There are very few people who, in an ideal world, wouldn’t want to flatten their tummy. While it’s important not to strive towards unrealistic body shapes, a flatter tummy can help us to feel more confident and also help clothes to simply hang better. Choosing your shapewear is not as basic as just flattening a tummy, though. Do you just want to smooth your overall silhouette? Create or highlight a waist? How about the balance with your bum and hips? Here we look at all the nuances around tummy control and what to wear to flatten your tummy in different ways.
Comfort and style
There are benefits of both comfort and style when you use shapewear to flatten your tummy. Tummy support prevents unnecessary body movement which can be uncomfortable over the course of a day. It’ll also help to support your back, reducing generalised back pain. From a style perspective, a flatter tummy helps the drape of clothes to sit more naturally. In addition, a contoured shape means you can often choose from a wider variety of cuts and designs.
Classic control
A basic control brief is a great all rounder to flatten a tummy. There are a huge range of different compression levels available, so this style is extremely versatile. From gentle all day compression to a more structured look, there will be a control brief for you. These garments tend to sculpt from the waist to the hip, so are very focussed on the tummy area. Look for designs that use panelling to really prioritise tummy support.
All over shaping
For an all encompassing control, shaping shorts are great. These garments not only flatten your tummy, but also provide balance by shaping your bum, thighs and hips at the same time. So if you’re worried that a flatter tummy would make the rest of you look out of proportion then these are a great solution.
Silhouette
Maybe your aim to flatten your tummy is more about the overall smoothness of your silhouette. Remember that your torso line begins at your bust, so high waisted control briefs are ideal. As the compression is wider reaching, this type of control prevents lumps and bumps being created by displaced flesh. Seamless designs mean that nothing is visible under even the most figure hugging outfit!
Waist cinching
Maybe you want to go beyond simply flattening your tummy, and create a more dramatic hourglass shape. High focus shapewear garments such as corsets and girdles are an obvious go-to. They provide additional structure through either panelling or boning, and use high stretch and breathable fabrics to get more dramatic waist results.
Tips for sizing
Tummy flattening shapewear will often come in sizes that equate to dress sizing. One garment will cover around three dress sizes, so choose according to your correct dress size. We all know that high street dress sizes wildly differ in their measurements, though. Measure around your waist and consult the brand size guide to make sure you’ve got it right.
Consistent shape
Once you’ve chosen the garment to flatten your tummy, how do you make sure it stays in place? The most common reason for a lumpy silhouette is shapewear that’s unstable and has rolled up or down, or just shifted around. The great news is that if you’ve sized correctly, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but if you want that extra security you may want to choose shapewear based on its stability. A bodysuit or shaping cami won’t be going anywhere, since it’s held in place from your shoulders.
With so many ways to flatten a tummy, it might feel overwhelming to choose! With an occasion for every type of shapewear, there’s probably an argument for having one of everything in your wardrobe! But failing that, we hope our guide to the different ways of flattening a tummy has helped you to work out your own shapewear priorities. After all, your shapewear should first and foremost be chosen for you and your own comfort and confidence.
Becky is an author and copywriter who has been writing about women’s issues and underwear for several years. She also writes blogs which cover a range of topics for local businesses.
