I have tried a LOT of shapeware. Many disasters. Some make me look like i have more rolls than I do without them...
With the high-waisted ones, you have to hoist those suckers up so it meets your bra line and somehow prevent it from sliding down. Otherwise you end up with a big ol' roll between the bands. To the OP: Did yours come with a way to attach to your bra? Or to otherwise stay up? My high-waisted Spanx has some attachment to the bra, and my newest one has some ridiculous straps that go all the way up (like suspenders made out of bra-strap material) and I haven't tried that yet, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
I often wear a thigh-slimmer (high- or low-waisted) WITH a camisole for double power!
I have had the best success for the money with
Flexees (by Maidenform - available lots of places, including sporadically at Ross and sometimes Costco). Here is what I own: (I have finally ditched all the ones that didn't work)
Tank top - love them so much. I pretty much wear them every day. I have several of these. $7 if you can find them at Ross. The torso portion is serious "shapeware material" but the bust portion is just a layer of fabric so it doesn't compress your boobs.
High-waist thigh slimmer (just purchased at Costco for $15. GREAT, except it is really, really hard to pull up - the band that goes under the bra feels like it is going to snap when it is going over my butt.)
Leggings (also purchased at Costco - LAST YEAR - I wish I had bought more. I practically live in them in the winter - under skirts. These are getting worn out from use)
I do have some Spanx that I purchased years ago - at a very high price - and they are still going strong. I used to wear the
regular-waisted thigh slimmer (don't know if that is the exact one since mine is old) under almost everything. My only complaint is that it digs a bit at the thigh and gives me "thigh-roll"
under clingy slacks or skirts.
I wear the super-duper
high-waisted thigh slimmer with the pee-hole (VERY awkward) when I have a really fancy dress to wear. It is a total pain but works really well to keep everything contained.