Shapewear is underwear made to hold your body in and make the outline under your clothes look smoother or slimmer. It is firm, often stretchy, and sits close to the skin — a vest, shorts, or a full slip. People wear it under a dress or tight clothes. Shops sell it as a modern, softer cousin of the old girdle. Though actually, it does not change your bones; it only presses the soft parts for a few hours. Some people find it helpful for a photograph or a formal night; some find it uncomfortable and skip it.