Corset Advertisement from 1886 in the Public Domain
Recently I found an awesome mommy/fashion blogger based out of New York: Jennifer Connelly of Two Pumps in a Purse. I love her writing style just as much as her fashion sense. She’s quirky and cute and a fellow lover of the red lippy and leopard print. Yes, we’re destined to be friends. Recently, Jennifer wrote a post about the undergarment girdle: To Spanx or Not to Spanx. Her post reminded me of the bicycle short girdles I used to wear in Beijing to not only hold me in but also keep me warm. With her prod, I have set out to revisit the girdle. I went out and bought a couple of varieties and have come to a few conclusion. With every pro there is a con and vice versa:
1. Pro: My pants are fitting me more smoothly.
Con: No matter what fitting you decide on, there will be a cutoff point. They are meant to hold you in, but unless you are in a total sausage casing there most likely will be a line where they start and end. (I’m considering compression tights as an option…)
2. Pro: I feel petite. I feel tight. I feel sucked in.
Con: Notice all the “feelings.” Regardless, skin and pouches are what they are. The girdle doesn’t make me a size smaller or anything. That’d be too good to be true!
3. Pro: I’m aware! Because I’m being held in I am naturally holding myself more upright. I consistently think about contracting my core–giving myself a subtle abdominal workout ALL. DAY. LONG! My posture is more erect. I am embracing the tight panties as a signal to be more astute with my posturing and abdominal muscles. This is a good thing.
Con: Holding in all day can get a little tiring. It is definitely not cozy feeling. Sweats at the end of the day are a definite treat!
4. Pro: I’m doubly aware. Meal times are a little different when your gut is being held in. I think twice about my meals while sitting down to eat them. I reach more often for cups of tea. As I hold in my gut and think of being tight, I’m distracted by any food cravings.
Con: It is a little uncomfortable, but this con is minor as compared to eating less. The discomfort here is a win-win!
5. Pro: Everything is snug. This provides warmth. (I’m not sure how I’d feel about all this snugness during HK’s summers!) For now, during our chill, I find the girdle cozy–in a keeping warm sort of way, not this is so comfy, cozy way.
Con: Since I tried some versions of the girdle that are more like boy shorts/panties, I always feel like my undies are riding up my butt. I’m used to wearing a thong, so I’m also a little worried about the VPL (visible panty line). This is all overrode by the smoothness of the whole rest of the region–namely my gut!
Ladies, I’ve gone SPANX shopping for you:
First off, you need to know that Bare Necesseties (the king on the Internets for all women’s under items) is having a huge sale! All clearance items are 70% off plus there’s an additional 25% off with the code “NEW25”. Check out Bare Necesseties. You’ll be amazed at what we have to help us hold it all in and up and out and….Ok, that’s enough!
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Do you already wear shapewear? Do you have a style or brand to recommend? Or does the thought of all this control topping make you cringe!?
PS Don’t you worry: I’m in my sweats as I write this, but once I get ready for work, I’ll by Spanx-ing it baby!
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