It’s time to show off some skin in tank tops and slip dresses. Of five modern-day corsets, two actually made new bulges, but the best created a washboard stomach. Here are the flab-control ratings of the five pictured left to right:
1. Spanx Slim Cognito *
$74, www.Spanx.com
Visibility: The extra-wide adjustable straps look like Grandma’s girdle. The bottom creeps up considerably creating a massive hip and back bulge. Ick.
Wiggle Room: Hardly any. It feels like a medical compression device.
Taming the Beast: It’s so uncomforable it has to be doing something, but roll up creates unsightly pooches.
Final Verdict: Upper-body sculpting fails.
2. Shape fx Secret Sculptor Cami *
$29, www.Spiegel.com
Visibility: It isn’t a sin when this camisole’s adjustable bra straps peek out of a shirt, but seamless bodice rolls up and leaves a lumpy-looking gut.
Wiggle Room: Tight without being unbearable.
Taming the Beast: It cinches, but doesn’t eliminate love levers.
Final Verdict: The built-in lace bra doesn’t do much for bigger than Bs. And the bodice doesn’t minimize problem areas.
3. Assets by Sara Blakely Fantastic Firmers Tank **
$20 to $22, www.Loveassets.com
Visibility: Smooth as silk, this wide-strap tank doesn’t pinch or create extra fat pockets. It’s not a stodgy shaper.
Wiggle Room: Comfortable, but the top tends to roll and leaves a belly ring.
Taming the Beast: It doesn’t tame much, but it does reduce the bust line.
Final Verdict: It’s a fine layering piece but not reliable for tummy reduction.
4. Yummie Tummie Freedom T ***
$72; www.Yummietummie.com
Visibility: This seamless cotton tank top has a shiny spandex midsection so it looks funny worn alone. But it does cover if you’re shirt rides up .
Wiggle Room: Comfy, breathable.
Taming the Beast: Stomach area is compressed but the pesky belly is left out. Built-in shelf bra lifts and supports.
Final Verdict: Not the miracle touted on “Oprah,” but the most comfortable.
5. Instant Shape by Dr. Robert Rey Convertible Strap Corset *****
$60; www.Drreyshapewear.com
Visibility: Removable bra straps make this heavy-duty shaper a cinch to wear underneath a black cotton tank top. Vertical support spines cement the top firmly in place. These spines curve when you sit but bounce back when you bounce up. The plain black style is sexy. Perfect under an open blazer.
Wiggle Room: A padded bra and three rows of hook-and-eye closures appear foreboding. But despite its heavy structure, the shaper is comfortable.
Taming the Beast: A dramatic transformation. It trims the waist, banishes back fat and creates an hourglass silhouette.
Final Verdict: The plastic surgeon-turned-E! reality show star knows a thing or two about reworking bodies. For a mere $60, it’s the winner by a belly flop.
Los Angeles Times
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