Shapewear popular, but which works best?

LOS ANGELES While many women buy shapewear (often referred to as SPANX, the name of a hugely popular brand), they often complain they're too expensive. We teamed up with Consumer Reports to find out how to get body shapers for less.

/*Consumer Reports*/ ShopSmart put shapewear to the test. Four stoic staffers volunteered to wear a dress they felt could look better on them.

"They let it all hang out for our 'before' pictures," explained Jody Rohlena of Consumer Reports ShopSmart. "Then we put them in four different shapewear garments. We had a fit professional come in and evaluate them."

ShopSmart sized up four shapers:

• SPANX Hide and Sleek Hi-Rise Body Smoother ($68)
• SPANX In-Power Line Super Higher Power ($38)
• ASSETS by Sara Blakely from Target ($20)
• Kymaro New Body Shaper ($29)

It turns out the $38 SPANX In-Power Line Super Higher Power worked the best for three of the women. But the fourth panelist says she felt great in the $20 ASSETS by Sara Blakely from Target.

Just in case men are feeling a little left out, there are SPANX for men. A male Consumer Reports employee gave them a try, and while they slimmed him down, he reports that they were difficult to put on and take off, and weren't very comfortable to wear.