy figures, shapewear for the waist most often comes as an extended waistband that rises up from a panty to the bottom of a bra. Frequently these garments are sized as small, medium and large and in plus sizes such as 1X, 2X, etc.
Moving on to the hips and tummy, shapewear for this area is sized according to the same waist and hip measurements as panties. The most popular shapewear style for this body area is known as the tummy brief. This garment resembles a brief-style panty, but it has a front panel for extra support, and often some Spandex all around to smooth bulges. Tummy briefs are sized in small, medium and large, and in plus sizes such as 1X, 2X, 3X and so on.
When thigh control is desired along with tummy control, the shapewear option is a thigh style known as a long leg control brief. These garments fit snugly much like bike shorts, with a special band at the bottom to grip the thigh and keep the garment from rolling up. A version of this shapewear is the pants liner, which is a long-leg control brief that extends to mid-calf.
Once a wearer chooses a Body shapewear style, the final step is to select a level of control – light, medium, firm or extra firm. This is the choice that finishes off a shapewear selection to make the wearer look fabulous in any outfit!
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