Reviewing Spanx Undershapers

Spanx continually come out with new forms and products each year. You may have seen their advertisements on QVC with the company's founder Sara Blakely. They are sold online and in department stores and run a little on the pricey side. But is it worth it? I tried three of their products and this is what I found.

The claim and fame of these products is that they give you a smoother line with the ease of regular underwear. They are meant to feel somewhat comfortable to wear instead of restrictive like most under shapers on the market are. They are also supposed to be invisible under clothing, as there is no stick out banding to worry about.

Power panties and Higher Power

These are popular items in the Spanx line. They are 'panties' with control. The Power Panties go to about mid-thigh on your legs and land at your waist. They are great for use with light-weight pants, as they smooth out the 'lumps' and give you a seamless silhouette. The banding that holds in place at your waist and thighs, is 'invisible' under clothing and still durable. True to their word these panties are actually comfortable to wear. The Higher Power panties are the same basic design, but the banding is meant to go just under your bust line.

Cons

Although these products both 'pull in' thighs and stomach, they are designed for different body types. If you are the type that has a slim waist, but carries all the weight in your lower half than the Power Panties could work for you. But if you have a wide waist, than using these will only cause all the middle weight to shift up and bulge at the top of the waist band. A wide waist will do better with the Higher Power version because it goes all the way to the below the bust line to smooth out the middle as well. While these are designed much better, they will also cause a 'bulge problem' if you have back fat. The higher line of Higher Power can also mean a bulge of back fat that can't be remedied without another shaper for a bra. I also measured the difference that the Spanx made on my circumference and it was actually the same measurement. These products mainly just help with the 'smoothing' if you have areas that need it.

The difficulty of getting these on is something that Sarah Blakely jokes about. You have to do a "Spanx" wiggle and writhe your way into them. The best way to get them on is by placing the thigh portion in place before rolling up the rest. If you try to pull them on like a regular panty, you will find that it will get stuck on your legs.

Hide & Sleek Full Slip

The full slip is $72.00 from their official site. It is designed to be worn for support instead of a dress shaper and a bra. The fabric is well made so that yarns and knits won't stick to it, creating a smooth dress line form. The trouble with most dress shapers is that they have a built in bra that can actually defeat the purpose of a smooth line by all of the bra shaping seams. Not so with Hide & Sleek; the built in bra is smooth and supportive without being noticeable.

Cons

I found this product to be way overpriced for something that only smoothes, but doesn't slim. The fabric doesn't even seem woven tightly enough to slim or shape anything. It basically functions just as a seamless slip that you don't have to wear a bra for. But the bra shaping gives you the form of a sports bra, which may be good or bad depending on the dress you are wearing over top. You can purchase shaper slips for $40.00 that function better than this one. The only benefits are the 'seamless' appearance, but it won't give you very much support in the way of slimming your figure.

As far as comfort goes for their products, they are definitely the most comfortable shapers you'll find. But not all of their shapers will work for all body types. The good thing is that if you order from their official site you can return them within 30 days of receipt for a refund if you find they don't work for you.