There’s more pressure on men’s bodies today than ever before, especially after 20 years of superhero movies dominating the box office – each with a thirsty shirtless scene more gratuitous than the last.
Nowadays it feels like nearly every male icon is completely jacked, has zero percent body fat, and has rock hard pecs where the rest of us have man boobs.
And it’s not just young guys or professional athletes, either. Hugh Jackman was 45 years old when he got completely shredded for X-Men: Days of Future Past, where the picture featured here is from.
Hell, even Jim Halpert got jacked! How the hell are average guys supposed to compete, when the quintessential regular-guy-who-got-the-girl now has an eight pack and biceps that could crack a walnut?
For those of us who don’t have movie studios financing our fitness regimens and personal training sessions, one answer is men’s shapewear.
While it might not give you a six pack or a six-picture deal with Marvel, the best pieces of shapewear for men can help your physique look a little more fit, without forcing you to stoop as low as making a Michael Bay movie.
(Take that, Halpert. Boom—roasted.)
In this post I’ll round up 15 of the best men’s shapewear pieces on the market and introduce you to some of the men’s body shapers that will help you cut svelte, sharp and slimmer appearance.
(Note that each of these is available on Amazon, where you can also get free shipping if you have Prime.)
Spanx for Men? You Bet Your (Nicely Compressed) Ass
Breaking Down the Best Mens Shapewear Pieces
Overall Best Mens Body Shaper
Spanx for Men Zoned Performance Compression Crew Neck
Features:
- 4.5 Stars on Amazon
- 172 ratings
- Available in black or white
- Made from a nylon/spandex blend
Advantages:
In addition to being one of the most popular lines of womens shapewear, Spanx also makes some excellent pieces for men.
Their “zoned compression” crew neck is easily one of the best compression shirts on the market, and one of Amazon’s best sellers.
As one reviewer put it: “Worth every penny… You can’t help but feel like a male model with this shirt under your clothes.”
In this case, “zoned” refers to the various compression zones, meaning that different levels of compression are applied to your abs, torso and chest as needed.
The under arms and back consist of what Spanx calls their “Breatheasy™” zones, meaning they wick moisture and allow for maximum mobility.
Upper Body Men’s Shapewear
Rounding Up the Best Men’s Compression Shirts
Alignmed Posture Compression Undershirt
Features:
- 4.1 Stars on Amazon
- 132 ratings
- Available in black or white
- Polyester/spandex blend
Advantages:
Alignmed’s Posture Shirt is a heavy duty men’s compression shirt.
This is the type of shapewear that’s designed to help correct posture and increase both mobility and range of motion.
It features vented mesh panels that allow for breathability and what Alignmed calls “NeuroBands,” which are meant to activate and stimulate specific muscle groups.
Esteem Apparel Original Max Men’s Slimming Chest & Body Shaper
Features:
- 4.3 Stars on Amazon
- 278 ratings
- Available in black or white
- Retains compression elasticity
Advantages:
The first slimming shirt on this list to come in more of a tank top style, this compression top from Esteem Apparel comes in black and white, so you can wear it under pretty much any color shirt.
It will help your stomach look flatter, your waist look slimmer and your back look stronger, by helping your upper body look more in line with “the golden ratio.”
Spanx for Men Slimming Compression Tank Top
Features:
- 4.4 Stars on Amazon
- 484 ratings
- Available in black or white
Advantages:
This cotton compression tank top will firm up your chest, help flatten your stomach and even improve your posture by supporting your lower back.
Spanx makes some even more compressive shapewear for guys who want some help shaping their full upper bodies (like the compression t-shirt featured above), but what I like about tank tops is that they’re easy to conceal under your clothes.
No matter what type of sweater, shirt or outer layer you’re wearing, with a tank top the shapewear should stay hidden, even if you want to leave a few buttons undone.
Copper Compression Long Sleeve Men’s Recovery Shirt
Features:
- 4.4 Stars on Amazon
- 133 ratings
- Constructed with 85% copper-infused nylon
Advantages:
Copper Compression’s long sleeve compression shirt is designed to help support stiff and sore muscles, but will also help you cut a slim and slender physique, especially if you size down when ordering. (The brand actually specifically recommend sizing down at least one size from whatever your normal shirt size would be.)
The long sleeves mean your entire upper body will be compressed, making this a great piece to wear next time you want to look a little trimmer while wearing a suit.
Spanx Zoned Performance Compression V- Neck
Features:
- 4.3 Stars on Amazon
- 238 ratings
- Available in black or white
- V-neck dips below collar bone
Advantages:
The v-neck version of the Spanx Zoned Performance compression almost got my vote for the overall piece of best mens shapewear.
But v-necks can be somewhat polarizing among menswear aficionados, and in the end I chickened out thought that the crew neck was more universal.
Nonetheless, this version of male Spanx is made from the same good quality material as the crew neck version featured above, and might actually be preferred by guys who like to keep their compression tops completely out of sight.
Men’s Shapewear for Your Core
Five of The Best Men’s Girdles
Leo Slimming Compression Body Shaper
Features:
- 4 Stars on Amazon
- 380 ratings
- Available in black or white
- 79% Polyamide, 21% Elastane
Advantages:
Leo’s men’s girdle is a waist cincher that’s designed to provide moderate compression in the upper, middle and lower parts of your abdomen and waist, while also providing excellent back support.
It comes with a double layer of Leo’s “DuraFit” material, which is designed to be soft and light, so it’ll be comfortable under your clothes.
The Amazon reviews suggest you may want to size down on this one. Here’s one that was fairly typical of the reviews I read:
“They fit great. I needed one for a wedding to tuck in my extra pounds and this worked so well… More importantly though, they’re great for ALL men to wear when working out. They help shed excess water weight, plus they provide support under your work out clothes, particularly when doing cardio.”
Wonderience Mens Belly Girdle Body Shaper
Features:
- 4 Stars on Amazon
- 120 ratings
- 92% Polyester, 8% Spandex
- High waist to compress belly fat
Advantages:
Made from 92% polyester and 8% spandex, this men’s girdle from Wonderience is comfortable and breathable.
This compression body suit features a double layer around the waist, which will help to flatten your abdomen, and hold in any spare tires you might be carrying in your belly, love handles or any other core body areas.
Optlove Men’s Tummy Control Shapewear
Features:
- 4 Stars on Amazon
- 997 ratings
- Available in black, white or blue
- 88% Nylon, 12% Spandex
Advantages:
I know, I know: the phrase “Tummy Control” doesn’t exactly fill me with inspiration either.
But with four stars on Amazon after nearly 1,000 ratings, this men’s body shaper from Optlove is clearly doing something right when it comes to compression.
In addition to being a compression body suit, it’s also designed to be extra thin and lightweight, so you can wear it year round.
Kocles Men High Waist Slimming Body Shaper Compression
Features:
- 3.6 Stars on Amazon
- 153 ratings
- Only available in black
- 88% Nylon, 12% Spandex
Advantages:
Also made from a mix of nylon and spandex, this men’s girdle from Kocles is similar in style and a little bit cheaper than the Optlove high waist trainers above, though not quite as well reviewed.
(Maybe it’s because this one only offers one color option?)
Farmacell 405 Men’s Waist Control Belt
Features:
- 3.5 Stars on Amazon
- 1,198 ratings
- Available in black or white
- 85% Nylon, 15% Elastane
- Made in Italy
Advantages:
Offering a slightly different style of core compression than the other men’s girdles and body shapers on this list, Farmacell’s shaping band sits right on your waist rather than having built in shorts that extend beneath it.
Lower Body Men’s Shapewear
The Best Men’s Compression Shorts
Leo Butt Enhancement/Lifting Performance Underwear
Features:
- 3.4 Stars on Amazon
- 91 ratings
- Removable pads
Advantages:
The first time you pull these bad boys over your legs, you’ll realize these aren’t your average boxer briefs.
Leo’s butt-enhancing performance underwear is designed to naturally enhance and lift your butt (giving the impression that you’ve done a few more squats than you actually have).
It includes removable padding on the glutes, which increases both the comfort and appearance of your backside.
2(X)IST Men’s Essential Cotton Contour Pouch Brief
Features:
- 4 Stars on Amazon
- 22 ratings
- 80% Cotton, 20% Spandex
- Original contour pouch for boost and support
Advantages:
These compression shorts from 2(X)IST provide shape for both your legs and waist all at once. Made from a blend of cotton and spandex, they’re designed to provide support for your lower back while simultaneously giving you the appearance that you’ve lost two inches off your waistline.
DoLoveY Men Butt Lifter Shapewear
Features:
- 3.5 Stars on Amazon
- 347 ratings
- Available in multiple colors and styles
- 90% polyester, 10% spandex
Advantages:
Fellas, let’s not beat around the butt bush: Available in both black and white and in three different styles – the boxer briefs shown here, high-waisted boxer briefs that provide waist cinching and straight briefs – these are for enhancing everything you keep stored in your boxer briefs.
Leo Butt Enhancement/Lifting Briefs
Features:
- 4 Stars on Amazon
- 126 ratings
- Available in black or white
Advantages:
These are essentially the tighty whitey version of the Leo butt-enhancing boxer briefs featured above.
Briefs may not be the most attractive men’s underwear option (at least not according to many women), but a lot of guys think they’re more comfortable.
So if you want the butt-enhancing benefits without the excess fabric running down your quads, these are the perfect choice.
Go Beyond the Best Mens Body Shaper
Spanx for men can provide a strong base—now learn what to layer over top
Now that you know which men’s body shapers constitute the best shapewear for men, you’ll know how to cut a svelte physique underneath your clothes.
But the key word there is “underneath.” While rocking some Spanx for men can help you cut a slimmer profile, making a strong and stylish impression has a lot to do with the clothes that people can actually see – and how you wear them.
If you want to present your most stylish self to the world, the (handsome) devil is in the details. Fortunately, you don’t have to look very far to find the nine details that are most important to putting your best face forward.
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More Fitness, Health & Men’s Style Advice from Irreverent Gent:
- The Best Cheap Workout Clothes for Men
- How to Start – and Stick to – a Workout Plan
- Scared to Go to the Gym? How to Get Over Gymtimidation
- The Best Shorts for Men
- The Absolute Best Men’s Sweatpants and Joggers
- The Best Mens Underwear Types and Styles
