SheFinds Tries It On: The Little, Black, Slimming (Albeit Restrictive) Shape FX Dress

What: Shape FX Cap-Sleeve Control Dress, $54-59

The LBD has saved us on many an occasion, as has our trusty shapewear – for different reasons obviously. So when we found a product that combined the two, the SheFinds staff clamored for Shape FX dresses to road test. These classic-cut black dresses have built-in suction slips that claim to give you SPANX-like support in your tummy, thighs, butt, and hips. We had three of our writers try them out in varying sizes and asked them to give us feedback on three questions: does it work to suck you in, is it a dress you’d actually wear out, and is it easy to get on and off. Here are the results:

SheFindsErin:

1. I made the mistake of trying the dress on right after Thanksgiving dinner, and I never fully appreciated the phrase “poured into a dress”  until that moment. It is definitely slimming, and I get the added bonus of the dress making me hyper-conscious of walking and sitting like a lady. The curve-controlling liner does its skinnifying job so well that it has some spring left over to improve my posture.

2. I could definitely see myself wearing it to cocktail party (at least one where I don’t plan on eating or drinking too much). The neckline is very flattering and would show off sparkly jewelry really well.

3. Be prepared to hold your breath while pulling up that zipper. Aside from the extreme initial suck-in, though, it’s much less of a hassle to get in and out of than the SPANX, girdle, etc. you’d have to wear with an unlined dress to get the same sleek, curvy effect.

SheFindsRebekah:

1. I’d say this dress does more smoothing over than sucking in. It’s not a corset, but it definitely did enough figure-fixing to make me happy. Suffice it to say, I’d never wear a dress this body-conscious without a power-mesh control slip underneath – and I was perfectly confident wearing this dress.

2. It’s perfect for a night out, cocktails or dinner – anything evening-y – because the slim silhouette is sexy and the cap-sleeves and longer hem keep the tightness in check. I wouldn’t wear it to the office, though. Maybe a Bat Mitzvah. Definitely not Yom Kippur services.

3. Since it zips up the back, this dress is a dream to get on and take off; like putting your whole body into a well-fitting glove. Bathroom breaks proved more difficult, but not much more difficult. Expect to spend about 12 extra seconds tugging it back into place.

SheFindsBrynT:

1. I thought the slip worked well to keep my gym-starved mid-section and thighs sucked in. And since it’s full-body shapewear, there was no annoying waist line digging into my stomach.

2. I actually wore the dress to the office with a boyfriend cardigan, belt, and boots. I wouldn’t say it was the most comfortable work ensemble, and I definitely didn’t eat a big lunch that day, but the cap-sleeve style is versatile enough to dress up or down.

3. There were some minor issues with the ladies’ room. Unless you are taking the entire dress off, you’ll have to get used to pulling the interior slip back into position.

Do you have a product you’d like us to test out? Let us know about it in the comments section, or email us at sfeditor@shefinds.com and we’ll have SheFinds try it on!