Types of Shapewear Explained: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your First Piece

Last updated : 29/10/2026

There are six main types of shapewear: bodysuits, shaping shorts, high-waisted briefs, camis, leggings and shaping tights. Each one smooths a different area, so the right one depends on what you're wearing. Bodysuits suit fitted dresses, shorts suit skirts and thigh rubs, briefs suit trousers, and camis suit tops.

New to shapewear?

Start with high-waisted shaping shorts or a bodysuit in light or medium compression, in your true size.

In This Guide

• The Main Types of Shapewear at a Glance
• Bodysuits
• Shaping Shorts and High-Waisted Briefs
• Shaping Camis and Tops
• Leggings, Tights, Swimwear and Other Types
• Compression Levels Explained
• Which Shapewear Should You Buy First?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Shapewear Types at a Glance: Quick Reference

Most of us have a shapewear story. You buy something for a wedding, it rolls down before the speeches, and it lives at the back of a drawer for the next three years. It's rarely the shapewear's fault. Usually it was the wrong type for the outfit, or the wrong size for your body.

Shapewear isn't one product. A bodysuit and a pair of shaping shorts do very different jobs, and a cami won't help a skirt sit smoothly over your hips. Once you know what each type of shapewear is built for, choosing gets much simpler.

This guide walks through the main types, what each one smooths and what to wear it under. Then it covers compression levels, sizing, and which piece to buy first if you're starting from scratch. We'll also cover the practical bits nobody mentions, like going to the loo.

The Main Types of Shapewear at a Glance

The six main types of shapewear are bodysuits, shaping shorts, high-waisted briefs, camis, leggings and shaping tights. Waist cinchers and slips exist too, but they're better left until you know what you like.

You'll find a quick-reference table with links to each piece at the end of this guide.

Bodysuits

A shapewear bodysuit smooths everything from your bust to your hips in one piece, which makes it the best choice under fitted dresses, bodycon styles, and jumpsuits. 

Because it's one piece, there's no waistband to roll down, and no line where shorts end and a top begins.

That all-in-one finish is exactly why bodysuits are the go-to for occasion outfits. A fitted dress shows every edge underneath it, and a bodysuit simply doesn't have any in the middle.

Built-in bra or open bust?

This is the first choice to make, and it matters more than most guides admit. Some bodysuits have a scoop neck with built-in support, so they replace your bra. Others are open bust, which means you wear your own bra on top and keep the support you already trust.

If you've got a bra you love, or you're fuller-busted and rely on a proper band, open bust is usually the easier start. Try the Open Bust Bodysuit Shaping Panty or the Open Bust Bodysuit Shaping Shorts.

If you'd rather wear one piece and skip the bra, look at the Scoop Neck Bodysuit Shaping Panty or the Scoop Neck Bodysuit Shaping Shorts.

Brief leg or short leg?

A brief leg sits like knickers, so it disappears under shorter hemlines. A short leg runs down onto the upper thigh, smoothing it and stopping thighs rubbing together on a warm day. For slinky fabrics where any line shows, a thong style such as the Seamless Sculpt Thong Shapewear Bodysuit is the most invisible option.

One practical check before you buy: look at how the bodysuit opens at the gusset. A piece you can't easily manage on a loo break will feel very long by mid-afternoon. Browse every style in our bodysuit collection.

Shaping Shorts and High-Waisted Briefs

Shaping shorts smooth your tummy, hips and thighs, so they're ideal under skirts and dresses, and they stop thighs rubbing. High-waisted briefs smooth the tummy and hips without covering your thighs, which makes them the easier everyday choice under trousers and jeans.

Shaping shorts

If you only own one piece of shapewear, there's a good chance it should be a pair of high-waisted shorts. They work under skirts, most dresses and a lot of trousers, and the leg means no more chafing on a hot walk to the station.

The High Waisted Shaping Shorts are the all-rounder. If you run warm, the High Waisted Mesh Shaping Shorts are a lighter option. Leg length matters too: if you're petite, or your skirts sit above the knee, the shorter leg on the High Waisted Shaping Boyshort may sit better.

Shaping panties and seamless briefs

Under trousers and jeans, shorts can feel like more fabric than you need. A high-waisted brief does the tummy and hips and stops there. The High Waisted Shaping Panty adds gentle tummy control. The High Waist Seamless Bonded Brief is the softer option, an everyday brief with smooth bonded edges, so there's no knicker line under fitted trousers.

See the full ranges in shaping shorts and shaping panties.

Shaping Camis and Tops

A shaping cami smooths your tummy, waist and back under tops, so knits and shirts sit flat instead of clinging. It's the lightest-feeling type of shapewear and the easiest to forget you've got on.

Camis are underrated. Most of us think about shapewear for dresses, but a fine-knit jumper or a fitted T-shirt shows just as much. A cami gives a clean line from the bust down without anything firm around your middle.

The Seamless Shaping Scoop Neck Daily Cami Top layers under everyday tops and is neat enough to wear on its own as a vest. If you'd rather skip the bra altogether, our sweetheart cami, the Ultimate Comfort Built-In Bra Shaper Cami, is a bra and a shaping cami in one layer. It has a built-in foam cup bra with no wires, a flattering sweetheart neckline, and 360-degree smoothing across your tummy, back, and sides. You simply step into it, and it works as a base layer or on its own as a top.

A useful combination: a cami plus a high-waisted brief gives you all-over smoothing like a bodysuit, but in two pieces. That makes loo breaks far easier on a long day.

Browse all our camis and tops.

Leggings, Tights, Swimwear and Other Types

Shaping leggings, shaping tights and shaping swimwear smooth you from the waist down while doing a normal clothing job at the same time. They're the easiest type to wear because nobody can tell they're shapewear at all.

Shaping leggings

The High Waisted Shaping Leggings smooth from waist to ankle, with a double waist panel for tummy control and anti-slip silicone strips so the waistband doesn't roll. The fabric is opaque and squat-proof, and the compression is medium: firm enough to shape, easy enough for a full day. As one customer, Dawn, put it: "High waisted very comfortable fabric, with good control over tummy area." One tip: they run small, so size up if you're between sizes.

Shaping tights

Shaping tights do the same job under skirts and dresses once the weather turns. The 40 Denier Tear-proof Shaping Tights smooth from waist to toe and are built to survive more than one wear.

Shaping swimwear

Shapewear doesn't have to stop at the beach. The High Waisted Shaping Bikini Bottom gives a high-waisted, smoothing fit for holidays.

Waist cinchers and slips

A waist cincher is a firm band around the middle, often with hooks or boning. It targets one area hard and can feel restrictive, so it's not one to start with. A slip sits under a dress or skirt to stop fabric clinging; it smooths more than it shapes. We don't make either because, for everyday wear, a bodysuit or high-waisted shorts do the job more comfortably.

Shop all our leggings and hosiery.

Compression Levels Explained

Compression is how firmly shapewear holds you. Light compression smooths, medium compression shapes and holds, and high compression sculpts. For everyday wear, and for your first piece, light or medium is the right place to start.

• Light compression evens out lines under clothes without squeezing. It feels close to normal underwear, so it's the one to wear all day without thinking about it.
• Medium compression adds a firmer hold around the tummy, waist and hips. It's the everyday sweet spot: visible shaping that's still comfortable at your desk or on a night out.
• High compression is the firmest level, made for a sculpted finish under bodycon dresses and occasion outfits. Most people save it for events rather than every day.

Each Conturve product page lists its compression level, so you can compare like with like. For a deeper dive, read our guide to choosing the right compression level of shapewear.

Get the size right

Wear your true size. Sizing down doesn't give you more shaping; it gives you more rolling, more digging in and more red marks by lunchtime. Our shapewear runs from XS to 4XL (UK 4 to 28). Check the size chart on each product page, because some styles, like our leggings, run small.

If the fit isn't right, every order is covered by our 60-day fit guarantee with free exchanges.

Which Shapewear Should You Buy First?

Buy for the outfit you wear most. For most women, that's high-waisted shaping shorts, which work under skirts, dresses, and plenty of trousers. If your go-to is a fitted dress, choose a bodysuit instead.

Still not sure? Start from what you're wearing:

The real-life checklist

Shapewear that looks right in the mirror can still fail you at 3pm. Before you commit, try it at home with these four checks:

1. The loo test. Can you manage a loo break quickly without taking half your outfit off? If not, consider a two-piece of cami plus brief instead of a bodysuit.
2. The sitting test. Sit down in it for ten minutes. The waistband should stay flat, not fold over or dig into your middle.
3. The heat test. If you run warm, or it's summer, choose light compression or a mesh style.
4. The stay-put test. Raise your arms, bend down and walk the stairs. Nothing should ride up or roll down. If it does, our guide to keeping shapewear in place explains why and how to fix it.

Weighing up the three most popular styles?

Our comparison of waist trainers vs shaper shorts vs bodysuits [LINK WHEN LIVE] goes deeper on which one you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of shapewear is best for beginners?

High-waisted shaping shorts or a bodysuit in light or medium compression. Shorts work under the widest range of outfits, while a bodysuit is the better pick if you mostly wear fitted dresses.

What size shapewear should I buy?

Your true size. Shapewear is designed to fit your body as it is, so sizing down only adds rolling and discomfort. Check the size chart on each product page, as some styles run small.

Can I wear shapewear every day?

Yes, if it's comfortable and the right compression. Light and medium compression are made for all-day wear, while high compression is usually saved for events.

How do I stop shapewear rolling down?

Wear your true size and choose a high-waisted style with a grip waistband. Shapewear that's too small or too short in the rise is far more likely to roll.

What's the difference between shaping shorts and a bodysuit?

Shaping shorts smooth your tummy, hips and thighs, and you wear your own top and bra with them. A bodysuit smooths from bust to hips in one piece, which suits fitted dresses best.

Find Your First Piece

The right shapewear isn't the firmest one or the most expensive one. It's the one that suits what you actually wear, in your true size, at a compression you can live in all day. Start with the outfit you reach for most, pick the type that matches it, and build from there.

When you're ready, explore the full shapewear collection, or see what other women reach for first in our best sellers.

Shapewear Types at a Glance: Quick Reference