A waist trainer is a type of shapewear designed to be tightly wrapped around one’s midsection (waist plus lower rib cage). It’s at the core of modern-day waist training or cinching, the practice of constantly wearing a constricting garment to slim down and reshape the waist (check out picking the best body shapers guide).
The roots of this practice dateback to the 1800s, when women wore corsets to make their waists appear smaller and to achieve a smooth hourglass look.
Today’s waist trainers are not as restricting as medieval corsets, but they still get the job done—some thanks to the use of latex and others by squeezing your waist into shape.
These can be worn as an undergarment for several hours each day and for an extended period (or until you reach your target waistline). Many can also be used while exercising for optimum results.