Magic underwear - 6 great buys

Body beautiful

Create the perfect shape with our expert\'s guide to the best shapewear products

For a nipped-in waist

For a fabulous Nigella-in-Vivienne-Westwood silhouette, GMTV\'s Mark Heyes recommends, ‘Embrace those curves ladies! Aristoc\'s retro-style Waist Cincher, has firm control panels that define the waist and create an hourglass shape. All your outfits will look amazing.\'

Bodytoners Hourglass Waist Cincher, £24, s-xl, Aristoc 

For a pert bum

‘We\'ve been impressed by the Trinny and Susannah range,\' enthuses Maria Walker, chief lingerie fitter, John Lewis, ‘The material is slightly thicker so it offers lots of extra support.\' For the ultimate bottom lift, ‘The Bum Tum and Thigh Reducer ensures lift, shape and firmness all over. The section at the back is specifically designed to lift bottoms making them look instantly pert.\'

Bum Tum and Thigh Reducer, £33, s- xxl, Trinny and Susannah at John Lewis 

For trim thighs

Much as we love Sports Personality of the Year, Chris Hoy, we don\'t want his bulging thighs, thank you very much. Sue Pickering, Head of Buying Marks & Spencer, suggests, ‘Our magic wear is seam free and the ‘waist shaper and thigh slimmer\' gives a toned silhouette. It\'s good for people looking for total body definition.\'

Magic firm control waist shaper & thigh slimmer, £35, 10-22, Marks & Spencer 

For a flat tummy

‘Spanx Power Panties\' really do work wonders,\' says Maria Walker from John Lewis, ‘They do all the hard work for you. The high waist smoothes your entire waistline, and they slim your tummy, thighs and rear, as well as giving you a seamless shape under clothes.\'

Spanx Power Panties, £26, 10-18, John Lewis 

For a fuller bust

‘Get a good bra and go cleaveage-tastic,\' says Mark Heyes, GMTV.  This Superboost bra helps to enhance cleavage and create a well-defined shape; it\'s a multi-way bra that \'lifts and sculpts in all the right places\', and if it\'s good enough for Cheryl Cole...

Superboost bra, 326, 32A-36G, Gossard 

For a smoother silhouette

Gwyneth Paltrow wore two pairs of Spanx pants to enhance her shape after the birth of daughter, Apple, fortunately Kirtsy Robb, garment technologist, from Simply Yours, has a more straightforward alternative, ‘Gok Wan\'s Divine Outline is a ‘power mesh\' lined underslip that provides all over smoothing, and it\'s Gok\'s favourite piece in the collection.\'

Gok Wan\'s Divine Outline, £45, 8-32, Simply Yours 

To find out how best to sculpt your body with underwear, click here for more expert advice