SPANX vs Maidenform: which will come out on top? Maidenform pieces certainly come at a lower price point, but how do they measure up against the most iconic of shapewear brands, SPANX?
The season of celebration calls for confidence, and the right shapewear can make all the difference to your Christmas party outfits. But with SPANX's premium price tags and Maidenform's decades of expertise dating back to 1922, which brand deserves your investment? We're examining fit, function and finesse to reveal which one delivers the smoothing and support you're looking for this festive season.
When you think about the shapewear, chances are you think of SPANX. It is, after all, the brand that was responsible for kick-starting the shapewear revolution back in 2000. Unfortunately, the best shapewear from a brand this iconic doesn’t come cheap.
While their premium pieces typically come with higher price tags - ranging from £26 for pants to £165 for a bodysuit - their Black Friday sale is now on, which offers excellent value on these investment pieces.
If their prices feel a bit steep, SPANX is far from the only shapewear brand on the market. Lingerie legend Maidenform, for example, has been quietly building an impressive collection of shaping garments, from leggings to bodysuits, at prices that significantly undercut the competition.
But can they truly deliver on comfort and control? We're putting both brands to the test to see if Maidenform might just be shapewear's best-kept secret.
Spanx vs Maidenform: The basics
SPANX vs Maidenform: SPANX
When Sara Blakely couldn't find the right undergarment to create a smooth silhouette under her white trousers, she took matters into her own hands – literally. Armed with $5,000 in savings, she cut the feet off her control top pantyhose and inadvertently sparked a shapewear revolution in 2000.
Her Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose, Power Panties and Control Top Fishnets weren't just innovative products; they were cultural game-changers. Suddenly, women everywhere had a secret weapon for confidence – heck, we would never have got that iconic Bridget Jones ‘big pants’ scene without SPANX.
SPANX are now so much more than just big pants. There's now clothing, from jeans to jackets, which uses the same technology to give you the wearer a smooth silhouette.
Best for under a dress
This medium control bodysuit provides the perfect foundation for any outfit, including the best wedding guest dresses or a sleek party dress. The plunging neckline and low back design ensure it remains hidden under various necklines, while the underwired cups deliver reliable support.
Best light control
These shaping briefs are ideal for everyday control or for smoothing your silhouette under dresses to hide a tummy. The stay-put shaping waistband provides comfortable tummy control, while minimal stitching ensures a seamless look under clothes. They're also available in a variety of colours, making a nice change from black and nude.
Best firm hold
If you want to target your tummy, these shorts are for you. Featuring bonded front panels to give you a flat stomach, these are the highest compression that SPANX offers. As they are so high waisted, they cover the whole torso, providing unparalleled support and shaping from your bra line down to your thighs.
Best for wearing with your own bra
Made from stretch-nylon with the strongest compression, this is a bodysuit that not only sculpts you, but looks pretty good doing it, thanks to the boning through the body, which gives a gorgeous cinched, hourglass shape. Available in sizes S-3XL, you can even wear one of your best bras with it.
Best waist slimmer
Featuring innovative LYCRA® FitSense technology and strategic boning, this sculpting shapewear creates an enviable hourglass silhouette with targeted compression and waist support. Ideal beneath fitted formal wear and body-conscious styles.
Best for under a top
Say goodbye to unwanted lines! This camisole creates a flawlessly smooth silhouette under even the tightest tops and jackets. It's lightweight, comfortable, and features four-way stretch material providing a strong sculpting effect.
SPANX vs Maidenform: MAIDENFORM
Long before SPANX revolutionised the shapewear scene, Maidenform was already busy reshaping the way women thought about what they wore under their clothes.
In 1922, amidst the flapper era's trend of flattening women's chests, Ida Rosenthal, her husband William, and Enid Bissett defied convention. They created the first modern bra designed to support and enhance a woman's natural shape. Initially sewn into dresses for better fit, their innovative bras soon gained immense popularity, prompting them to focus solely on underwear production. Their most significant contribution was the introduction of cup sizes (A, B, C, D) and band measurements, establishing the bra sizing system used worldwide today.
They made a push into shapewear in the 2000s, with collections like Control It! and Flexees, and now offer everything from light shaping briefs to full-body shapers.
Best for under a dress
A Maidenform bestseller, this firm-control bodysuit is perfect for your slinkiest outfits and best jumpsuits, thanks to its convenient gusset opening. With built-in bra support up to a DD cup and moisture-wicking fabric, you'll stay comfortable and confident all night long.
Best light control
With a lightweight smoothing effect, this body can be styled multiple ways - wear it alone as a vest top or as a smoothing base layer. The built-in bra provides support, while the flattering scoop neckline at both back and front works under most outfits.
Best firm hold
These shorts are a true all-rounder. They cinch your waist, flatten your tummy, and give your bottom a lift! The power mesh provides ultra-firm compression without feeling bulky, ensuring comfort all day long, whether you're wearing them under your favourite dress or a sleek trouser suit.
Best for wearing with your own bra
This unitard may not be the prettiest, but it's incredibly functional. It smooths from the bra line down to mid-thigh, eliminating any unwanted bulges, giving the best bras for back fata run for their money. The super low front allows you to wear your own bra, and the absence of hook-and-eye closures ensures maximum comfort. One Amazon reviewer even reported their previous one lasting a decade – a testament to its quality.
Best waist slimmer
Skip the bodysuit and sculpt your silhouette with this comfortable waist cincher. Its flexible boning and firm compression work together to create an hourglass shape while staying securely in place. Its anti-static fabric prevents clinging, keeping your clothes looking smooth
Best for under a top
Maidenform calls this their 'Little Black Dress' of shapewear, and it's easy to see why. Crafted from silky-soft, stretchy fabric with moisture-wicking properties, it keeps you feeling cool and confident. With light bust support and gentle tummy control, it's perfect for everyday wear.
SPANX vs Maidenform: What's the difference?
Product Range
Honestly, on surface level, there isn’t much difference between the two brands; Maidenform appears to match SPANX design-wise, albeit at a markedly cheaper price, and both brands cover the shapewear basics.
You’ll find both stock versatile pieces that form the backbone of any good lingerie drawer, such as high-waisted briefs, bodysuits, slip dresses, leggings and camisole tank tops. Both cover plus-size shapewear too.
Beyond the classics, Maidenform matches SPANX for those more technical shapewear pieces, such as waist cinchers, wear-your-own-bra (WYOB) body briefers and plunge-neck body shapers for dresses with a daring neckline.
Control
SPANX offers three different levels of compression - SPANXsmooth, SPANXshape and SPANXsculpt. The smooth range offers minimal sculpting, for a smoothing effect - think the perfect no VPL knickers! Shape offers medium compression while sculpt is the ultimate in shapewear, offering strong sculpting, so perfect for special occasions.
Like SPANX, Maidenform also categorises its shapewear pieces into control levels. Smooths is geared towards smoothing the body, shapes is for shaping, sculpts is for sculpting, while ultra sculpts control offers a power mesh, which provides ultra-firm compression without the bulk.
Side-by-side, there’s not much between the two brands here.
Design and Technical Specs
Where you begin to see the difference between the two brands is when you look at the technical elements of their shapewear.
Try comparing, for example, each brand’s most controlling garments – Maidenform’s Firm Foundations Thigh Slimmer, £42 and SPANX’s OnCore Mid-Thigh Short, £55. It’s quickly clear that that extra cost of the SPANX piece is due to its use of a higher-quality nylon material, which in turn offers a greater level of control.
Further to this, SPANX’s designs are fitted with attractive extras, each geared towards a better fit and more comfortable feel.
On the aforementioned shorts, fully-bonded front panels ensure the look of a flat, ‘tabletop’ stomach, ‘pockets’ on the rear enhance your bottom (rather than simply compressing it), and wide, edge-bonded waistbands and hemlines are added for extra comfort.
And while shapewear is never going to be the most beautiful of items, SPANX does produce products that are a little less like utilitarian compression garments and more like sleek, modern lingerie pieces.
SPANX vs Maidenform: the verdict
If you’re shopping for new shapewear, either brand is a viable option. However, SPANX does just edge ahead of Maidenform because of its functionality and technical quality – those stronger compression and shaping features do make a difference.
Despite this, Maidenform did impress us; it almost matches SPANX with its range of designs, and has proven itself to be a popular budget alternative. Want evidence? It seems to be one of the best Amazon shapewear out there right now.
On Amazon, Maidenform's High Waisted Shaping Control Knickers (from £23) have 2000 positive reviews, while the Comfort Devotion Tank Shapewear Top, (from £26.48) has racked up more than more than 1,000 four-and-five-star accolades. That alone speaks to the brand’s success.
