SKIMS, in case you’re unfamiliar, is Kim Kardashian’s best-selling fashion brand. When Kim first dreamed up the concept with co-founder Emma Grede back in 2019, it was all about shapewear solutions. And while these genius pieces are still at the core of the brand, SKIMS also now offers cosy loungewear and pyjamas, great underwear, a maternity collection plus has recently expanded into swimwear too. Is there any corner of the market Kim K can’t conquer? We think not.
Yep, there’s no denying the business’ success. As well as finding its way into the closets of every member of the Kardashian Jenner family (more on that below), campaigns with the biggest names of the moment have proved its celeb standing. We’re talking collabs with the likes of Lana Del Rey, Nicola Coughlan, Charli XCX and The White Lotus stars Beatrice Grannò and Simona Tabasco.
As for how it stands up IRL? It comes Fashion Editor-approved and one customer even claimed her SKIMS bodysuit saved her life.
Where to buy SKIMS UK?
Although SKIMS was obvs first established over in the US, thankfully it has never been easier to get your hands on your fave shapewear pieces, even if you’re across the pond in the UK. The brand’s own website ships internationally if you want the full range, but selected products are also available online at Net-a-Porter, Selfridges, Harrods and SSENSE.
What are the best SKIMS UK pieces to shop?
If you’re wanting to invest for the first time but aren’t sure where to start amongst the brand’s many categories, or perhaps you’re looking to expand your ever-growing collection but need a little reassurance you’re investing in the right pieces, we’ve got you covered. From the much-talked-about launches – nipple bra, anyone? – to the sell-out styles, keep scrolling to shop the best of SKIMS according to the Cosmopolitan Fashion Team.
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SKIMS Fits Everybody High Neck Bodysuit
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SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Mid Thigh Short
SKIMS Fits Everybody High-waisted Thong
DOLCE & GABBANA x SKIMS
In the latest exciting news from SKIMS HQ comes a highly anticipated collaboration with none other than Dolce & Gabbana. Kim has worked with the Italian fashion house for years now, even co-curating the spring/summer 2023 collection shown during Milan Fashion Week. But the relationship also extends to her family, with Kim’s older sister Kourtney Kardashian wearing a number of D&G looks, including her wedding dress, throughout her and husband Travis Barker’s wedding weekend.
The Kardashians fans will no doubt remember an argument between the two sisters in which Kourtney accused Kim of stealing her wedding aesthetic for the collection, with Kim retorting that Kourtney stole her wedding country, iconically saying, “I got married in Italy. Am I saying you copied me by getting married in Italy?”
As such, it’s only fitting the duo star in the campaign together, serving la dolce vita in a selection of leopard print lingerie.
The limited edition collection launches on the SKIMS site on Tuesday 19 November, so be sure to check out the full new range then.
The Nipple Bra
The launch of the iconic Nipple bra (yup, you read that right) got us all hyped up last year. Kim K spotted a serious gap in the market with this. As I am sure any bigger bewbed gal will tell you, we are hella jealous of those in the itty bitty titty committee (or with seriously perky boobs) that get to rock baby tees braless. I mean, who hasn’t watched Friends and lusted over Rachel’s seriously ‘90s looks sans underwear? Guilty.
And it’s not just for those with larger busts either. SKIMS’ nipple bra may just be its most inclusive lingerie drop yet. Lots of fans took to social media to support the new product, appreciating it gives those who have had mastectomies, reconstructive or gender-affirming surgery a chance to feel welcome in the underwear sphere.
As far as construction goes, the nipple bra does what it says on the tin: it is a reinvention of the brand’s latest Ultimate Push-up Bra that features teardrop-shaped cups for natural-looking roundness and cleavage without spillage, with the addition of a built-in, faux nipple for a perky braless look. We’re sold.
The Ultimate Bra
If you’re not sold on the nipples out trend, the SKIMS OG Ultimate bra might be a bit of you. Last summer, the brand brought back the Noughties push-up bra trend with its release of the Ultimate bra, combining fashion with function.
We thought we had seen the back of this divisive trend – and we’d been totally relishing living in comfier bralettes and lil’ lacy numbers recently. Seriously, the prospect of suffocating underwires and OTT padding that traditionally comes with wearing push-up styles low-key fills us with dread.
But leave it to SKIMS to create lingerie to rival our beloved, go-to T-shirt bras and put the push-up back on our radar. Making it a pleasant and comfortable experience, no less. As Kim K herself describes it, “It’s kinda like a boob job in a bra.”
Honestly, sign us up! But if you need some more convincing, we’ve looked into the science too. Basically, push-up bras of the past usually have one large foam pad that ultimately causes too much lift to your boobs and compresses them. But thankfully, SKIMS’ Ultimate Bra is engineered with tapered padding to give your chest a naturally rounded teardrop shape instead.
If the bra’s lifting, sculpting and smoothing abilities weren’t enough, the new wonder product is also available in a hella inclusive size range (32A to 44D) and caters to a wide range of skin tones with 10 core colourways.
SKIMS Teardrop push-up bra
SKIMS Teardrop push-up bra
SKIMS Teardrop push-up bra
Is SKIMS UK or Spanx better?
While there are plenty of shapewear options out there on the market, Spanx has been the most ubiquitous name in the game since its launch in 2000. With countless references in TV, film and pop culture, this brand is top of mind for many women looking for supportive undergarments.
But which brand is best? Tbh, it comes down to personal preference. Oprah named Spanx one of her new favourite things when the brand launched, and other celebrity Spanx fans include Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba.
In terms of price, SKIMS UK shaping shorts range from £34 to £96, varying based on compression level. Net-a-Porter’s Spanx shorts selection goes from £46 to £222. (It’s worth noting, the £222 pair includes interior boning for the highest level of control, and a built-in corset. Most other items are comparably priced across both brands.)
Both labels offer maternity items, various levels of compression, shorts, underwear and bodysuits. And neither brand has limited itself to just sculpting garments – both have lifestyle ranges as well, like activewear.
SKIMS UK, however, has a wider size and colour range in many products. Plus, its “solution short,” which features one longer leg and one cropped leg, to wear with thigh-high slit dresses, feels very modern. Kim has spoken before about that all-too-familiar scenario of needing the loo while wearing shapewear on a night out, but finding it impossible to peel off in a hurry, so many of her SKIMS shorts have a crotch opening as a solution. Genius.
Do the Kardashians actually wear SKIMS?
The Kardashian-Jenner clan are all about supporting each other’s (many) businesses. Naturally, the sisters have been spotted in SKIMS a lot over the years. Kylie has shared selfies on Instagram wearing the Cotton Jersey Triangle Bralette and the Cozy Knit Pant before. Kendall is no stranger to sharing selfies decked out in the brand. Kourtney posed in a SKIMS campaign with Megan Fox, modelling the Essential T-shirt Bodysuit and pieces from the Cotton Collection and Khloé has previously stunned in a brown strapless catsuit by the brand. So in short: yes, yes they do.
But which ones are the founder’s favourites to get that famously snatched waistline? Kim told American retailer Nordstrom, “My go-to shapewear piece is the Sculpting Short. I wear it under everything, especially tight dresses and skirts, where I want super smooth lines. The Sculpting Bodysuit is also an essential.”
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Rosie Davenport is an Ecommerce Writer at Cosmopolitan UK and Red Online, covering fashion, beauty and travel reviews, as well as major sales events such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Rosie has reviewed everything from Reformation dresses to the latest massage guns and knows the new brands to bookmark as well as the latest trends to follow. Before this role, Rosie was a Fashion Ecommerce Writer on publications including ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar and Good Housekeeping for nearly two years, and gained a MA from Central Saint Martins in Fashion Journalism in 2021, focussing on the rise (and rise) of fashion podcasting. Rosie has also worked at The Times, been a sub editor at The Mail on Sunday’s weekly YOU magazine and produced in-depth retail reports for the trend forecasting agency WGSN. Her career highlight? Previewing Prada’s AW21 menswear show in the depths of lockdown and interviewing Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons from her bedroom. Outside of work, Rosie can be found rummaging through vintage shops or getting lost in one of London’s iconic department stores. You can follow Rosie on Instagram @rosie.davenport
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!