NULAYER › Answers › How to put on a shapewear bodysuit
How to put on a shapewear bodysuit
The order that works
Do this standing, in a room with a mirror, and give yourself five minutes the first time. Gather the bodysuit down to the leg openings the way you would a pair of tights, step in, and pull it up to your hips, then your waist. Both cuts go on the same way; the mid-thigh needs a little more pulling to bring the leg hems up to mid-thigh.
Before the straps go on, fasten the hook-and-eye crotch closure. Bend your knees slightly, reach down, hold the back panel in one hand and the front in the other, and hook the eyes the way you would a bra band, at the front where you can see. Doing this before the straps are on your shoulders matters: with the straps loose, the front panel has slack and the hooks meet without a tug.
Then bring the straps up and over your shoulders, and settle the built-in bra. The last step is the straps: adjust each one so the top edge and the deep V sit where you want them under the dress, and so the crotch sits comfortably without pulling. That setting is for your torso length, and once you have it you will rarely change it.
The first time is not the fit
A bodysuit made to smooth the midsection has to be snug, and snug fabric does not slide up the body the way a slip does. The first time, it feels like more work than it should. That is normal, and it is not the fit talking. By the third wear the whole thing takes a minute.
The fit shows once it is on and the straps are set. If the straps at their longest still pull, the size is too small. If it went on hard but sits flat, lets you breathe easily and does not ride up, the size is right. Do not go down a band because it felt hard to get on, and do not go up a band for the same reason. The chart, by bust and waist, is the guide; the effort of getting in is not.
Which size: Size by bust and waist from the chart. If the straps at their longest still pull once it is on, the size is too small, not the straps.
| Band | US | Bust (in) | Waist (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XXS–XS | 0–2 | 30–33.5 | 23–26 |
| S–M | 4–10 | 34–38.5 | 26.5–31 |
| L–XL | 12–14 | 39–41 | 31.5–34.5 |
| 2XL–3XL | 16–20 | 41.5–48 | 35–41.5 |
True to size for most wearers.
Between sizes: the smaller band for maximum smoothing, the larger for all-evening comfort.
Questions people ask
Should I step in or pull it over my head?
Step in from the bottom. Pulling it over the head drags the straps and the built-in bra out of place and stretches the neckline. Feet in, pull up, hook, straps last.
Is the crotch closure hard to hook?
It is bra-style hooks and eyes, fastened at the front where you can see. Hook it before the straps go on your shoulders, with your knees slightly bent, and there is slack to work with.
Can I put it on sitting down?
Standing is easier. Sitting folds the waist panel and pulls the crotch forward, so the hooks do not meet cleanly. Stand to hook the closure and to set the straps; sit afterwards to check the fit.
Written by the NULAYER team and checked against the garment's tech pack. Last reviewed 2026-09-15. Facts on this page: 78% nylon, 22% spandex; machine wash cold, hang dry; designed and made in our own factory in zhejiang, china.