Shape wear

[House Cat]

Each time I wear shape wear, I look just as bad as I did before with the added feeling that I want to die due to lack of comfort.

Am I doing it wrong?

 

[Calliecake]

I don’t think you are wrong House Cat. I wear shape wear when I get dressed up but honestly I don’t think it makes much difference. Every time I put it on I tell my myself this is insane. It’s not like I’m in my 20’s and anyone is looking at me.

 

[lyra]

I refuse to ever wear any type of shape wear ever again in my life! I refuse to cater to anyone else's ideals of what I should/could look like. I'm all about my own comfort from here on out. This is the homestretch for me!

 

[Ellen]

I don’t think you are wrong House Cat. I wear shape wear when I get dressed up but honestly I don’t think it makes much difference. Every time I put it on I tell my myself this is insane. It’s not like I’m in my 20’s and anyone is looking at me.

I'm almost 60, I KNOW no one is looking at me. I refuse to wear that stuff. I'll lose weight/lift weights before I go there.

 

[missy]

Can’t tolerate it. I don’t even like bras (but generally wear them if I’m going out). So definitely no go for shapewear. Like @lyra I don’t need to impress anyone and comfort rules over all else.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Have never worn it in my life. Not planning to start! One time I attempted to try on Spanx in a dressing room, and that was enough of a pain to never consider it again! Needless to say, I didn't buy them!

 

[foxinsox]

Each time I wear shape wear, I look just as bad as I did before with the added feeling that I want to die due to lack of comfort.

Am I doing it wrong?

No that sounds about right I swear shapewear only looks good on people who don't need it

 

[mary poppins]

One time I accidentally mistook a shape wear top for a regular tank top. I felt squished like a sausage and couldn't get out of it. I had to have DH come in the dressing room and peal it off of me. Yikes! At least we got a good laugh out of it. I won't even wear control top hose.

 

[4ever]

I wear shape wear occasionally under very form fitting dresses and yes it makes a difference. It just smoothes and flattens out my jiggly mummy bits. I am currently a bit overweight but feel like it makes enough of a difference both when I’m bigger or at a healthier weight to justify wearing it.
I find it comfortable enough for an evening out but don’t like to wear it all day.
If it hurts it’s probably not the right fit.

 

[missy]

I won't even wear control top hose.

For sure and I'll go you one more...I won't even wear pantyhose. I hate the way they feel. Would love to see (most) men try wearing pantyhose...I bet they couldn't tolerate it. No thanks to anything control top and anything uncomfortable.

 

[Ellen]

One time I accidentally mistook a shape wear top for a regular tank top. I felt squished like a sausage and couldn't get out of it. I had to have DH come in the dressing room and peal it off of me. Yikes! At least we got a good laugh out of it. I won't even wear control top hose.

That's exactly what they remind me of, the casing on a sausage.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@missy seems like we share common pet peeves when it comes to underwear!

I do not like pantyhose, stockings, bras or even pants really. I have just started learning to wear jeans recently because I found comfy ones that are ok.

I will wear a bra for decency when a dress is thin but if I can go without I will. We recently bought my son a trampoline and to bounce on it I really HAD to buy a sports bra. To my surprise they do make them without seams these days and are quite comfy.

***

Shapewear is horrid! I was a chubby teen and my mum used to force me to wear it when we went to a party or wedding. It basically cuts off circulation and pushes the fatty bits elsewhere imo!

 

[House Cat]

I bought this power spanx girdle thing at nordstrom for a party a few years ago. The saleswoman asked me if I knew how to go to the bathroom in it. I quickly told her “yes” because I didn’t want a stranger having this kind of conversation with me. I assumed she was going to explain some sort of rolling the girdle down technique and I was good with shimmying and shaking until I got the damned thing on.

When I got home, I saw that there was a hole in the crotch...an intentional hole. I guess it is for using the bathroom but I’m still trying to figure out how one would do that and remain hygienic. The only thing I can come up with is standing over the toilet. Then, I tried to imagine the woman at Nordstrom trying to explain to me, with a straight face that I was to pee while standing over the toilet while stuffed into this torture device.

It’s all too much.

 

[Ellen]

@House Cat

 

[missy]

@missy seems like we share common pet peeves when it comes to underwear!

I do not like pantyhose, stockings, bras or even pants really. I have just started learning to wear jeans recently because I found comfy ones that are ok.

I will wear a bra for decency when a dress is thin but if I can go without I will. We recently bought my son a trampoline and to bounce on it I really HAD to buy a sports bra. To my surprise they do make them without seams these days and are quite comfy.

***

Shapewear is horrid! I was a chubby teen and my mum used to force me to wear it when we went to a party or wedding. It basically cuts off circulation and pushes the fatty bits elsewhere imo!

Yes to everything you wrote @mellowyellowgirl. And LOL I am impressed you found jeans you like. Though I do remember some very soft comfortable jeans I wore in the 70s and 80s. However these days I prefer dresses most of the time as they are so comfy and I wear them barely touching my skin as I choose flowy A line dresses most of the time. A bra I find comfy is the maidenform seamless bra. No wire and it feels as if it is barely there. Very tolerable even for me. I do go out without a bra occasionally if I am wearing a jacket and we are running errands and honestly I think I look OK without one usually. It's just if it is chilly out I do not want my nipples showing if you kwim. Sorry if that is TMI but I know we all understand what I mean haha.

Shapewear=Torturewear for some of us. No thanks.

It’s all too much.

Exactly. It is all too much. A torture device (IMO) some women willingly put up with every day.

 

[bludiva]

i think the only thing it does is smooth out panty/bra lines. i guess it is useful for that for formal events.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

However these days I prefer dresses most of the time as they are so comfy and I wear them barely touching my skin as I choose flowy A line dresses most of the time.

Haha this is me most of the time!

I have a bestie who LOVES tight things! Tight rings, tight clothes etc

Whenever we go shopping we get into arguments about me buying clothes that are too loose cuz she will force me to try the most fitted, just barely fit into size (imo) and declare it a winner. I have the upper hand these days as she resized her engagement ring (against my advice) so that it was frigging tight and now we are going through the drama of getting a new setting. I have read her the riot act and the new setting will be set to whatever size I say fits her, not sized to cut off circulation!

 

[missy]

Haha this is me most of the time!

I have a bestie who LOVES tight things! Tight rings, tight clothes etc

Whenever we go shopping we get into arguments about me buying clothes that are too loose cuz she will force me to try the most fitted, just barely fit into size (imo) and declare it a winner. I have the upper hand these days as she resized her engagement ring (against my advice) so that it was frigging tight and now we are going through the drama of getting a new setting. I have read her the riot act and the new setting will be set to whatever size I say fits her, not sized to cut off circulation!

Haha yes. I have more than one friend who loves tight clothing but then she complains when anything bulgy shows. Even the skinniest person will have bulges if you squeeze your skin too tightly into clothes. When I was little I was the same way in needing things to be loose fitting. It was a losing battle for my mom to get me to wear fitted tighter clothing. I loved not feeling stuff on my skin and never outgrew it. And same for bling. I call it muffin top when rings are too tight. Not a good look (IMO) but more importantly it isn't comfortable (for me) so definitely a big fat muffin top no on tight rings.

Your friend is lucky to have you advocating for her so her bling will look its best and she will be comfy (and safe- no cutting of circulation please) too.

 

[Ellen]

Missy (and others) I find these MOST helpful. Just wish I would have found them decades ago. I bought mine at CVS and don't remember the brand. I have worn them multiple times and they are still going strong (just wash ocassionally). I linked this particular one because it looks like mine do, plus these come in different colors which is nice. Mine have a VERY slim border, and can be worn with pretty thin clothing and not show.

https://www.barenecessities.com/pro...MIxoWJ8aL-3QIVF7bACh19MQNGEAQYASABEgJ7fPD_BwE

 

[MeowMeow]

I wear shapewear for my husbands formal and semi formal events only. Can't be bothered otherwise. I'm another bra hater. I only wear it when I leave the house and RIP it off immediately when we get home lmao.

 

[Austina]

I could never go braless, I need the support

I do wear shapewear at times, just because I’m old and saggy doesn’t mean I want to look it

 

[missy]

I could never go braless, I need the support

I do wear shapewear at times, just because I’m old and saggy doesn’t mean I want to look it

OK miss Austina, you are neither old nor saggy. I can attest to both of those facts.

 

[Arcadian]

Shapewear shouldn't be uncomfortable though! I have some and OMG I love how it feels, but its not cheap and I was fitted for it. Well fitting shapewear provides comfortable support. If its too tight and you feel like you're suffocating and your buldging out in weird places, its the wrong type of shapewear for you.

 

[canuk-gal]

I could never go braless, I need the support

I have no boobs ergo no "bra"ache from compression! (I am not sure if I am bragging or complaining!)

Even tights give me pause--I love the look and cannot go bare legged to work, but I hate the pressure.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Mreader]

I was going to start a thread on this but thought “I bet someone already did” and sure enough! I was going to ask if anyone here wore it - I never have but saw Dolly (of xoxothebijoux) mentioning hers - and she’s so fit! So it made me wonder how popular it was! And since this thread is a few years old now I wondered if there is more comfortable options…

 

[monarch64]

I was going to start a thread on this but thought “I bet someone already did” and sure enough! I was going to ask if anyone here wore it - I never have but saw Dolly (of xoxothebijoux) mentioning hers - and she’s so fit! So it made me wonder how popular it was! And since this thread is a few years old now I wondered if there is more comfortable options…

Mine is comfortable…after I huff, puff, and struggle-cry my way into it.

 

[kenny]

I actually didn't even discover what shapewear was until I was around 15 years old. ...

Seeing a woman remove her clothes not being in my experience, I just discovered Shapewear now, in my mid 60s.
I had to google it.
I had no idea.

It reminded me of those old tourniquets, I mean corsets, that Mammy tied Scarlet Ohara into.



I had to google the risks to one's health.

Is It OK to Wear Shapewear Every Day?

Wearing very tight-fitting shapewear every day puts you at risk for some health issues. If your shapewear is too tight or ill-fitting, your risk of problems increases.

www.medicinenet.com

 

[Avondale]

I have a couple of high-waisted pieces that I bought for one particular dress the fabric of which manages to outline everything. But I really love the dress, sooo... They look like this, only in nude:

Have to say, they're perfectly comfortable. I had the sales lady help me choose the proper size. And they're also very easy to get into - you just have to make sure to not scrunch them up in your hands like you would do with a sock, for example. Slip them on more like you would a pair of pants - grab them by the top and sliiiiide them up. Very easy.

 

[monarch64]

I have a couple of high-waisted pieces that I bought for one particular dress the fabric of which manages to outline everything. But I really love the dress, sooo... They look like this, only in nude:

Have to say, they're perfectly comfortable. I had the sales lady help me choose the proper size. And they're also very easy to get into - you just have to make sure to not scrunch them up in your hands like you would do with a sock, for example. Slip them on more like you would a pair of pants - grab them by the top and sliiiiide them up. Very easy.

I made a big deal of struggling into shapewear and that’s a thing for many women, but seeing you is beyond validating. Thank you .

 

[dk168]

I believe it depends on how squidgy the body is.

Very firm and not so squidgy body like mine does not work well with shapewear based on my own experience.

The only thing that works for me are steel-boned corsets and waspies (just around the waist).

DK