Road Test: I styled the new Spanx clothing collection, here’s how it went

In the name of journalism.

The first and last time I wore shapewear was to my high school formal. I was so afraid of my lower stomach ‘pooch’ (hilarious, because I had the proportions of a plank of wood) that I stole my mum’s sculpting underwear from her drawer. They were too big and had the complete opposite effect, so I had a saggy-looking bum for the evening. Ultimately, I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.

As a woman, I have a complicated relationship with any products promoting a more ‘controlled’ figure. Particularly right now, when the internet is rife with conversations about thinness and the sacrifices we’ll make to achieve it. But I suppose in comparison to an intravenous drug, shapewear is relatively harmless.

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Besides, it’s not about ‘fixing’ anything internally – shapewear is ultimately helping you enhance the figure you’ve already got. I also learnt recently (thanks to TikTok and the relentless rise of Skims) that garments intended to sculpt, smooth and compress can look aesthetically pleasing. The world of shapewear has changed drastically since the sausage-casing tummy-flatteners of the noughties.

In fact, Spanx (yes, the Spanx) has just released an apparel line, exclusively stocked online at David Jones. I have to tell you – when the press release landed in my inbox, I was a little sceptical. Partially because of all the aforementioned feelings, and partially because I just couldn’t imagine myself serving in compression pants. But I was also intrigued. I am a journalist, after all.

A Road Test was clearly in order, so the girlies at Spanx kindly sent me two pieces from the collection. I opted for a pair of high-rise flare pants and a v-neck, long-sleeved bodysuit – both in black. As a shapewear novice, I accidentally ordered the wrong size, so the pieces weren’t as tight as they were probably supposed to be. I’d get a size down from what I normally wear in future. Do as I say, not as I do. First up, I tried the pants.

The high-rise flare pants

These pants claim to “magically smooth” the stomach using hidden shaping and a thick, stretchy ponte knit fabric. As I said, these fit a little bigger on me, so the whole tummy-flattening technology didn’t make a huge amount of difference. And that’s okay! While I’m no longer plank-of-wood proportions, I acknowledge I have the privilege of being a naturally slim person. Regardless of your size, you shouldn’t feel obligated to hide or censor anything – but if that made you feel comfier, I think these pants could work some magic.

They did help with some butt-lifting action, which I really appreciated. My legs looked long, the fabric felt high-quality and the silhouette was really cute! I was so pleasantly surprised by these pants, and so were the rest of the Fashion Journal team. You would never guess I was wearing shapewear – in fact, our Editor Cait mistook them for designer flares. My Spanx experiment was off to a great start.

The long-sleeved bodysuit

I wore my next Spanx piece to a PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival runway and honestly… it worked. I made the bold decision to go braless with this bodysuit, which is an unusual occurrence for me. The ‘smoothing’ fabric was supportive without feeling stiff, and I felt completely comfortable sans bra. It was super-soft, fitted without being restrictive and acted as a great base for this outfit.

The gusset was actually lined, so the bodysuit is designed to be worn entirely underwear-free. I actually prefer wearing a really embarrassing pair of granny undies under something sexy, à la Hannah in that one episode of Girls. Ugly panties aside, I felt great in this bodysuit and can see it becoming a staple in my wardrobe. Whether you’re looking for tummy-smoothing or just some high-quality basics, I would give the Spanx collection a try.

For more musings on shapewear, head here.