The Reviews Don't Lie: This Is the Best Tummy-Control Underwear on the Internet

A woman wears leopard-print underwear and a bra.
(Image credit: @veroocampos)
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Everyone demands something different from their lingerie; sometimes you want pretty, and other times you just want the reassurance that everything will stay in place. That's where control undies come into play. As a midpoint between panties and shapewear, they lend the body contouring of traditional shapewear with the pared-down sleekness of panties. I loathe the constrictive nature of shapewear (I openly avoid it at all costs!), so tummy-control underwear has been a godsend for me whenever my outfit requires a seamless look underneath.

Because a personal recommendation is always the best endorsement (especially when it comes to lingerie), I took to the review sections of our favorite places to discover which pairs of tummy-control underwear rise to the top. After mining hundreds of reviews (and scrolling just as many pages), we've found the best 22 pairs of control panties on the internet. Whether you're on a budget or have specific fit needs, keep scrolling ahead to find your next wardrobe solution.

What Should I Look For in Tummy-Control Underwear?

While it's important to consider the fabric quality, sustainable credentials, and brand reliability, fit is perhaps the most crucial factor when shopping for tummy-control underwear. Whether you prefer briefs or thongs, you want them to feel comfortable. What "great" means to you might differ from someone else. You might prefer a thicker waistband that hugs your midriff in all the right places, or a softer, more flexible style with a bit of stretch that feels like a second skin under a tight dress. Of course, the challenge with tummy-control underwear is that they fit every body differently and can squeeze the waist, hips, or butt in unique ways.

Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognizable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality, and real-world wearability.

We regularly try pieces ourselves, including everything from best-selling jeans to designer shoes; speak to external experts and fashion insiders; and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Indya Brown
Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter where she started working at Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her work at Who What Wear, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times.