Have You Been Spanxed Lately?

Do you wear shapewear? I admit that I didn’t for the longest time and was probably the biggest resistor to making this wardrobe adjustment. While a great sleek look is timeless and should be part of any woman’s fashion goal (yes, I made a strong judgment statement just now), this amazing accessory can be worn at any age.

Let’s Get Going on This Shapewear Thing

Shapewear isn’t anything new. It’s just re-purposed into new words.  That is called marketing my friends.

Let me elaborate. Do you remember when you were younger than 50? I’m talking the teen years. We’d run around in one-piece bathing suits. Bringing back any memories?  Well, we were actually wearing shapewear then. Think about it-the form fit of the one-piece suit was flattening our stomachs and smoothing any glaring imperfections- as if we really had any back then. The point is that we were wearing shapewear before it was invented. We are such trendsetters!

Shapewear is Our Friend

I agree with looking our best whenever possible. Shapewear definitely has a place at the Fiercely50ish fashion table. It may not be for everyone, but please keep an open mind when you are reading this blog. As I had mentioned before, I was very leery of wearing them at first because I felt as if I was succumbing to gravity. I did the re-frame thing and realized (another R word) that it was possible for shapewear and me to have a long and beautiful friendship.

Shape, Shape, Shape, Shape Our Body

The first time I tried on a piece of shapewear, I thought I was a Super Hero…and not in a good way. I remember thinking one wrong move, and I would be catapulted into California (to put this into perspective, I live in the Midwest).  It took several tries and wearings to welcome it into my fashion accessory circle.

Here’s my take on shapewear:

• It can and DOES help you look better in your clothes
• Believe it or not, it can help with posture-it does wonders for a straight back and when your back is straight, your breasts look perky and upright
• You don’t have to wear shapewear with EVERY outfit
• Besides helping your back, shapewear has your back-I’m a big fan of clothes looking as good from the front as they do from the back

Fiercely50ish Shapewear Picks

What I hear the most from you, the Fiercely50ish community is how to deal with your midriff, the real estate between your chest and waist.  I am not convinced this issue is confined just to our demographic. Please don’t get me started down this road because I have many, many thoughts on this and will share soon. Here’s a big hint-use your mirrors, people!

Back to the shapewear!

So, here are my suggestions for taming the midriff with shapewear (when you add fitness to this, you’ll be A-M-A-Z-E-D at the results):

Bodysuits

These are really the bathing suits I was referring to several paragraphs above. They are great for an all over smooth look, especially with dresses. As long as you can handle the extra work involved when going to the bathroom (and I truly believe you can-we had years of practice with those body suits…remember the snaps???) these are great.

Most under-garment brands (how old is this word?) carry shapewear. Some brands I like are Spanx, Maidenform, and Bali.

Shorts

I love these! They are actually like a slip but in a snug Bermuda-short way!  And the bonus is they help with that pesky midriff!  These are perfect for skirts, especially pencil-skirts and form-fitting pants. Just make sure the length of this piece works with your outfit!

You Say Cami, I Say Tank

These little numbers are also very helpful with mitigating the midriff and smoothing out the bust area. They come in various versions: some cover the girls (code word for b-o-o-b-s), others dip just below. My suggestion to you is to choose the version that bests addresses whatever you are trying to smooth or enhance.

Now you know a little more about smoothing out your beautiful body.  I love shapewear and know you will too! I am excited to see how it works for you. Send pictures, please! See you soon.

#Fiercely50ish!