Ever Wondered What Shapewear Works With Indian Wear?

Every body is different and unique in its own way. While we all have flaws that we wish would go away, some days are more about embracing ourselves on a greater level than making our flaws disappear. For such days, comfortable shapewear is the way to go. Often helping you achieve a flattering and refined silhouette, foundational garments are a hidden gem that help many women feel confident in their skin!

For years, celebrities have spoken about relying on their trusty shapewear pieces to feel their best at important events; Think Karlie Kloss, Padma Lakshmi and Rebel Wilson proudly wearing Spanx (the OG shapewear brand) and posting pictures with it on!

“As a woman, your clothing is sort of the paint, and if you don’t have the right canvas, it affects the painting,” said Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, in an interview with Forbes, in 2021. Blakely found her brand when she’d cut off the feet of her pantyhose to wear under a white pair of pants, to achieve a smoother outer appearance, which led to her establishing Spanx in 2000. Something that revolutionised shapewear in a major way.

A Greater History Of Shapewear

Shapewear has existed in various forms and versions throughout history. The first instance of it was seen in 1,600 BC in Greece. Ancient Romans and Greeks relied on linen based girdles to help women shape their bodies. Then in the Victorian era, in the 1830s, we saw a great emphasis on corsets and tight-lacing them. Admittedly, this was probably the first sign of the problematic side of shapewear. For years, before Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS came along, shapewear propagated unhealthy beauty standards by placing more importance on constricting women’s bodies rather than catering to our desire to feel comfortable and secure underneath clothing.

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But, thanks to a larger sense of inclusivity, shapewear has evolved. Brands are currently considering skin-tones as well as body types while designing their products. So, we can finally ask the question; How does one wear shapewear underneath traditional wear? If you’re curious to know too, here are all the different kinds of shapewear and how you can pair them with Indian-wear. 

Different Types of Shapewear

Matching Separates

Most matching separates (or for that matter, most shapewear) is made with materials such as polyamide, elastane or nylon. But co-ords, or rather matching lingerie separates are mostly created using polyamide. This makes the set seamless and almost invisible through clothing. 

Style Tip: This can be worn with anything really, but you can wear it under slightly less embroidered kurtas, blouses or bodycon lehenga skirts. As long as the straps of the blouse align with the straps of the blouse, you’re good to go!

Short  Bodysuits

Short bodysuits are also often created with a blend of nylon and elastane, which means they provide a level of compression so that your clothing does not show specific details of your body that you are not comfortable showing through. 

Style Tip: These are perfect for anything that does not involve showing the midriff area. So, if you’re planning on wearing a fitted gown, or kurta set, then this is the right product for you.

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Long Bodysuits

Long bodysuits are simply bodysuits but with a pair of shorts attached to them. This can help you avoid any panty-lines that have the possibility of showing through, as well as create a more uniform appearance from your bust area till below your hips. 

Style Tip: A long bodysuit is ideal to wear under a jumpsuit or evening gown, especially if it’s fitted.

Corsets

Corsets are shapewear to help you add more structure around your waist area. They’re usually adjustable and you can choose just how tight you’d like them to be.

Style Tip: A corset is great if you’re looking to wear a Y2K inspired long choli top with your lehenga. Especially if you’ve decided to go with a fish-cut lehenga skirt, because that can create a smoother silhouette from your waist down to your hips.

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Body Tape

Body tape is a tape that resembles fabric on one side, and it comes in various colours. It’s great to use when you do not want to bother with bras. 

Style Tip:  It’s best to use body tape when you are wearing a strapless, or plunging neckline blouse. It helps you keep the look minimal, clean and fuss-free as you don’t have to worry about your bra straps showing through in any way. So, if you’re looking for support but don’t have the bandwidth to wear a bra, this is it!

High-Waist Underwear

High waist underwear is another piece of shapewear that helps contour your waistline. If you’re looking for that extra security or control around the mid-section, then this is the right piece to use.

Style Tip: You can use the high-waist underwear underneath bodycon clothing such as a fitted lehenga silhouette, or underneath fabrics that are soft and easily catch the silhouettes of undergarments.

High-Waist Shorts

High waist shorts also provide more control over your midsection, but at the same time, they’re perfect if you’re looking to avoid any lines that may show through around your bottom. 

Style Tip: You can wear high-waisted shorts with indo-western wear such as jumpsuits or anything that involves trousers.

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Slips

Slips are also great for bodycon dresses. Additionally, they provide a good foundation for dresses made of softer fabrics such as satin, chiffon or silk. 

Style Tip: If you’re planning on wearing a fitted kurta or evening gown, a compression oriented slip can be a simpler alternative to a corset, or long bodysuit. 

Camisoles

Shapewear camisoles are designed to support and sculpt. So they’re also compression oriented and made with materials such as nylon, elastane, polyamide. A shapewear camisole helps provide more easy going sculpting for the upper body (as opposed to bodysuits and corsets)

Style Tip: You can wear shapewear camisoles underneath transparent kurtas, or satin or silk kurtas so that you can avoid any clear lines (ones that can give away where your brassiere ends etc).

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Hacks and Tips 

1. You can layer your shapewear, you can wear biker shorts over a body suit as well to achieve a smoother appearance. 

2. Choose the colour keeping in mind the clothes you’ll be wearing on top.

3. Always start with clean, dry skin. You can even powder yourself before slipping into shapewear. 

4. Always try to gauge how well you’re able to breath and move in the shapewear.

Mistakes to avoid while shopping for shapewear

1. Follow the care instructions for the material of the shapewear. Do not neglect the hygiene. 

2. Be mindful of the size you choose. Do not choose too small of a size. And, remember how the adjustments in the shapewear work, level 1 is to smooth things out, level 2 is to shape yourself, and level 3 is to sculpt. 

Product recommendations 

1. Butt Chique

2. The Active Story

3. Shapercult

4. Reframe