Choose shapewear by measuring your waist and hips with a soft tape, then follow that brand’s own size chart instead of your regular clothing size.
Buying shapewear that fits starts with one decision most people skip: ignoring the size on your jeans. Shapewear Size Charts from SPANX, SKIMS, and others map waist, hips, and sometimes torso length to a size — not your typical dress size. Grab a flexible measuring tape, take two numbers, and match them to the chart for the specific garment you want.
Why Regular Clothing Size Fails For Shapewear
Your everyday apparel size uses a looser fit built for movement and comfort. Shapewear compresses, so it needs tighter tolerances. One universal size from a dress can map to two or three different shapewear sizes depending on the brand.
SPANX size charts span XS to 3X with numeric equivalents from 0 to 28, mapping waist, hips, and — for full-body pieces — torso length. SKIMS publishes a similar type of chart. Both show why a single apparel label is useless: every brand’s compression level shifts the boundaries.
How To Measure For Shapewear
Stand straight in a relaxed position, not sucking in. Wrap the tape around the narrowest part of your waist — normally above the belly button and below the rib cage. Then measure the fullest part of your hips, keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
Keep the tape snug but not tight enough to dig into your skin. Measure twice if you’re between values, and record both numbers before you open a size chart.
Waist And Hips Map To Different Sizes — Which Wins?
When your waist and hips fall into different size columns, many brand guides, including SPANX’s, say to follow the hip measurement. The hip typically represents the widest point of the garment’s path over your body, so it’s the more demanding constraint — shapewear won’t stay put if it’s pulling at the hips.
If you land between two sizes on the chart, the standard guidance is to size up, not down. Choosing a smaller size for “more compression” is the most common mistake in the sources; the actual goal is a fit that supports without digging in. A too-small garment rolls at the legs, creates a bulge at the waistband, and makes you miserable by hour two.
| Measurement | How To Take It | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Waist | Narrowest point, above the belly button, below the rib cage | Determines how the top edge sits and whether it rolls |
| Hips | Fullest point, tape parallel to the floor | Often the deciding size when it conflicts with the waist |
| Torso length | Shoulder to crotch, for bodysuits | Only in some charts; skipping it causes wedgie or looseness |
Bodysuits and full-piece shapewear add one more variable: torso length. SPANX’s metric chart includes torso length in centimeters alongside bust, waist, and hips — most regular size charts skip it entirely. If your chosen garment goes over your torso, measure from the shoulder to the crotch and check that row, because a long-torso person in a short-torso garment gets a garment that rides up.
Charts vary by brand, so the same person can map to different sizes across SPANX’s shapewear size guide and other makers. Some include torso length, others don’t, and each brand’s compression fabric shifts the numbers.
If you want to skip the math, see our tested roundup of the best body shapewear — it compares the top picks so you can match a brand to your measurements.
When you can’t decide between two sizes on a chart, the practical check is simple: pick the larger one. You can always exchange, but a garment that’s two sizes too small can’t be fixed. And if you already own shapewear that rolls at the thighs or cuts off circulation at the waist, you bought the wrong size — remeasure and trade up.
FAQs
Should I size up or down if I’m between shapewear sizes?
Size up. Brand guidance consistently says to choose the larger size when your measurements fall between two chart values. A larger garment still provides compression but stays comfortable enough to wear; going smaller creates rolling edges, uncomfortable digging, and visible bulges at the garment’s boundaries.
Do I measure my waist at the belly button or above it?
Measure the narrowest point of your torso, which usually sits above the belly button and below the rib cage. This is the standard waist measurement used in shapewear size charts. Pull the tape snug but not tight, and stand straight in a relaxed position without sucking in your stomach.
Why does torso length matter for shapewear sizing?
Bodysuits and full-body shapewear cover your torso, so a correct fit depends on matching your shoulder-to-crotch measurement to the garment’s torso length. Some charts, like SPANX’s metric guide, include it; others don’t. A mismatched torso length produces a piece that rides up or leaves uncomfortable slack.
References & Sources
- SPANX. “Shapewear Size Guide.” Official sizing chart listing waist, hips, and torso length from XS to 3X.
- SPANX. “Shapewear Size Chart (Metric).” Metric measurements including torso length, bust, waist, and hips.
- SKIMS. “Size Guides.” Official brand sizing charts for shapewear and apparel.