Why Indian Women Are Finally Ditching Uncomfortable Shapewear for All-Day Comfort

If you’ve ever spent an entire day in shapewear, you know exactly what we’re talking about. That moment when you finally get home and peel it off? Pure relief. But here’s the thing—more and more Indian women aren’t waiting until the end of the day anymore. They’re simply not buying shapewear in the first place.

The Hidden Cost of Shapewear

Let’s be honest about what shapewear actually does to your body. Sure, it might smooth out a few bumps under that fitted dress, but at what cost? Try wearing it from 9 AM to 9 PM and you’ll understand. Your ribs ache from restricted breathing. Your skin develops red marks that take hours to fade. And trying to use the bathroom while wearing one of those full-body pieces? It’s practically an athletic event.

A friend once couldn’t eat lunch properly at work because her shapewear was so tight. She’d sit at her desk, nibbling on a sandwich, feeling bloated and uncomfortable for hours afterward. That’s when she realized something had to change.

The Body Positivity Movement Takes Hold

Something interesting started happening on Indian social media around 2020-2021. Women began posting about ditching their uncomfortable innerwear. Not influencers selling products—just regular women sharing their experiences. Comments sections filled up with others saying “I thought I was the only one!” These conversations matter because they break the silence around something women have quietly endured for years.

What Doctors Are Saying

Dermatologists have started seeing more patients with skin problems directly linked to tight shapewear—rashes, fungal infections, and irritation from constant friction. Gastroenterologists mention digestive issues. General physicians talk about circulation problems, especially in women who wear shapewear during long commutes or desk jobs. When your doctor tells you to stop wearing something, maybe it’s time to listen.

The Evolution of Shapewear and Bras

Walk into any innerwear store today and the variety of types of bra available is genuinely impressive. There are bralettes for minimal structure, T-shirt bras without underwires that still provide shape, and sports bras with such good design that women wear them under regular clothes.

This is where brands like Underneat come into the picture. They’ve made it their mission to create bras and shapewear that don’t feel like punishment. Instead of designing products that force your body into a different shape, they work with your natural form.

Better Fabrics Make All the Difference

Remember those old bras made from fabric that felt like sandpaper after a few washes? Thankfully, those days are ending. Modern fabrics breathe and stretch when you move. Cotton blends keep you cool during Mumbai’s humid summers. Modal fabric feels soft even after months of regular use. Underneat pays attention to these details, understanding that in India, you might move between air-conditioned offices and sweltering heat multiple times a day.

Why What’s Underneath Matters

Here’s something that doesn’t get discussed enough: what you wear underneath your clothes affects your entire day. When you’re constantly adjusting your bra strap or trying to discreetly pull down shapewear that’s riding up, you’re not fully present in whatever else you’re doing. Women are finally acknowledging this. Sales of comfortable innerwear have jumped while traditional shapewear sales have dropped.

Indian Brands Understanding Indian Needs

International brands dominated the Indian innerwear market for decades, but they didn’t really understand Indian bodies, climates, or needs. Underneat specifically designs for Indian women. Their size ranges actually reflect how Indian women are built—not just scaled versions of Western sizing. They test their products in Indian conditions and make changes based on customer feedback.

The pandemic did something unexpected to the innerwear industry. When millions of women started working from home, they stopped wearing uncomfortable bras and shapewear. And guess what? Work still got done. Then offices started reopening, and many women faced a choice: go back to the old discomfort, or find comfortable alternatives. Most chose the latter.

Rethinking Special Occasions

Wedding season shapewear sales used to be predictable, but that’s changing. Fashion stylists increasingly recommend properly fitted blouses over shapewear-and-ill-fitting-blouse combinations. Underneat recognized this shift. Their shapewear doesn’t try to shrink you three sizes smaller—it offers gentle smoothing and support so you can actually enjoy the wedding.

Shapewear for Saree: A Different Approach

The saree presents unique challenges that Western outfits don’t. That six yards of fabric draped just so requires the right foundation, which is why shape wear for saree has been a staple in Indian women’s wardrobes for generations. Traditional petticoats and body shapers promised to create the perfect silhouette under silk and chiffon, but often at the cost of comfort.

Here’s what women who wear sarees regularly know: you’re already managing pleats, pallus, and pins. The last thing you need is shapewear that digs into your waist or makes it difficult to sit through a puja or family function. Modern alternatives focus on gentle support rather than compression—think well-fitted petticoats with comfortable waistbands and seamless options that won’t show through sheer fabrics. Underneat’s approach to shapewear for saree emphasizes breathable materials and designs that allow you to sit, stand, and move naturally throughout long events, because looking good shouldn’t mean suffering in silence.

Climate-Smart Solutions

India isn’t one climate—it’s dozens. The types of bra that work perfectly in Bangalore’s pleasant weather will have you sweating in Chennai. Smart brands develop different products for different needs. Underneat offers lightweight, breathable options for hot, humid conditions, while their fuller-coverage styles suit cooler months.

Shopping Smarter

Shopping for innerwear used to involve guesswork. Now women measure themselves properly, read dozens of reviews, and look at photos showing how products look on real bodies. Underneat supports this with comprehensive sizing guides and prominently displayed customer reviews—including the less-than-perfect ones.