Types of Shapewear

June 13, 2024 4 min read

If you’re looking for ways to smooth out the appearance of your clothing and embrace a slimmer, flatter silhouette, then shapewear is the best way to do so. These foundational garments are meant to be worn below your clothes and provide gentle but firm compression to any “problem areas” you feel you might have. This includes not just the waist but also the hips, the thighs, and even the chest, depending on the type of garments you buy and what they’re designed to do. These products are made for all body types.


These foundational garments can be used by anyone, both men and women, in order to put your best foot forward. If you want to feel confident in your clothes, either on special occasions or for everyday wear, then these garments are excellent for doing so. However, as these compression garments do indeed come in many different shapes and styles, it’s important to understand what the best types are for. Here’s what you need to know about the best types of shapewear for men, for women, or for working out.

Different Types of Shapewear for Men

Men’s bodies are much different than women’s, and they have different needs when it comes to shapewear. Many men may be reluctant to wear body shaping garments, as they have traditionally been worn by women to provide support for a classic hourglass figure. Yet despite the cultural reluctance by men to use body shaping garments, there are several different instances where they can be helpful in building confidence in your personal appearance that any man can benefit from greatly.


This goes further than just helping achieve a smoother and more toned look around the waist. Some of the best shapewear for men is to help minimize the appearance of gynecomastia, which is a condition where fat accumulates in men’s breast tissues due to hormone imbalances. Gynecomastia can be treated with surgery, but this option might not be the best choice for some men. Body shapers for men can use a body shaper to minimize or even completely hide the condition while a man considers if surgery is the right choice for him.


The best shapewear for men are made specifically for the male form. Typically constructed from breathable fabric for all-day comfort. They also support a masculine silhouette of broad shoulders, a flat chest and waist, and slim, narrow hips. Many of these foundational garments offer enough compression to also help support better back posture. These types of body shapers often have the added effect of helping to reduce back pain caused by poor posture. 

Best Types of Shapewear For Women

While the market for men’s shapewear exists, traditionally women have been the ones that have been keeping companies that make body shaping garments in business. The best foundational garments for women can and will differ depending on what each individual woman’s needs are, but they all do have some commonalities in that they are made from a stretchy, elastic fabric that provides good levels of compression to help keep those so-called “problem areas” looking smoother when worn under the clothes.


Women have had a hard time historically when it comes to finding ways to achieve that classic hourglass figure. In the past, shapewear for women used to consist of highly restrictive garments that were much too bulky to be worn under the clothes. The corsets of the Victorian Era were often the most uncomfortable to wear, as they were made of heavy canvas and reinforced with whalebone or steel ribs. Laces on these corsets were used to cinch waists often dangerously tight. Many women who wore these corsets developed problems breathing as a result of how tight these body shapers were worn.


Thankfully, today the best shapewear for women is nowhere near as dangerous or restrictive! Just as those made for men, the best body shapers are made from breathable elasticized fabric that allows wearing these garments for longer periods of time in relative comfort. It’s important to select a body shaper that provides the right level of support and compression for your needs, so you may need to experiment with different styles until you find the one that provides you the best mix of contouring and comfort. 

Best Shapewear for Working Out

Not all types of shapewear are designed to give you a more aesthetically-pleasing silhouette. Athletic foundational garments, designed to be worn while working out, provide several different benefits while exercising. One of the advantages of these types of body shapers is that they provide compression to your muscles, which encourages better blood circulation. Better blood flow oxygenates your muscles more efficiently, providing you with more energy during your workouts.

Slimming Body Shaper T-Shirt - The Natural Posture

BENEFITS

One of the advantages of these types of body shapers is that they provide:

  • compression to your muscles, which encourages  better blood circulation. Better blood flow oxygenates your muscles more efficiently, providing you with more energy during your workouts.
  • Another benefit of wearing shapewear for working out is that your body  retains more heat while exercising. Raising your core body temperature through exercise helps with burning calories and also helps you quite literally build up a good sweat.
  • Finally, for women with larger breasts, chest binders can help make it  more comfortable by providing additional support for your breasts to keep them in place while exercising.

 

The best shapewear for working out is much more concerned with form over function. These body shapers offer great posture support, which is integral to protecting yourself from accidental injury when you’re working out. These undergarments should be easy to take on and take off, offer high levels of breathability, and be sturdy and resilient enough to wear repeatedly while exercising. Remember that you will be washing these garments repeatedly after every workout session, so they need to be durable!


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