Let me start by saying this shapewear is NOT for the faint of heart. The first time I squeezed into it, I genuinely questioned my life choices. The ultra-firm compression is no joke – it instantly sucked in my post-holiday belly like magic, but breathing? That became an Olympic sport.

Where this shines: That front zipper is a godsend compared to other shapewear I've wrestled with. The split gusset makes bathroom trips possible without completely undressing – crucial for long events. I wore it under a bodycon dress to a wedding and got multiple 'Did you lose weight?' comments.

The chafing issue is real though. After 4 hours of wear, my inner thighs felt like they'd been rubbed with sandpaper. Pro tip: Apply body glide or wear very thin bike shorts underneath (sacrifices the easy bathroom access though).

Size up if between sizes! I normally wear Medium but had to exchange for Large – the rib compression was borderline painful in my usual size. The high waist does tend to roll down unless tucked firmly under a bra.

Final verdict? It's my special occasion secret weapon when I need maximum shaping, but I wouldn't recommend for all-day wear unless you enjoy feeling like a tightly wrapped sausage.