By Aly Walansky
Shapewear today is not your grandmother’s girdle or long line bra.

Instead, this intimate apparel essential product has been amazingly updated with contemporary new fabrics that control and smoothes out any lines you want to make invisible. Shapewear hides those little bulges and rolls and that makes your clothes look great, regardless of size. It doesn’t matter if you are 110 pounds or 210 pounds, shapewear products smooth out problem areas from back and bra bulge to the hips and thighs. The appearance of looking firm and toned is realized by these red carpet secret undergarments.

“Key words for shapewear today are comfortable, breathable, and enhancement. Depending on your problem area, different types of shapewear exist that help different body areas,” says Cyla Weiner is a bra, intimate apparel and swimwear fitting expert.

Whether a woman wants to whittle her waist, trim her thighs, define her derriere or banish back bulges, there is a shapewear product to the rescue. There are many different types of shapewear that are most popular and make a difference for perceived problem areas including these suggestions from Weiner:

The Cami Shaper: Body shaping camis come in many styles. A strapless cami shaper is offered by Spanx which minimizes your midriff while simultaneously smoothing out your back. Or consider a V-Neck shaper from Cass and Co. that has wide straps and a flattering neckline. A cami by Cosabella is made of eco-friendly light, breathable and cool natural fiber and is skin friendly resulting in lowering body temperature and is antibacterial, hypoallergenic and odor preventive. This scoop neck tank results in a slimmer and smoother appearance. Camis have made strides in many colors being available including Cosabella’s selections and Cass and Co. Invisabella’s shaping tops with spaghetti straps comes in traditional colors and even turquoise.

The Pant Shaper: One growing product in the category of shapewear is the pant. Cass and Co. offers the Invisabella Full Length Shaper Leggings which have strategic stitching that lifts the back and slims and smooths the front, eliminating panty lines and creating a sleek silhouette. This type of shapewear is good for all body types and is comfortable as it features a non-binding waistband.

The Body Suit: This style is great because it is comfortable, you can go to the bathroom easily, and the product makes you looked pulled together. My favorite body suits are from Body Wrap as they make one with and without a leg. Their full-figure seamless underwire body suit has a tummy control that flattens and slenderizes, while the rear lifts and shapes. The seamless underwire cups provide lots of support and lift. Wacaol offers a full-figure body briefer as well.

The Bottom Shaper: Many styles of panty shaper products exist and innovation has been made with fabric and colors. You can go from a thong, to a brief, to a biker short, to mid-thigh, and to long leg. DuMi, Cosabella and Grenier offer some sexy shaper products that offer significant function. I really like the Cass and Co. and Body Wrap selections. Again, Body Wrap has the best selection for plus sized women and they have evolved shapewear selections by adding fun prints. These shapers do not cut into the waist and smooth out bottom bulge. Cosabella’s Breathe Brief even is made with eco-friendly materials while allowing your body to breathe. Simultaneously firming the tummy and slenderizing hips, firm control is provided and the products are invisible under clothing.

The Dress Shaper: One of my favorites is from Cass and Co. This shaper lifts and supports the bust. The benefit to a dress shaper is that it is one piece with overall slimming control, hence smoothing out any bulges back or otherwise, and stays put about 3 inches above the knee. Depending on your size, Body Wrap offers a strapless slip that accommodates a D cup and is available in sizes small to extra large. Spanx offers a full slip available in sizes up to extra large (size 14-16) as well as a great half slip that is very effective in smoothing out problem areas.

A Final Tip—Color: Many of these shapers come in fashionable colors such as fuchsia, red, brown, cream and pink. Also black, nude and white are staples and basic colors. Nude is always your best color choice because it is skin toned and works with white and black. If your natural skin tone is dark try a brown or suntan for color.

Cyla Weiner is a bra, intimate apparel and swimwear fitting expert who grew up in the fashion industry. She opened Sylene of Washington (SW), a woman-owned lingerie and swimwear boutique, in the Washington-DC area 35 years ago. Visit http://www.sylenedc.com