Do You Wear Underwear with Shapewear (Why You Should/Should Not)

When getting ready you might be looking in your closet and wondering if you should wear underwear under your shapewear, the question is common for many reasons, most of us don’t want to leave the house with the extra fabric causing issues like sweat or the shapewear showing in public. We also want to be comfortable. Here we will cover in detail the benefits and cons of wearing underwear with shapewear and let you decide.

Do You Wear Underwear with Shapewear – Is There a Rule?

Whether one should wear underwear with shapewear is a huge question. Some people argue that you should, while others don’t believe one should wear underwear.

Let’s first determine the purpose of shapewear. Perhaps a proper definition will help settle this matter. The primary goal of shapewear is to generate a smooth, seamless, and streamlined silhouette beneath your clothes. Don’t you think wearing underwear causes the opposite effect? That’s food for thought.

What Do Shapewear Experts Think?

The creator of the Spanx brand, Sara Blakely, finally joined the shapewear/underwear conversation on the Today Show. According to Blakely, when she created Spanx about 21 years ago, she designed them so that users needn’t wear underwear under them. However, she noted that whether to wear underwear or not should be based on personal preference. Blake said that 50% of women, who wear shapewear, wear underwear beneath it. According to her, that’s fine too.  

Cons of Wearing Underwear Under Shapewear

Most shapewear designers feel that wearing underwear under your shapewear is superfluous. They feel that it contradicts shapewear’s goal to create a seam-free line under your outerwear. The extra layer of fabric traps heat, besides creating additional bulk, lumps, and unflattering lines. (1)

The majority of shapewear available in the market is specifically made to eliminate the need for one to wear underwear. You must have noticed that they are made using a cotton crotch, an easy access-style fastening, or an accessible crotch – which means that the designers meant for users to wear them in place of undergarments. (2)

Wrapping Up

From the look of things, one shouldn’t wear underwear under shapewear. You’ll be doing yourself and the fantastic compression garment a considerable disservice. Nevertheless, it boils down to personal preference. If you feel uncomfortable without underwear beneath your shapewear, wear it by all means. At the same time, if you can learn how to do away with the underwear, the better. It is the only way you can reap maximum benefits from your shapewear. Besides, you won’t have to worry about panty lines anymore. And as far as the maximum comfort level is concerned, ditching the underwear sounds superb!

References
(1) fabric – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/fabric-material
(2) cotton – https://www.britannica.com/topic/cotton-fibre-and-plant