Shapewear is becoming a popular item in most women’s, and even some men’s, closets across the world today. It helps to tone our bodies and give us that slimming figure we all desire. But how does it work? What part of the design makes it work for us and give us the results we want? We turned to some experts in the field to discuss some of the reasons behind why shapewear works.
Shapewear’s design and fabric used is a huge part of why shapewear works so well.
“It makes us skinny by sewing or knitting together elastic or rigid fabrics that are cut into such a pattern that when worn, the finished garments nips and tucks the body,” said Marianne Gimble, one of shapewear’s founder’s and fit expert of Va Bien.
It has a lot to do with the elastic material that is sewn together and also the unique pattern that designers use to sew the material together. The material used in shapewear design helps to tuck resulting in a slimmer appearance. The material is a different type of fabric used to keep our fat tight together. It is also breathable, so that we don’t sweat and develop moisture from it on our bodies.
Shapewear works for our bodies by helping us to keep slim, smoothing out any bulges or unwanted lines, and supporting the body. Now the question becomes “where does all the fat go?” This is a common question by those that utilize shapewear garments and even those who may not. Gimble again helped to answer this common question.
“Fat can move into spaces where muscle is compressed, such as the abs. It can also be moved directionally, towards more desirable places.”
That is what shapewear acts to do. If you have a large stomach bulge of fat and wear a tummy compression garment, the garment helps to smooth out the fat and equally disperse it over the tummy, so that you don’t have a huge bulge showing in one area, but rather a flatter tummy appearance. Jason Scarlatti, a creator of men’s shapewear, adds that shapewear does help to make the flab more compact. He states that shapewear is designed in a way that helps “funnel excess weight” to make our bodies appear more slim. He describes it as pushing your hands on your belly to push in the fat. It helps our excess flab to condense, and it can even help to slim you up to a few inches.
Because of this, it is very important to purchase shapewear of the right size and of a good brand. If your shapewear is not the right size, it can actually create large bulges and lines under outfits. Make sure to be fitted to select the shapewear that can be best for you. Also, even though it’s good to save money, sometimes going with a better brand is the trick. Some cheaper brands on the shelves aren’t designed with high quality material, and this can definitely play an impact on its performance.
It is important to make sure to do your research before purchasing shapewear. It really does work. There are many garments on the shelves to choose from. If you are interested, definitely try it out!