There was a time when clothes, whether they were occasionwear, workwear, or loungewear, were tailored to size. And creating and holding the silhouettes together were a mix of undergarments, usually corsets and crinoline skirts. Now in 2026, we’re simultaneously both far away and closer to creating exaggerated shapes with our bodies. While previously it was with layers of dresses and skirts, now it is with figure-hugging bodycons that are rarely forgiving.
As our undergarments have changed, the clothes we wear have inadvertently begun to reveal more. Either clinging to the skin or showing off a post-dinner bloat, for many who are fans of body con dresses, having shape-wear like sculpting shorts and bodysuits becomes a no-brainer.
And as clothing trends progress from creating shapes with clothes to defining our own body shape with clothes, it’s no wonder that brands like Spanx and SKIMS have risen in the past 6 years. The latter SKIMS has also been instrumental in turning shapewear and clothes designed with shapewear principles in mind into popular clothing trends. The Soft Lounge Maxi Dress popularised the idea of the everyday maxi dress that can go from loungewear with sandals, to casual wear with sneakers, and occasion wear with heels, whereas Fashion Nova’s Body CTRL line offers a range of tops, dresses, and bottoms for everyday wear with compression in mind to sculpt.
The numbers surrounding the shapewear industry also showcase its booming popularity. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global shapewear market size was estimated at USD 2.73 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 4.32 billion by 2030. Collaborations like SKIMS x Nike and newly released lines like Confidence by You by Calvin Klein show us that there is a growing appetite for shapewear. And unlike whale bone and horsehair, which were essential for corsets and crinoline skirts, shapewear is designed to feel like a second skin, smoothing any bumps to allow the clothes to glide on. For the modest dresser, this allows for an extra layer of comfort as the clothes no longer cling to the skin.
But the question remains: has shapewear become the modern version of tailoring? While the industry continues to grow and the appeal reaches many, the fact that remains is that tailoring is a completely different art form. It doesn’t bring nor serve the functionality that shapewear brings. However, what shapewear has replaced is old-school undergarments. Although wearing shapewear is a choice one can make, if the desired effect is a sculpted, snatched body similar to clothing of the past, then a pair of compression shorts is not the modern version of tailoring, but rather the modern counterpart to corsets and crinolines.
