This is something that we hear quite often. Can regularly wearing shapewear permanently reshape one’s body? Maybe in such a way that you won’t need to wear it anymore? Thanks to a celebrity like Kim Kardashian who has claimed that her small waist is due to wearing shapewear and myths that surround how these items work, this is an idea that continues to surface every now and again. It may sound really nice, but shapewear won’t help you to tailor your body so that it fits your ideal shape.
For those that were under the impression that shapewear can permanently change your body, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and here is why.
What Does Shapewear Actually Do
Shapewear serves the purpose of compression. With the use of different materials, these garments are used to smooth troublesome areas or to shave off a couple of inches. But the main goal involves giving you a more controlled and smoother silhouette. This is achieved through combining seam placement, panelling, and specific types of compression materials. This can help to target areas of your body that will depend on the type of result you are hoping to achieve.
You wear these garments under your clothes, and they can change your appearance giving you more confidence to wear more daring outfits. But a shapewear garment is not a magical wand. Once you remove your shapewear, your body looks the same under the garment. So while these garments are designed to flatter your figure, they won’t change your body permanently.
Where Do Waist Trainers Fit In?
There is a bit of confusion when it comes to what a shapewear garment can’t and can do, especially when it comes to waist trainers. A waist trainer is essentially a form or a corset (a more structural and rigid kind of underwear). While shapewear is typically made from compression materials only, a waist trainer or a corset usually includes boning and other types of materials that provide support and compression.
The slimming method has been in use since the 1500s, and besides a few cosmetic changes, these concepts have remained the same. When wearing a garment that is constricting around the waist, many women have hopes that the garment will permanently change their waist so that it mimics the perfect “hourglass” figure. This process involves wearing a corset that is strongly boned and gradually tightening how the garment fits over two to three weeks. This would essentially pull in the “floating ribs”, mould the skin into an ideal shape and then keep it there.
This lost its appeal in the 1920s, but over the past 5 years, it has slowly regained popularity. Now called “waist trainers” these garments feature more practical and modern materials which give you a lot more control when it comes to how the garment performs. There are a few risks when it comes to waist training (moving your organs is not a myth), but overall when you approach wearing one with sensibility and you have done your own research, it can provide impressive results.
If you want a garment that will start to reshape areas like your waist more permanently, then go for one of the waist trainers and not shapewear. It is also essential that you know your bra size to help for a better fitting, searching ‘convert bust size to cm‘ can help you find the right shapewear.
Before You Start Using A Waist Trainer
If you would like to give waist training a try, you should do a bit of research, make sure you are safe, and understand what the process involves. There are a few common mistakes that women have made when wearing these garments, so you want to ensure that you avoid these:
It Is Not Permanent
Waist training on its own is not going to give you that perfect hourglass figure. While it may help to slightly change your appearance, or nudge your muscles and skin into a better position, it won’t help you to burn calories. If you want to get slimmer, follow an exercise programme and a good diet. Also, set realistic goals to help you along the way.
