Skims launched online on September 10, 2019, a direct-to-consumer brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian with Emma and Jens Grede, after an early rename from its first working title. The first release was a 36-piece collection of bodysuits, bras, bralettes and slips, and it came in nine skin tones with sizes from XXS to 4XL. The first drop sold out within minutes. I think of that launch as the moment a quiet drawer of basics became something people talked about.

What defines the label is a short brief: comfortable shapewear that matches a range of skin tones and bodies, built from materials that compress where needed and disappear where they should. Then came the soft ribbed lounge fabrics, the fitted tanks and the stretchy wireless bras. So when someone types Skims dupes into a search bar, I read it as a wish for that smooth, skin-tone, soft-to-the-touch wardrobe from other labels. This edit is exactly that: look-alikes from other brands that share the same idea, not the original.

Start with the bodysuits, the thing the brand built its name on. I would reach for the Good American sculpting tank bodysuit in black under a knit skirt, and the Popilush square-neck one when a neckline is low. The Spanx open-bust bodysuit in soft sand runs to mid-thigh, which I like under a column dress in October. The Good American super stretch open back in white is the softest idea here, and the Honeylove tank in beige is the one for thin trousers.

The test is simple. Run your hand over the seams: if you can feel them, they will show. Check the leg openings and the thong back, and pick the shade closest to your own skin, since there is no single nude for everyone.

Soft ribbed lounge fabric is the other half of the original's story. The brand describes its modal rib as slinky to the touch, and that is the feel to hunt for in a set: drape, a little stretch, and a rib that is fine rather than chunky. The Moonlight Eco rib pajamas in blush, with a henley top and wide-leg pants, are the closest to that mood. The heather gray pair with a drawstring waist is the one I would wear for a Sunday in the house with the radiator on.

The Honeydew pieces are made from modal jersey, so they hang loose and skim rather than cling. I would take the Cloud Modal tee and pants in rose quartz for sleeping and the oatmeal shorties for warm apartments. The Papinelle Kate in sage has a button front and full-length pants, which is what I want in late October when the floor is cold.

For a set that can leave the house, the Eberjey Gisele in white rib with relaxed shorts works under a long camel coat with boots. The cropped blush Gisele sits a little dressier. The Free People ivory sleep set has side pockets, a small detail that matters.

Stretch a bit of the rib across the chest and see if it springs back. What I would skip: very thin sets in a light color if you plan to wear them as sleepwear and outerwear in one day.

Cotton rib in the original's range has what the brand calls a dry hand feel, with just enough stretch to sit close to the body. That is the quality to look for in a fitted tank: structure, so the neckline does not droop after a few wears. The Z Supply Renae rib tank in white is a neat example, and the Vuori mock neck in white reads sharper under a blazer. The rag & bone Essential rib tank in white and the Favorite Daughter black tank with a high scoop neck are the two I would layer under a cardigan on an October morning.

For something softer, the Abercrombie bra-free rib scoop tank in heather gray has the built-in support feel, and the longline seamless baby tee in white is smooth and cropped enough for high-rise jeans. The Zella crewneck in chocolate brown and the rag & bone wide string tank in tan bring a warmer neutral to the pile.

Hold the tank up to a window. A rib that stays opaque when stretched is doing its job, and a neckline that lies flat tells you the knit has some recovery. Wash cold and dry flat to keep the rib crisp.

What I would skip: a mock neck in white if the top has to go under a sheer shirt, since the seams can ghost through.

Shapewear is where the construction does the talking. Flat finishing is the thing to look for: laser-cut edges, raw-cut hems and bonded seams make for flatter transitions, and that is why seamless shorts disappear under a knit dress. The Commando Zone shorts in beige use zoned compression, and the Honeylove mid-waist shorts and the Spanx mid-thigh shaper both stay smooth at the leg.

The Yummie high-waist thigh shaper in black is my pick under a black pencil skirt. The high-waisted Commando Zone pair runs to mid-thigh with clean cut edges, and the Naomi & Nicole Sidekick has a slanted hem designed so the shaper does not show. The cream seamless slip shorts are the lightest, and the ThirdLove blush ones are made to prevent chafing, which is a gift under a skirt with tights.

Never size down. A smaller size does not smooth more, it rolls, and a garment sized to your own measurements sits quietly. Sit, bend and walk before you commit, and check that the hem stays hidden when you move.

What I would skip: firm compression for a long day of travel. Light to medium holds up when you are in the airport for hours.

The original brand built its bras and bodysuits in a stretch fabric it describes as buttery soft, with support and breathability, in a run of skin tones. Wire-free pieces in the same neutral palette are easy to find now. The Wacoal Softly Styled wireless bra in blush has lace-trimmed straps and smooth cups, and the Natori convertible-back one can go under a halter. The Honeylove SoftForm in tan has a V-neck that sits low under a shirt left open.

If you like a bralette, the Commando Butter Comfy in beige is a pullover with wide straps, made to wear under a ribbed tank. The Chantelle padded V-neck bra in nude keeps a smooth line, while the Wacoal B-Smooth in black and the Le Mystère seamless ruched-front in black give you something for dark knits. The Spanx Bra-llelujah lightly lined bralette in taupe is the gentlest of the set.

Try it with your most fitted tee. Smooth cups and flat seams under the arms mean no lines, and straps should not dig when you lift your arms. Pick a shade that matches your own skin, not the picture.

What I would skip: a padded bralette under a thin white tee, where the edge of the pad can show.

I would work from the skin outward. Pick the nude that is closest to your own, then the bodysuit or bralette in it, then a rib tank, and then a soft set for the house.

Everything here shares the same idea as the original: a smooth surface, soft stretch and neutral shades. The best way to find your pair is to test the seams, the rib and the hem, and not to chase a name. I keep a short list in my head for each category: seams you cannot feel, a rib that springs back, a hem that stays put. September 2019 gave us the brief, and the rest is just good basics. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Jewel Tone Heels And Boots and Rolex Watch Dupe.