Ever since Sarah Blakely introduced Spanx shapewear into our lives, the question of whether or not we should wear underwear under shapewear or do you wear underwear under shapewear? has been an emotive one. Different women look at it from their individual situations. Let’s look at both sides of the divide.
Here is the Table of Contents
Reasons for Wearing Underwear Under Shapewear
1. To feel covered in the traditional sense
Thousands of us ladies can’t fathom going commando, let alone the feeling of nudity only in the crotch area. If you’re used to wearing panties and you can’t go for a day without wearing one, then you can buy open crotch shapewear such as SPARSHINE Tummy Control Shapewear for Women that creates space for innerwear. Many women prefer to wear their underwear over the Fajas shapewear so that when they go to the restroom, they’ll just have to pull the panty down as usual. You can also wear your panty under the abdominal shaper and then hold your underwear to one side when you want to pee.
2. Keeping dry down there
If you wear shapewear during workout sessions or on hot summer days, then your nether region must get sweaty. Underwear would help prevent wetness from seeping through open-gusset or lightweight shapewear and showing on your clothes.
Reasons for Not Wearing Underwear with Shapewear
1. Panty lines, panty lines!
Seamless underwear are now so many but it’s hard to avoid lumps and bumps when you wear it under another tight undergarment. The lumps may end up being visible under your overgarments. Yet the intention of wearing shapewear is to create a smooth and bump-free silhouette under your outfits.
2. Trouble peeing
If you put on SPARSHINE Tummy Control Shapewear for Women, it has a wide front open crotch that allows you to just squat and do your thing in peace without having to widen it with your hand. You lose this convenience when you wear innerwear underneath the shapewear. Unless you wear your panty over the body shaper so that you only have to pull the panty down when you want to use the toilet.
How do you pee when wearing shapewear?
BY THE WAY, now you don’t have to worry about wetting the shapewear “pee hole” or going through the trouble of pulling it down altogether. peeLUX Women’s Shapewear Bodysuit Pee Accessory is a super easy-to-use adapter invented by Tracy Bech that keeps the shapewear opening as widely open as possible and prevents urine droplets from reaching the shapewear.
And the good news is that you don’t need to wash peeLUX after use. You only need to wipe it clean using toilet paper and easily store it back in its case. It’s compatible with any brand of shapewear that has an elastic crotch opening.
3. Sweating
The right fabric for your innerwear (cotton and spandex) will keep you drier and more comfortable than failing to wear one. But wearing synthetic underwear under shapewear will mess you up during summer.
Spanx Founder Puts an End to the Debate: Do you Wear Underwear with Shapewear?
On an episode of TODAY Talks in June 2021, Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager had a fierce debate on whether or not one should wear underwear underneath Spanx shapewear.
Sarah Blakely, Spanx founder, called in to weigh in on the matter and this was her weight.
“I have never been a lifeline on whether you should wear underwear or not, so this is exciting,”
“But I will say that when I created Spanx 20 years ago, I designed them — and I’m glad you guys are talking about this because the nation’s divided — but, I designed them so you don’t wear underwear under them.”
The public opinion was split almost by half, with half of shapewear users preferring to wear underwear underneath. So Blakely was quick to conclude with a wise remark:
“Half the women wear underwear under it, and so that’s fine, too.”
Types of shapewear to wear with underwear
Many types of shapewear such as control thongs, shaping shorts, and bodysuits now come with a breathable cotton gusset and so you don’t really need extra innerwear.
Other types of shapewear are open-bust and/or open-crotch, which give you the freedom to wear underwear and/or a bra respectively.
1. Shaping slips
Shapewear slips have with time lost popularity to new shapewear designs. But it helps to smooth your curves, prevents your tight dresses (see this guide sweetskinliners.com/body-shape/what-to-wear-under-a-bodycon-dress/) and skirts from bunching up and revealing your not-so-attractive parts. The shaping slip doesn’t cover around your crotch and so you may want to wear seamless underwear if that gives you better confidence.
2. Open-crotch shapewear
The double gusset opening in shapewear is meant to enable ease of use when nature calls. But if you don’t feel safe or confident and sexy in an exposed crotch, you can wear underwear over or under the gusset-free shapewear. Ensure that the underwear is lightweight and seamless so that it doesn’t bunch up or create visible panty lines.
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