How do you layer your shapewear?

I think all of us at one time or another have wondered about the proper sequence of undergarments. Let’s say you have a pair of pantyhose, a panty, and a piece of shapewear. In what order do you put them on? Do you wear all of them or forfeit something? This question was posed to 13 shapewear vendors including Spanx, Bali, BodyWrap, Va Bien and TC Fine. We were stunned to hear they all had the same response. It was, forget the panties, put on your pantyhose, and then put on your shapewear. Are you surprised? We were. For starters, most of us felt panties should be worn. The reason the manufacturers feel they aren’t necessary is because they all make shapewear with a cotton crotch or an accessible crotch. Therefore, shapewear is specifically designed to eliminate the need for panties. In a poll of the women, the responses fell roughly along age lines. The younger crowd agreed about not wearing panties. Many had tried panties on under their shapewear, but found that the panty created an additional line - even when they tried laser edge cut panties like Commandos. The more mature crowd simply likes the idea of panties and wouldn’t consider not wearing them. The reason pantyhose go on first is because if put on over shapewear, they tend to slide down due to the slick nature of the shapewear fabric. You can spend the night feeling your pantyhose inching down your body and finding yourself in the ladies room several times in order to pull them back up. The panthose can also cause a line that otherwise would be smoothed out if shapewear was put on over it. Now, that said, there are several shapewear pieces that have silicone gripper tape along the legs to keep the shapewear in place. Putting this gripper tape on top of pantyhose renders it worthless, and could possibly cause a run in the pantyhose. So, there can be some conflicting results in this situation. Personally, this is what I do. I don’t wear panties. I also don’t wear pantyhose. If I want leg covering, I buy thigh-high stockings. Since my shapewear of preference is a biker short style, I first put on my thigh-highs, pull up my shapewear, and make sure the top of my stockings are secured by my shapewear. Now, I really only have one layer on, I’m comfortable, not hot, and have a very simple solution when I need to visit the ladies room.

Plus Size Market in the US

According to a recent report from Packaged Facts, U.S. Market for Women's Intimate Apparel (Lingerie), the plus size lingerie market is still going strong. The report provides an in-depth look at the $9.6 billion lingerie market and covers everything from a history of women's intimate apparel to shopping habits, trends and predictions for a variety of specific markets, including plus size lingerie.

According to the fashion industry, plus sizes start at size 14 in the US and half of American women wear clothing in sizes 14 and larger. However,being plus sized does not mean being unattractive. Better-than-Bare.com offers a wide selection of plus size lingerie to flatter the fuller figure.

At Better-than-Bare.com, the selection of full figure and plus size lingerie products available include several brands that specialize in the plus size market, as well as those who have traditionally offered average figure apparel and have added plus size lingerie to their lines.

Some of the lines you will find are Bali, Barely There, Playtex and Smooth Illusions specifically making shapewear, but there is also a large selection of fine lingerie styles now offered in more curvaceous sizes.

For more information on the report, visit www.PackagedFacts.com. For more information on full figure and plus size lingerie, visit http://www.better-than-bare.com/.