"We want that smooth beautiful look no matter what clothing we have on," said Cathy Fitzpatrick, image consultant.
Fitzpatrick says whether you are a size 4 or a 14, shapewear can improve your silhouette.
"I don't care how lean you are, we want that slender appearance," said Fitzpatrick.
But is all shapewear created equal? Eyewitness News looked at three "high-waisted" mid-thigh shapers. The first was /*Spanx*/, which is a popular pick among celebrities. It is also the priciest, at $36 per pair. The second pair was from /*Target*/, called Assets. It was designed by the maker of Spanx and runs $24. Finally, the least expensive pair was $16 from /*J.C. Penney*/, called Take Shape.
Shannon Owens, a shapewear tester, instantly saw results when she tried each brand of shapewear. Her torso appeared smaller and, from behind, her imperfections were smoothed out. But Owens preferred the Spanx brand over the others because it was more comfortable and she didn't mind paying more.
"It's about the quality," said Araceli Herrera, another tester. "Sixteen dollars is not that much of a difference if I am going to see a difference in the mirror."
Araceli Herrera's trouble spot was her midsection. And again, the shaper does the trick. From the front, her body looked smoothed out, and from the side Araceli's waist appeared slimmer. After trying on different brands, Herrera preferred the least expensive girdle, JCPenney's Take Shape. She said it was more comfortable.
But even if you don't have any trouble spots like Page Parkes model Raliat Akinlolu, Cathy Fitzpatrick says the shaper can make a difference.
After trying on all three shapers, Raliat also had a favorite.
"The Spanx was definitely the best one because it held me in and I can still breathe," said Raliat.
In a recent survey, nearly half of women revealed they don't wear shapewear because they think it will be extremely uncomfortable. One in 10 said they shy away from it because they think people will be able to tell they've got it on. But experts say it's worth giving it another shot. Shapewear has come a long way and there are a lot more styles and levels of control to choose from.
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