Shapewear

[justilou]

Ladies and Gentlemen - Introducing a NEW (And much needed) FORUM!!!

SHAPEWEAR - Spanx, Nancy Gantz, Girdles, Corsets, Scaffolding etc.
Please rate and review -

Comfort
Durability
Cost
Effectiveness
Sexiness (Please respect the TMI boundary, though!)
Fabrics, colours, styles, etc
Anything else that comes to mind

We would be grateful for your experiences.

(Nothing pervy, please!!!)

[Ann2]

Good for you!

I'll copy here some links from the earlier Nanna Knickers thread:

Welcome to Spanx.com the Official Site of Spanx by Sara Blakely

Vedette Shapewear Bodyshaper Corset Girdle Lingerie Body Shaper

Products in Shapewear Trouble Area, Shapewear Control on A Brief Affair

Slimming Jeans for Women | Jeggings, Leggings, Bootcut, Wide Leg - Miraclebody

Lipo in a Box Shapewear

[justilou]

Lipo in a Box......

SERIOUSLY???

[justilou]

The Oracle (Ann2) has shared some links to shape wear sites, and I am going to research some reviews!



Welcome to Spanx.com the Official Site of Spanx by Sara Blakely

Vedette Shapewear Bodyshaper Corset Girdle Lingerie Body Shaper

Products in Shapewear Trouble Area, Shapewear Control on A Brief Affair

Slimming Jeans for Women | Jeggings, Leggings, Bootcut, Wide Leg - Miraclebody

Lipo in a Box Shapewear

[Ann2]

Check out the Vedette Butt Enhancers.

Marginally pervy. But what I want to know is do they actually work? Or are they just embarrassing?

Open Bottom Mid thigh Shaper

[justilou]

They're bloody funny.... That's what they are! Frightfully uncomfortable too, I imagine! The name says it all.... Open Bottom Mid Thigh Shaper. Riding whip ready?

[kleb42]

I used to work in the lingerie dept for Nordstrom, and we sold butt enhancers! They were kind of awesome!

[edubb99]

To be honest, most of my days are shapewear-free. I did buy 2 "shaping" tank tops from Wal-Mart, but got them a size larger for comfort. I've worn one once under a shirt only because my other cami wasn't clean. While it does provide a nice slim silhouette, it's really not much difference (for me) than a seamless cami without a shelf bra (polyester material--not cotton). Not to mention---it rode up all day and annoyed the ever loving crap out of me!! Now, I do have some shaper-type shorts that I wore back in the day to avoid my thighs rubbing together (affectionately known as chub rub); I've tried to wear those now---only one thing to say---can your butt become inverted?!? Let me just say, those shorts flatten EVERYTHING--so, not an option now that I suffer from noassatall. Good luck on your quest---please inform us if you find that magical piece!

[Ann2]

I used to work in the lingerie dept for Nordstrom, and we sold butt enhancers! They were kind of awesome!

Thank you! An informed review.

Hmmm ...

[Toopie2Seater]

I like Ann's potential new name; Oracle. An awesome name for an awesome person.

[justilou]

It suits her, doesn't it?

[Ann2]

Thang ya verra mudge ...

... but no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

I don't want to be THAT person here. I want to be (as the mood strikes me) silly, whiny, nice, immature, vulnerable, know-it-all (not nearly the same as "oracle"), smart-ass, inappropriate, supportive, awed, jealous, irritating, stalled, etc.

This is the ONE place in my life right now I don't have a job description.

But ... thang ya.

[shila]

I really like the Skimmies from Jocky for under summer dresses. They don't do a lot if shaping but keep the thighs from rubbing together. I will use Spanx under more formal dresses.

[apythia]

Here are my experiences

SPANX
Comfort - fine once you get them on. Allow yourself 10 minutes to struggle into them the first few times. If it doesn't take an effort to get in, you got the wrong size.
Durability - I don't wear them daily, but I've had them for years now. At least 5. (I started with a 3x, then got a 2x and now have a 1x). When I bought mine, they didn't have all the kinds they have today. Mine is a really heavy spandex blend. They have lighter ones now but I don't think they would do as great of a job.
Cost: $78
Effectiveness: 5 stars. I have rolls of loose skin from weight loss with the lap band. When I put on my spanx, my hip measurement is suddenly at least 6 inches smaller. It makes a world of difference for me. That is my biggest area. They really change how clothes fit and look.
Sexiness (Please respect the TMI boundary, though!): Not at all. I have the nude ones. They are all about function and support.
Fabrics, colours, styles, etc: heavy spandex - but they aren't hot.
Anything else that comes to mind: To me, it was worth every penny. I have the ones that go from under your bra to mid thigh.

CORSETS (full disclosure - I love love love corsets. I probably have about 20). For this review, I am talking REAL corsets, with steel boning and proper lace up. Not the cheap costumey ones.)
Comfort: Once you are used to wearing them, I find them incredibly comfortable. I have a 38 G bust, so corsets really give me some extra support there. And my back always feels amazing in a corset. Again, more support and it keeps me from slouching.
Durability: If well cared for, they will last forever. Ones with plastic boning aren't worth it, especially if you are well endowed. The plastic boning will bend and they will be useless after the first time you wear them.
Cost: Varies greatly depending on maker. You can get some good steel boned ones from overseas for under $50. Most quality ones here are $80 and up.
Effectiveness: For back and chest support - absolutely! For slimming the waist - eventually. You have to sort of train yourself with corsets. You don't want to lace it too tight at first. But you can get a great hourglass figure and it can take in some inches caused by hanging skin. (Note: I am not talking about training to remodel your waist. I'm just saying it takes some getting used to to having something so snug.)
Sexiness (Please respect the TMI boundary, though!): Very. Also very classy, depending on what you get. I have some beautiful brocade ones I wear over a white button down and some jeans. Or I will wear them to work under a blazer.
Fabrics, colours, styles, etc: Everything and anything.
Anything else that comes to mind: I would wear one every day if I could. Again, don't waste money on anything that doesn't have steal boning. (Unless it's for a halloween costume or something and you don't want to wear it again.) There are a lot of different styles. Personally, the underbust ones are my current favorite because I am so endowed. I like the vest underbust ones. I have a lot of the traditional styles that cover mid-bust too. If your hips are much larger than your waist/bust, you may want to look for a corset that ends at the waist. Pay attention to sizing charts! You want a slightly smaller corset. The lacing will be open at first, but will close tighter as you get used to it and/or lose weight. Don't use ribbon laces. They aren't strong enough for anything more than decoration. Definitely plan to have someone help you in and out of it!

[bikrchk]

I wore shapewear almost every day for the first 6 months. I found any of the "wear your own bra" jobbies about killed me comfort wize... Straight to the trash! I got a lot of wear out of the Maidenform stuff and Spanks, but finally decided the "lump free silhouette" was at the expense if "the girls" who invariably got smashed down in the process and eventually decided I looked better "natural" with a good bra!