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Shapewear isn’t always the most comfortable thing to wear. Thanks to Lizzo, it might be getting more inclusive and colorful, but it’s still a hassle. Don’t get us started with summer shapewear. Adding on tight layers in the heat? An odyssey.
To find the best shapewear for summer shaping and layering, we reached out to fashion expert and celebrity stylist Cindy Conroy and ThirdLove founder Ra’el Cohen for their insight. Ultimately, Conroy says, finding the right shapewear is like dating. “Depending on your clothes, you might need a different style. And that’s okay.”
Below, we rounded up the best summer shapewear for every style, body type, and budget. Read on to shop shapewear shorts, thongs, briefs, bodysuits, tank tops, and bras from brands like Skims, Spanx, Knix, and Commando.
SO, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Summer shapewear?
➼ FAQs
➼ Shapewear shorts
➼ Shapewear thongs and briefs
➼ Shapewear tops
➼ Our experts
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Best Shapewear Shorts
The Best-Selling Shaping Shorts
Available in sizes XS to 3X.
The best-selling high-waisted short from Spanx features bonded panels for shaping and flattening.
The Best Multi-Functional Boyshort
Available in sizes XS to 4XL.
This period underwear is designed to be absorbent, but the Cut’s fashion news writer Danya Issawi says it also works well as a “mild shapewear short” that helps prevent chafing in the summer. “It saves my thighs,” she says.
The Best Size Range
Available in sizes XXS/XS to 4X/5X.
Shapewear favorite Skims offers shaping and lifting shorts with an open gusset, which Conroy highly recommends because it keeps your areas ventilated.
The Best Seamless Shorts
Available in sizes S to 3X.
If you want more coverage but don’t want to commit to a bodysuit, this shaper short features a cotton gusset and compression that shapes the stomach and lifts the butt.
The Best Cooling Shorts
Available in sizes XS/S to XL/2X.
These shorts come in different lengths (5-inch, 7-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch) and are made to be worn in the summer to provide a cooling effect. While they aren’t compressive like typical shapewear, they do offer smoothing out and are light enough to wear even on the hottest of days.
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Best Shapewear Thongs and Briefs
The Best Smoothing Thong
Available in sizes XS to XL.
Another option is this seamless thong from one of Conroy’s go-to brands. It comes in a variety of neutral tones and offers light compression thanks to its blend of nylon and spandex.
The Best Sheer Shapewear
Available in sizes 34 to 46.
“You don’t want your shapewear secrets to be the talk of the town,” Conroy shares. “Keep it low-key under dresses and shorts by wearing shapewear styles with seamless flattening tummy panels and bonded seams. These won’t ride up and prevent unwanted lines.”
The Best Compression Briefs
Available in sizes XS to 3X.
The bands across these briefs offer strong, targeted compression at the stomach and waist. You can grab one of the five colors in a brief, short, or thong option.
The Best Color Options
Available in sizes S to 2X.
This lightweight shaping brief feels as comfy as your everyday underwear and comes in ten different colors.
The Most Comfortable Briefs
Available in sizes XS to XXL.
Available in ten different colors, this high-waist brief hits just below the belly button and has what that brand calls “semi-cheeky” coverage in the back. The breathable micro-mesh material is semi-sheer, comfortable, and compressive, so you’ll feel supported all day long.
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Best Shapewear Tops
The Best Shaping Tank Top
Available in sizes S to 3XL.
Like most of Spanx’s beloved shapewear products, this cami is completely invisible under clothes. It’s smoothing and compressive without being too restrictive, according to reviewers. The lightweight and quick-drying fabric is perfect for sweaty summer afternoons.
The Best Bodysuit
Available in sizes XXS to 4XL.
Say what you want about Ms. Kimberly Noel Kardashian, but the woman knows how to make good shapewear. This innovative brief bodysuit offers strong support and targeted shaping with extra compression around the waist and core area. I wore it to a summer wedding when it was close to 100 degrees outside and didn’t have any sweat stains, miraculously.
The Best Shaping Bra
Available in sizes 32AA to 44H.
Another shaping-bra recommendation from Cohen is ThirdLove’s Classic T-shirt Bra since it grants the needed support without the bulkiness of built-in bra shapewear.
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FAQs
Which fabrics should you look for?
“Look for sculpting options that are made of lightweight fabrics (like cotton) and allow effortless airflow,” Conroy explains. “Breezy selects mean you won’t overheat and feel uncomfortable, which is the name of the game.”
Which shapewear is best for underneath summer dresses and shorts?
Instead of bodysuits, Conroy recommends targeting your stomach and hips by wearing a shaping high-waist brief, control thong, or shapewear shorts. These options offer support without making you feel uncomfortable because of the excess fabric and heat.
Which kinds of shapewear should you avoid?
Conroy suggests you shy away from using shapewear with too much fabric and heavy materials. “Plunging your curves into a bodysuit can be an instant recipe for sweating in the heat. There’s just too much fabric that won’t be able to moisture-wick as temperatures rise.”
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Our Experts:
- Cindy Conroy, fashion expert and celebrity stylist
- Ra’el Cohen, ThirdLove founder
