Oprah Daily’s Ultimate Shapewear Guide (2024)

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The best shapewear for women provides a supportive foundation for any outfit. Our editors have spent a lot of time testing shapewear of all styles, sizes, and price points, from tummy-control briefs and shorts to lifting tops and styles exclusively for plus sizes. In this guide, we'll break down all the things you need to know about selecting the best shapewear options for your goals. Each shapewear brand offers different fabrics, silhouettes, and smoothing/shaping/sculpting technology to start as your perfect confidence-boosting base layer.

Best Tummy Control Shapewear · Best Shapewear Tops · Best Plus-Size Shapewear

Levels of compression

When selecting shapewear, the first thing you should consider is what you are aiming to achieve. Are you looking for a light base layer that simply smooths your shape? Or do you want targeted lifting and sculpting? While each brand has its own system, shapewear essentially has three key functionalities.

• Low Compression/Smoothing Lightly smooth out your curves, or to act as a light support layer.
• Medium Compression/Shaping Conceal lumps and bumps while shaping your silhouette.
• Firm Compression/Sculpting Targeted lifting or tummy control, or sculpting through waist, hips, and thighs.

Shapewear styles and what they do

Bodysuits

Bodysuits provide a one-and-done solution that's a perfect base layer for formal wear and special-occasion dressing. The best bodysuits provide smoothing or shaping from the waist down through the hips with targeted tummy control. Bodysuits with shorts also act as thigh shapers. Need a plunge or low-back option? There's a solution for that, too.

Open-Bust Bodysuits

One size doesn't fit all when it comes to bust support. Which is why open-bust bodysuits are a smart option for those with larger chests who prefer to wear their own bra. Bonded midsection panels provide tummy control and smoothing through the waist. Opting for shorts provides smoothing through the hips and thighs, and even a backside boost.

Full-coverage underwear

High-waist underwear made from compression fabrics smooths through your waist, stomach, and hips. If you're unsure of which type of compression to get, think about the occasion that you're dressing for. While you may be veering toward medium to firm compression for a special event, lighter compression styles are great for everyday wear.

Shaping shorts

A great pair of shaping shorts are a wardrobe essential. Shaping shorts smooth or contour from the waist down through the hips and thighs while offering targeted tummy control. We love that shaping shorts don't leave a visible panty line (VPL)—look for styles that have seamless finishes to avoid a visible short line.

Toning tanks and tops

Don't sleep on shapewear tops! Once you have one, you'll be surprised how often you end up wearing it. Shaping tanks and camisoles can be a full-coverage base layer for everything from sheerer tees to sweaters. Some even offer targeted tummy control or built-in support systems for women with larger busts.

Smoothing slips

Shapewear slips are fantastic to wear under dresses, where you really just want a smooth layer as your foundation. Look for styles that offer a higher compression level for added shaping.

Shapewear brands we've tested and loved

Cacique

• Why We Love It: Best Plus-Size Shapewear
  
• Who It’s For: Lane Bryant has specialized in premium plus-size clothing for women for over a century. Its intimates line, Cacique, offers shapewear for an extended range of plus sizes that's well-designed and high-quality.
• Levels of Support: Smoothing, shaping, and contouring
• Price Point: $-$$
• Sizes: 10 - 32
• Colors: Black, deep taupe, mocha, and beige

Commando

• Why We Love It: Silkiest Shapewear
• Who It’s For: Commando's signature silky European microfiber fabric is as luxurious as it gets. It's a little pricier, but you can really see the quality in details like the raw-cut edges that are invisible under clothes. Commando offers the lightest amount of support for everyday layering and wear.
• Levels of Support: Smoothing
• Price Point: $$
• Sizes: XS - XL
• Colors: Black, beige, caramel, and mocha

Gilly Hicks

• Why We Love It: Best No-Frills Shapewear
• Who It’s For: Gilly Hicks offers a surprisingly supportive amount of compression at an accessible price point. Premium details like the no-roll waistband and the finishing on the hems feel expensive.
• Levels of Support: Shaping/contouring
• Price Point: $
• Sizes: XXS - 2X
• Colors: Black, beige, and mocha

Honeylove

• Why We Love It: Best Full-Coverage Shapewear
• Who It’s For: Female-founded Honeylove is the real deal when it comes to serious shaping power. We recommend the fully lined cami tank for anyone just starting in the shapewear world. It's the perfect layering tank that provides a layer of support you didn't know you needed. Each item is available in an extended range of sizes, including plus-size options up to 3X.
• Levels of Support: Medium compression, strong compression, high compression, and highest compression
• Price Point: $$
• Sizes: XXS - 3X
• Colors: Black, beige, fig, navy, cinnamon, and white

Maidenform

• Why We Love It: Best Shapewear for Mature Women
• Who It’s For: Maidenform has been creating supportive undergarments for women for over a century. Today, the brand continues to innovate with fabrics that keep you cool, smooth, and sculpt without breaking the bank.
• Levels of Support: Smooths/light control, shapes/firm control, sculpts/extra-firm control, and ultra sculpts/total control
• Price Point: $-$$
• Sizes: S - 3X
• Colors: Black, beige, and white

Pinsy

• Why We Love It: Best Secret Shapewear
• Who It’s For: Available in a range of silhouettes and styles, female-founded Pinsy makes powerful shapewear that can easily be styled as lingerie or your favorite top.
• Levels of Support: Light shaping, medium shaping, medium to firm shaping, and firm shaping
• Price Point: $
• Sizes: S - 3X
• Colors: Black, white, red, petal pink, fuchsia, desert rose, light lilac, sage, and camel

Ruby Ribbon

• Why We Love It: Best Shapewear for Large Busts
• Who It’s For: With features like adjustable straps and molded cups, Ruby Ribbon offers great coverage and support for women with larger busts.
• Levels of Support: Smoothing, light shaping, shaping with breast support, and maximum shaping with ultra breast support
• Price Point: $$-$$$
• Sizes: Tops: 32 - 46, Bottoms: S - 3X
• Colors: Black, beige, cocoa, pink, ruby red, lavender, and navy

Spanx

• Why We Love It: Best Overall Shapewear
• Who It’s For: With nearly five dozen styles and the OG in this space, female-founded brand Spanx has something for everyone. While a little more expensive, Spanx continues to innovate with technical fabrics and game-changing sculpting panels.
• Levels of Support: Level 1: smooth, level 2: shape, and level 3: sculpt
• Price Point: $$-$$$
• Sizes: XS - 3X
• Colors: Black, white, beige, camel, caramel, and cocoa

Yitty

• Why We Love It: Best Shapewear for Extended Sizes
• Who It’s For: Yitty, Lizzo's shapewear line with Fabletics, features shapewear as vibrant as the artist herself. There's both bright colors and basics for extended sizes up to 6X.
• Levels of Support: Light compression and medium compression
• Price Point: $-$$
• Sizes: XS - 6X
• Colors: Black, beige, taupe, cocoa, red, lavender, yellow, and mimosa

Yummie

• Why We Love It: Best Affordable Shapewear
• Who It’s For: With bottoms starting at $12, Yummie offers effective shaping solutions at an accessible price point. There are tons of different styles and silhouettes at an extended range of sizes, up to 3X for plus-size shapewear.
• Levels of Support: Level 1: smoothing, level 2: light, level 3: medium, and level 4: firm
• Price Point: $
• Sizes: XS - 3X
• Colors: Black, beige, almond, mocha, navy, English rose, red, infinity blue, and white