When it comes to shapewear, we all want something that holds us in without holding us hostage. Online ads for Honeylove and Skims offer endless promises of smoothing, sculpting, and staying-put all day, but it’s impossible to know which brand actually delivers those results before actually trying them. 

Well, I did. I’ve worn shapewear from Honeylove and Skims, and I’ll share everything you need to know about my experience with both.

(If you want the TL;DR version right now, Honeylove performed better in every way.)

Comparing Honeylove and Skims:

Let’s take a quick look at both brands to see how they actually compare against one another:

Overview:	Honeylove	Skims
Product Variety	Shapewear, bras, underwear, camis, tanks, shorts, bodysuits, limited clothing	Shapewear (including specialty cuts), bras, underwear, camis, tanks, shorts, bodysuits, swimwear, full line of clothing for women and men
Pricing	Mid to high	Mid to high
Size Range	XS to 4X	XXS to 4X
Return/Exchanges	30 days on non-clearance items; free within US	90-days: returns only, no exchanges
Shipping	Free within US on orders over $100	Free on orders over $75 within the US

Although Skims offers a LOT in terms of clothing options, when you’re looking for effective shapewear pieces that will provide the comfortable all-day support you need on your wedding day, Honeylove comes out on top. 

My Experience With Honeylove Shapewear

My absolute favorite piece for all-day wear when I need gentle shaping is the Low-Back Bodysuit from Honeylove because it’s easy to slip into, I don’t need to wear a bra or underwear with it, and it’s so comfy I feel like I’m naked beneath my clothing.

 Sizing this one was a little tricky for me, because I probably could have used a 2XL for total boob coverage, but I worried the compression would be too loose through the middle. I opted for an XL, which gives me enough support on the top while shaping the middle perfectly.

I’ve also found that I can actually wear this bodysuit over a bra when I’m not worried about having an open back:

This is my go-to shaper for a lot of the cute dresses I wear during the summer months, but it’s ideal beneath wedding gowns that don’t need extremely firm support.

On that note, Honeylove’s SuperPower Shorts provide the tightest compression of any shapewear I’ve ever tried to date (and that says a lot), but when you need maximum support and shaping through your waist, abdomen, and hips, this is the one that’ll get it done.

It’s not particularly easy to get into, in my experience, so it’s a piece that you’ll put on and not take off until the end of the day or night. This means you’re going to need to practice using the bathroom with the split gusset: I highly recommend practicing this at home first, so you can master it before the Big Day (or any day you plan to be out in the world while wearing it).

The split gusset is something that really sets Honeylove’s shapewear apart from Skims, as you’ll discover later on.

And although you might worry that you’re going to “wreck” the shapewear if you pull, tug, jump, or shimmy your way into it, you can rest assured that the SuperPower short’s construction is built to withstand some serious abuse:

The SuperPower Short is a piece of shapewear I tend to reserve for the clothing that I need the highest level of contouring beneath. Even in an all-day-wear situation, these shorts absolutely will NOT roll down on you because of the soft, flexible side boning from hip to waist.

This particular piece is one that I don’t recommend sizing down in because the compression level is pretty high and you do want to be able to breathe and eat and dance and move on your Big Day. If you’re unsure of your size, even after using the interactive quizlet on the product page, buy two in adjacent sizes and return the one that’s too large or small. Honeylove offers free returns and exchanges within the US for 30 days, so it’s really easy to do.

And of course, any shapewear you buy to wear under your dress should be brought with you to any and all fittings.

 Pros & Cons of Honeylove

Although I’m a huge fan of Honeylove, it does have some pros and cons to consider before you buy.

Pros:

• Each product lists the support (compression) level so you can use that to gauge which ones will provide the amount you need
• Sizes range from XS to 4X
• An interactive quizlet (Find My Size) is available on every product page to help you select the correct size if you’re at all unsure
• Shipping is free on orders over $100 within the US
• Offers free returns/exchanges within the US (aside from Final Sale/clearance items)
• Products that have a crotch have a hygiene sticker across the gusset that you remove yourself. (Do not remove this until you’re sure you’re keeping the item; this sticker and the tags must be in place to process returns or exchanges.)
• Product photos feature a wide variety of model sizes so you can get a clearer sense of how things look and fit on different body shapes and types

Cons:

• Not all products are available in the full size range
• Some products have limited “skin tone” colors available
• Does not currently offer strapless bras/bodysuits or waist-only shapers
• Some high-compression options can be pretty difficult to put on, although that’s typical of shapewear

My Experience With Skims Shapewear

Right off the bat, I loved how many “skin tone” shades were offered in most shapewear products at Skims. From pale to deep, those included Sand, Mica, Clay, Ochre, Sienna, Jasper, and Cocoa.

This is especially important when you’re seeking shapewear that will be invisible beneath white or ivory dresses. Depending on the material of your wedding gown, stark-white bras, underwear, and shapers can be visible in certain light or with camera flash… and that’s not a discovery you want to make after the pictures are developed.

Although I was equally impressed by the amount of clothing offered by Skims, their shapewear really didn’t live up to Honeylove’s. At all.

I purchased the Sheer Sculpt Open-Bust Bodysuit in “clay,” which is a soft beige shade that looked closest to my skin tone.

The bodysuit is extremely comfortable, I’ll give it that much. It went on very easily and fits me perfectly, but it doesn’t really do much as far as shaping and support. If I had to describe the support level in a way that paints the clearest picture for you, it’s basically like pantyhose across your waist, abdomen, and hips.

And not even control-top pantyhose… just regular, run-of-the-mill pantyhose.

The compression is almost nonexistent. The bodysuit shaper is smooth against your skin but doesn’t actually smooth the lumps or bumps you might be trying to minimize under your clothing.

I think if you need only the barest minimum support and compression, the Skims bodysuit might be okay, but there’s one major issue I need to warn you about if you’re considering it.

Since it’s a bodysuit, you’ve got typical shoulder straps holding the whole thing up, but there’s no split or open gusset at the crotch. That area is entirely closed off:

So if you’re wearing this under your wedding gown (or anything else, for that matter), and you need to use the restroom, you’re likely gonna have to take the whole dress off just to pull the bodysuit down.

That is a huge and unnecessary hassle that you’re likely not gonna want to contend with every single time you need to pee. Being a bodysuit, I was genuinely surprised that there isn’t some kind of solution implemented for bathroom use, whether through a split gusset or snap crotch.

I mean, really.

Pros & Cons of Skims

I love how many options Skims carries, but there are pros and cons to think about based on your needs, especially if you need to exchange something.

Pros:

• Similar price point compared to Honeylove
• Sizes range from XXS to 4X
• Offers strapless and several “specialty” options (like single leg style shorts for high-cut slits)
• Provides a lot of “skin tone” shades with its shapewear products
• Carries a full line of casual wear for women and men, including swimwear
• Free shipping within the US on orders over $75

Cons:

• The shapewear isn’t very shaping… it feels more like pantyhose from top to bottom and doesn’t target specific areas at all
• Bodysuit shapers don’t have split or open gussets, so you have to pull the whole thing down in order to use the restroom
• Although returns can be processed for 90 days, they have no exchange process in place; to “exchange” something, you need to return the product and place a new purchase, which is a bit of a hassle AND extra expense until the return is processed
• Product photos are predominately very thin models so it’s difficult to get a sense for how the shapewear looks (or even supports) on a variety of body types

The Final Verdict

I’m not gonna lie: I love that Skims carries so much apparel in the size range it does, for women and men.

But when it comes to effective shapewear, especially for your wedding day, Honeylove is where it’s at. Whether you need light- to mid-support, or maximum compression that balances contouring with comfort, the pieces you’ll find at Honeylove are high-quality, built to last, and will not roll down no matter how you move your body throughout the day or night.
Which means you can dance to your heart’s content at the reception and celebrate your Big Day feeling confident and comfortable.