Sweaty, restrictive and a struggle to get in and out of - just a few of the reasons why you hate shapewear. Until now. Here’s how Heist has changed the shapewear game (and why you’ll actually want to wear it)
We reported on underwear brand Heist’s artistic/ semi-political Instagram campaign highlighting how uncomfortable and corset-like women’s undergarments can be just last month, and since then the London based brand has unveiled its latest leap forward in comfort and technology in the underwear market : shapewear that supports your body without making you feel like a squashed sausage.
Meet The Outer Body
It sounds space age, and it pretty much is. Heist’s The Outer Body was designed by the brand’s VP of Innovation, Fiona Fairhurst, who also happens to be behind the creation of the multi gold-medal winning SharkSkin swimsuit that you would have spied cutting through the lanes at recent Olympic games. You can bet that athletes wouldn’t put up with chafing, constriction and kit that takes precious time and energy to get into, and Fiona and her team reckoned that women felt the same way about conventional ‘control’ underwear. In fact, the designers at Heist weren’t seeking to ‘control’ women’s bodies at all, but instead give them comfortable underwear options using the same high performance, forward-thinking technology as used in sportswear and swimwear, applied to the everyday.
Speaking of which, The Outer Body is so silky, breathable and pressure-free that it can be worn everyday rather than relegated to the back of the drawer until a “special occasion” calls. Here’s what sets it apart from your average pair of support pants…
It moves with you
Like the swimsuit that inspired its creation, The Outer Body adapts to your body, rather than the other way around (...about time). It’s an all-in-one black bodysuit that actually looks pretty cool when worn alone with jeans, but aesthetics aside, The Outer Body is made from bonded, contoured panels that move with your fascia - the layer of gel-like connective tissue beneath the skin. Your fascia supports your muscles and internal organs, and The Outer Body basically backs this up, making it incredibly natural-feeling and not at all squishy if you see my meaning.
It’s light and cool
The fabric feels silky against your skin rather than like a giant elastic band and 20,000 laser cut perforations in the shaping panels ensure that The Outer Body is breathable, meaning it won’t rub or make you sweat.
You can get it on and off in seconds
No more bedroom or bathroom wrestling of the shapewear variety - the Heist team ran very appropriate Olympic style time trials and found that The Outer Body could be put on and taken off in a mere 15 seconds, with a hook and eye fastening at the bottom to make for easy, speedy bathroom trips. You’d think that last one might be a basic requirement of underwear, but anyone who’s attempted loo trips in thick “control” cycling shorts will know otherwise.
It looks awesome
Otherwise why would you wear it? It supports your boobs, has seam-free edges that lie flat so it’s invisible in every outfit situation and it defines your waist (by up to 5cm) without restricting or constricting your body - this is about as far as you can get from a Kardashian-esque waist trainer situation. In short, if you like the effect of shapewear but detest the discomfort and faff, The Outer Body was quite literally made for you.
The Outer Body, £120, is available in sizes 8-22, buy online or in-store at the Heist DemoStudio, 46 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9LE. Get The Gloss readers get an exclusive 20% off by entering code SHAPEWEARSTEAL at checkout (offer valid until 20/12/2018. One use per customer.)