How to Measure Yourself for a Shaping Bodysuit (Waist, Hips and Bust)
Measure three things with a soft tape: the smallest part of your waist, the widest part of your hips and the fullest part of your bust. Pick your size by your waist first, and if you land between two sizes, go with the larger one.
· by Aerely Chacón
Picking a shaping bodysuit size by your weight or your jeans size is how you end up with one that rolls, digs or shows through your top. What actually works is a soft tape measure and three numbers: your waist, your hips and your bust. It takes two minutes, and I walk through all three in this video.
Seamless Zip-Up Shaping Bodysuit (SZ5862)
Front zipper plus inner hooks, seamless body, snap crotch. The one I wear under jeans when I do not want a single line showing. I am in a small/medium. Sizes and colours switch on the same listing.
Video transcript
SHAPERX just launched so many new fall colors of their viral zip up bodysuit, and this bodysuit gives me cake I didn't even know I had. I'm going to show you exactly how to pick your size so your waist is snug and the shaper stays invisible under all of your tops, jeans and dresses. Start by measuring your waist at the smallest part. Just make sure the measuring tape isn't too tight like this, so you get your true waist size. I'm a 26 in the waist, so I'm wearing a small/medium. Next, grab your hip size, so go around the widest part of your hips and your booty. Okay, stay with me, this is the last step: measure your bust at the fullest part of your chest. Now that you have your three measurements, you're ready to pick your size with this sizing chart, so screenshot it and save it. And if you're still confused on what size to get, no worries, I got you. Just comment down below and I'd love to help you out.
Where do you measure your waist for shapewear?
Measure the smallest part of your waist, usually a little above your belly button. Stand up straight, breathe normally and do not suck in. Wrap the tape so it sits flat all the way around, then check that it is not pulled tight. If the tape is squeezing you, you will get a number that is smaller than your real waist and you will order a size that fights you all day.
For me that number is 26, and I wear a small/medium in this bodysuit. Your waist is the measurement that matters most, because that is where a shaping bodysuit does its job.
How do you measure your hips for a bodysuit?
Go around the widest part of your hips and your butt, not your hip bones. It helps to look in a mirror from the side so the tape stays level in the back instead of dipping down. A bodysuit has to fit over your hips without squeezing them, so this number keeps the legs and the bottom from cutting in.
Why do you need your bust measurement?
This is the step people skip. A waist trainer only cares about your waist, but a full bodysuit goes up and over your chest, so your bust has to fit too. Measure around the fullest part of your chest with your arms down. If you are fuller on top, this is the number that tells you whether a size will flatten you or actually fit.
What if your measurements land in two different sizes?
That happens a lot, especially if you are curvy. SHAPERX's own size guide for this bodysuit says to rely on your waist size first, and if you fall between two sizes, choose the larger one. I agree with that. A shaping bodysuit that is one size too small does not make you look smaller, it just rolls down at the waist, pinches at the legs and shows lines under your clothes.
Once you have your three numbers, open the size chart on the listing and match your waist first, then check your hips and bust. Screenshot it so you have it next time.
Does the right size really change how it looks under clothes?
Yes. When the size is right, this bodysuit smooths everything out and I genuinely forget I have it on under jeans, tops and dresses. When it is wrong, that is when you get the roll at the waist and the lines at the legs. I tested the visibility part separately in my post on whether shapewear shows under clothes.
Who this is not for
If you want strong compression to wear after surgery, this is not that. A seamless bodysuit like this is for smoothing under clothes, not medical recovery, so follow what your surgeon gives you. If you hate anything tight on your chest, you may prefer a waist cincher or shorts style instead of a full bodysuit. And if you are between sizes and already know you like a looser fit, go up without overthinking it.
Still confused on your size? Tell me your measurements in the comments on the video and I will help you pick.
Products in this post
Seamless Zip-Up Shaping Bodysuit (SZ5862)
Front zipper plus inner hooks, seamless body, snap crotch. The one I wear under jeans when I do not want a single line showing. I am in a small/medium. Sizes and colours switch on the same listing.
Questions I get about this
Should I pick my shapewear size by weight or by measurements?
By measurements. Weight does not tell you where you carry it, so two people at the same weight can need different sizes. Use your waist, hips and bust, with your waist as the deciding number.
Should I size up or down in a shaping bodysuit?
If you are between two sizes, size up. SHAPERX's size guide says the same. Too small does not make you look smaller, it rolls and shows lines.
Do I need my bust measurement for a waist trainer?
Not for a waist trainer, but you do for a full bodysuit, because it covers your chest too. That is the step most people skip.
Watch the original: TikTok