Sculpt: Our Take on Shapewear
Shapewear has been around for ages and wearing them can be a confidence booster on big days. But they’re known to be tight and compressive, sometimes even painful.
With Understance, you don’t need to sacrifice comfort for style. You can have both.
Today, we’re listing 4 common shapewear issues and explaining how our Sculpt line remedies them.
We created something that’s comfier than other options, while all the same, giving you that desired sleek silhouette.
Today, we’re listing 4 common shapewear issues and explaining how our Sculpt line remedies them.
We created something that’s comfier than other options, while all the same, giving you that desired sleek silhouette.
Common Shapewear Issues
1. They’re too compressive.
Shapewear is bound to feel a little compressive because that’s how it contours your body. However, once you have it on, it shouldn’t remind you of its existence throughout the day.
2. They roll down and don’t stay put!
The last thing you want is to be constantly adjusting and fixing your undergarments, especially if you’re at a formal event.
3. They feel hot and stuffy to wear.
Shaping underwear is already figure-hugging and if they aren’t made with a breathable fabric, they’re going to feel hot to wear.
4. They’re hard to put on and take off.
Because it uses compression to give you that desired silhouette, it can be difficult to put on and take off. That’s why some are crotchless or include a mechanism that opens for you to easily use the bathroom.
A Brief History on Shapewear
Traditional Shapewear
Traditional shapewear that descended from corsetry was all about giving you a slimmer “S”-shaped silhouette. They came with reinforcements like spiral steel boning (long metal strips that kept things in place). Some were even sold in sets of increasingly smaller sizes, claiming to help the wearer semi-permanently shift fat tissue from back to breast. They were powerful at cinching and smoothing, but also pokey, suffocating, and hot to wear.
Modern Shapewear
Shapewear has since evolved from its scary ancestors. Modern shapewear has left some structural hardware behind and looks more like your everyday underwear (albeit very, very high-rise). Some modern shapewear use bonding (glue) instead of the traditional cut-and-sewn method, which creates an invisible look even under thin, clingy clothes. The downside to a modern design that removes too many functional elements is that sometimes, the garment won’t do its job.
As with all Understance products, our shaping underwear combines traditional and modern approaches to give you the best of both worlds.
Traditional Shapewear
Traditional shapewear that descended from corsetry was all about giving you a slimmer “S”-shaped silhouette. They came with reinforcements like spiral steel boning (long metal strips that kept things in place).
Some were even sold in sets of increasingly smaller sizes, claiming to help the wearer semi-permanently shift fat tissue from back to breast.
They were powerful at cinching and smoothing, but also pokey, suffocating, and hot to wear.
Modern Shapewear
Shapewear has since evolved from its scary ancestors. Modern shapewear has left some structural hardware behind and looks more like your everyday underwear (albeit very, very high-rise).
Some modern shapewear use bonding (glue) instead of the traditional cut-and-sewn method, which creates an invisible look even under thin, clingy clothes.
The downside to a modern design that removes too many functional elements is that sometimes, the garment won’t do its job.
As with all Understance products, our shaping underwear combines traditional and modern approaches to give you the best of both worlds.
Sculpt: Shapewear You Can Eat In
Sculpt is comfortable shapewear you can be in all day. You can actually move, sit, breathe, and eat in it. If you’re putting shapewear on to look your best, we want you to feel your best too.
Left: regular underwear
Right: Sculpt Ultra High-Rise Bike Shorts
Left: regular underwear
Right: Sculpt Ultra High-Rise Bike Shorts
1. They aren’t too compressive.
To prevent the suffocating feeling that can come with shapewear, our Sculpt line is designed to give you compression in all the right places, and no compression where you don’t need it.
The targeted front panel flattens your tummy, and the molded back supports and lifts your hips and booty.
A bonus, the long inseam on the bike shorts (5” on S, 6” on L, 7” on XXL) shapes your thighs and protects against chafing.
For an idea of how tight they will feel, they are comparable to the “Shaping” level on the Spanx scale (level 2 out of 3).
2. They don’t roll down and do stay put.
Like traditional shapewear, we use boning to keep things in place (we know the last thing you want on your big day is constant garment readjustment). But instead of long spiral steel, we utilize a shortened plastic version that won’t dig into your flesh.
3. They aren’t hot or stuffy to wear.
To prevent overheating, we chose a fabric that maxed out on the light but firm scale. Mesh is a popular choice for shapewear, but we decided against it. Even though mesh looks lightweight and breathable, it actually traps hot air.
We chose bonding (glue) as the main mechanism for an invisible look. But because glue by itself isn’t very breathable, we glued in a dotted pattern to let air flow through.
4. They aren’t hard to put on and take off.
Our Sculpt line takes a little wiggle to put on and take off, but it’s not worse than skinny jeans. Also, the gusset is 100% cotton, so you don’t need to worry about another layer. You can simply wear them as underwear.
Size range: XS-XXXL
Colours: Black, Dark Rose, Powder Pink (nude), Champagne (nude), Latte (nude)
Sculpt High-Rise Bike Shorts
(suits people 5’2” and under)
Lynn wears L in Black
Sculpt High-Rise Brief
(suits people 5’3” and under)
Samareh wears XXXL in Latte
Sculpt Ultra High-Rise Bike Shorts
(suits people 5’3” and over)
Cicely wears XL in Champagne
Sculpt Ultra High-Rise Brief
(suits people 5’3” and over)
Katherine wears XS in Powder Pink
Compared to our other undies, Sculpt is the firmest and most contouring. If you want to try something a little less intense, our other contouring underwear are Soft Contour and Bubble. Bubble is a little stronger than Soft Contour.
We are committed to ultimate underwear comfort and aim to offer more of what you want to wear. If you have ideas for future panties, let us know by emailing hello@understance.com.
See what undies we’re releasing soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the pros and cons of shapewear?
Shaping underwear can nicely contour and smooth out your silhouette, especially under figure-hugging clothes. However, because it uses compression to give you that slimmer shape, it can feel tight and be hard to put on and take off.
If your shaping panties are too tight, not only will you feel uncomfortable, but wearing them can also lead to health problems like acid reflux and poor circulation.
2. Should shapewear be tight or loose?
Shapewear should be tight enough to give you the silhouette you desire, but also loose enough that you can comfortably move and breathe. It should feel tight the moment you put it on, but you should be able to forget about it for the rest of the day.
If you’re looking for comfortable shapewear, give our Sculpt line a try! It’s functional without being overly compressive. It’s designed for you to eat and breathe in.
3. Is it better to size up or down in shapewear?
You should follow the size chart when shopping for shapewear. This is because if you size up and the underwear is too loose, then it won’t work correctly. But if you size down and it’s too tight, then it will be uncomfortable to wear.
If you’re unsure of your size, use our Buy 3 Get 20% Off promotion. Try three neighbouring sizes and don’t worry if some don’t fit. We offer free returns for 30 days.
4. Why does shapewear always roll down?
Your shapewear may be too tight or too loose, or they may sit too high or too low on your torso depending on your height. It could also be that the design doesn’t grip or stay up well.
Our comfortable shapewear line, Sculpt, is offered in two rise options (high-rise and ultra high-rise). They suit different heights. There’s also plastic boning sealed inside the waistband to keep it from rolling and shifting around.
5. How long should you wear shapewear?
If your shapewear doesn’t cause you pain, it’s okay to wear it every day. But don’t, if it does cause you pain – extended wear can trigger acid reflux and constrict blood flow.
Our Sculpt undies are designed for all-day wear. They are shaping and firm, but still comfortable, non-restrictive, and soft. They are shaping panties you can eat, breathe, sit, and move in.
6. Who should not wear shapewear?
We don’t recommend shapewear for pregnant people (unless there’s no heavy compression at the belly), people with lung fluid buildups, digestive issues, or any health condition that can be exacerbated by extended compression around the stomach and thighs.
If you can’t do shaping panties, but still want that gentle smoothing effect, try our Soft Contour line. There’s only a little compression. Plus, they’re seamless and disappear under tight clothing too.