/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45263850/2014_06_shapewear-victorias-secret.0.jpg)
Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Special occasion dressing calls, from time to time, for special occasion underthings. The topic of shapewear incites hotly emotional reactions: Women who proudly proclaim they've never tried the stuff, women who whisper that they're addicted to the difference it makes—that they're in it right now. For those new to the category, consider this your entry level primer. After the jump, five editor-approved pieces for smoothing things out, without committing to a shrink-wrap bodysuit.