The 22 Best Bridal Shapewear Pieces to Wear Under a Wedding Dress, Tested By Brides

Most Comfortable

Honeylove SuperPower Short

$89 at Nordstrom $89 at Honeylove.com View on Barenecessities.com

We love the X-shaped spandex panel on these Honeylove shorts, which provides a comfortable compression level to shape and sculpt the midsection, rear, and thighs. Nylon panels and a cotton gusset allow airflow for breathability, so you won't overheat. The flexible boning prevents roll-down without restricting movement, though it took some adjusting to avoid the feeling of being poked in the abdomen. The best part of these flattering shorts is the pull-aside fabric that makes it possible to use the restroom without taking them off.

Size Range: XS–3X | Shades: 5 | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Nylon, spandex

Best for Creating an Hourglass Shape

Spanx TotalContour Bodysuit

$108 at Spanx

If you are looking for a cinched waist and maximum shaping and lifting, this new-to-market sculpting suit delivers superior performance. It took a lot of shimmying to get into, but the results were well worth it. Although the boning streamlines your curves into an hourglass shape, it doesn’t poke or jab at your figure at all. The boning is flexible, so the snatching is actually comfortable after hours of use. The shapewear is breathable and dries quickly. We love the open top, so you can wear your choice of bra, and adjust arm straps to prevent any rolling. This is a remarkable reimagining of a corset with the technology of innovative shapewear.

Size Range: XS-3X | Shades: Natural bronze, black | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Built-in boning and LYCRA® FitSense Print™ Technology

Best High-Rise Thong

Spanx Undie-tectable Thong

$24 $22 at Amazon $24 at Nordstrom $24 at Spanx

If you've chosen a minimalist or form-fitting wedding dress, you'll need to take a less-is-more approach to your shapewear. Enter the Undie-tectable thong, which Spanx says provides a "light hug" of compression and no panty lines. This high-rise thong is seamless and soft, with a bonded waistband to smooth your midsection and enough coverage to give you a held-in feeling.

Size Range: XS–XL | Shades: 9 | Compression Level: Light | Materials: Nylon, elastane

Best Plus-Size

Lane Bryant Open-Bust Thigh Shaper

View on Lanebryant.com

After more than six hours of wearing this shaper, we still felt comfortable and weren't itching to take it off. It was also one of the most slimming shapers we tried, sculpting our curves into a smooth hourglass shape. The silky, breathable material allowed for our clothing to just slip over it and not cling to any parts or show any bumps or lumps. If you prefer to wear your favorite bra, the open-bust design is ideal, and you can adjust the straps for a custom fit. The open gusset can take some time to get used to, but we found bathroom breaks manageable enough.

Size Range: 14/16–34/36 | Shades: Black, beige, chocolate plum | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Nylon, spandex

Best for Strapless Dresses

Spanx Suit Your Fancy Strapless Bodysuit

View on Amazon $148 at Nordstrom $148 at Spanx

This sleek shaper has a built-in padded bra with flexible cups and five-way convertible straps, making it a great option if you have large breasts or are planning to wear a strapless dress on your big day. It offers a tummy panel with medium compression and clever touches like sticky strips to keep the panty hem from riding up. Just like with the plunge version of the bodysuit, the hook-and-eye closures on the gusset gave us some trouble after we used the restroom, so make sure you practice ahead of time.

Size Range: XS–XL | Shades: Black, beige | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Nylon, elastane

Best Backless

ShapeLLX Backless Plunge Thong Bodysuit

View on Shapellx.com

If you've chosen a backless gown or one that has a plunging neckline, this shaping bodysuit is a smart and sexy pick. We love the fit, which accommodates and enhances natural curves, and helpful features like the underwire compression bra cups and anti-slip neckline. The clear center and shoulder straps help keep the garment hidden but be aware that metal hooks might be detectable under very delicate or clingy fabric.

Size Range: S–3X | Shades: 4 | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Nylon, spandex

Most Versatile

Skims Solution Short Left Leg Exposed

View on Skims.com

If you want to show some leg without flashing your shapewear, the SKIMS Solution Short has you (un)covered. These shorts are designed with an asymmetrical crop to let you work a thigh-high slit. They also offer targeted compression to smooth your midsection and upper thighs and give your backside a lovely lift.

Size Range: XXS–5X | Shades: 9 | Compression Level: Strong | Materials: Nylon, spandex

Best Lace

Bali Women's Lace 'N Smooth Shapewear

$60 $38 at Amazon View on Roamans.com $60 $33 at Macy's

Should you desire a beautiful lace shaper, this light-to-moderate support suit from the heritage brand, Bali is perfect. The lace is gorgeously and masterfully constructed (read: soft, and not at all itchy) and contains a blend of Lycra spandex to support your figure. You can choose your band and cup sizes with the built-in underwire bra that’s softly lined, and features seamless cups for bust support. Firm control around the tummy and hips provide smoothing and gentle shaping for maximum movement for the bride who plans on moving all day and into the night. 

Size Range: 34B–40DD | Shades: White, rose, black | Compression Level: Light to moderate  | Materials: Nylon, spandex, cotton liner

Best Thong Bodysuit

SKIMS 'Fits Everybody' Sculpting Bodysuit

$42 at Nordstrom $58 at Skims.com

You can trust that this sleek bodysuit will stay put from your walk down the aisle to the last dance. Even with the high-cut leg and thong back, this piece gave us seamless support for hours. We love that the polyamide and elastane blend is form-fitting yet comfortable, making it the perfect choice for any bride who wants more smoothing than compression. It kept its shape after machine washing, and the square neckline and plunging back work under various dress styles.

Size Range: XXS–4X | Shades: 14 | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Polyamide, elastane

Best Compression Short

Spanx TotalContour Short

$118 at Nordstrom $88 at Spanx $118 at Neiman Marcus

We raved about the TotalContour bodysuit earlier in our list, and love this power short just as much. If you prefer shorts to a full suit, this option features a silicone waistband that has staying power (read: no shifting or rolling) and back seam shirring which accentuates and lifts your rear. Because of the flexible boning, which provides the highest level of compression, getting into this short still requires some shimmying. However, because it’s not a full suit, it requires less maneuvering than the afore-reviewed TotalContour bodysuit. 

Size Range: XS-3X | Shades: Natural bronze, black | Compression Level: Firm | Materials: Built-in boning and LYCRA® FitSense Print™ Technology

Best Thong

SKIMS Thong

$38 at Nordstrom View on Skims.com

This mid-rise thong is our favorite piece from the SKIMS bridal collection. It may look dainty, but the double waistband and silicone back band provide maximum compression to contour the midsection and shrink the waist. (If you aren't used to wearing super-compressive shapewear, you may want to size up.) Once your wedding day is over, you can—and will—wear the Core Control thong any time you need to smooth your tummy under your favorite pair of pants or pencil skirt. If you want shaping coverage on your butt and thighs, we recommend the SKIMS Sculpting Short.

Size Range: XXS–5X | Shades: 9 | Compression Level: Strong | Materials: Nylon, elastane

Best Smoothing

Skims Core Control High Waisted Brief

View on Skims.com

Once you get over the shock of how small Skims look out of the package, you'll find these easy to slip on and be surprised at how well they stay in place. The core control brief offers compression and gives your butt a lift—this is Kim Kardashian's shapewear line, after all. This piece is an excellent choice if you want a contoured effect on your natural shape, but you can also size down if you're looking for a more snug fit.

Size Range: XXS–4X | Shades: 10 | Compression Level: Strong | Materials: Nylon, spandex