Too-small shapewear gets most of the attention, but too-large shapewear is its own problem. It does not smooth, it does not hold, and it creates the exact issues it is supposed to prevent. Here is how to tell if your shapewear is too big.
It Slides Down Throughout the Day
The most obvious sign. If you are pulling your shapewear back up regularly throughout the day, it is too large. Shapewear that fits correctly stays where you put it because the compression holds it against your body. When there is not enough compression, there is nothing holding it in place and gravity takes over.
No Visible Smoothing Effect
Put on your shapewear and look in a mirror in a fitted outfit. If you cannot see a difference between wearing the shapewear and not wearing it, the piece is not providing enough compression for your body. This happens when the shapewear is too large and the fabric is not under enough tension to do its job.
Bunching and Wrinkling
Shapewear that is too large will wrinkle and bunch, especially at the waist and inner thigh. Excess fabric has nowhere to go, so it folds. This creates visible texture under fitted clothing, which is the opposite of what you want.
The Fabric Feels Loose
When you put on correctly-sized shapewear, the fabric feels taut against your skin. Not painful, but definitely firm. If the fabric feels slack or you can pinch it away from your body easily, the piece does not have enough compression for your measurements.
What to Do
Size down one and remeasure to confirm your numbers first. It is possible your measurements have changed slightly, or that you used a size chart inaccurately the first time. Use the Shapies size guide to double-check before reordering.