Spanx and such ...

I wore Sphinx once to my sons wedding,it took my daughter and I and a pair of rubber gloves to get it on we both had a fit of giggles and I still laugh 7 years later when I think of it --they have a slit so you can go to the loo which I enlarged !

Why do we feel the need to flatten tummies? men don't. How many fit males do you see in their sixties? me neither.

Anya, I couldn't have said it better. I agree with you whole heartedly. Enough of all this fakery, we need to be ourselves.

I never wore knickers OVER tights
I thought we all did in the micro skirt era, when they were on full display climbing up to the top deck of the bus! Though some tights had knickers built in, didn't they?

DD1 had to be cut out of an expensive skintight prom dress once in a House of Fraser changing room. She's generously endowed and it wouldn't move up or down once it was in place. I was standing by just praying they didn't make us pay for it (then wondering if I dared ask if I could take it away and try to adapt it...).

Just take up C25K, it tones you and tightens.. cheaper than Spanx

I bought a Gok dress once in Saibsburys that had an attached control type body which had shoulder strap but fitted under the bust then came half way down my thighs. I got in such a state in the fitting room l thought they'd have to send for the fire brigade! Nevertheless, l still bought it and wore it several times as l loved the dress, but the elastic body under it always made me walk funny ?

Surely the wobbly bits that are flattened out by spanx have to go somewhere, and it must be above or below...or do they compress the rolls hard so that the pressure goes inwards and that's why you come out in blotches? Frightening.

I'm glad others feel as I do about the weather girls, lovely and smiley as these ladies are. They all seem to need a dress a size larger - slim and toned they may be but why wear dressed that pull and crease all over the place? Not a good look.

This has made me smile. And brought back memories.
When I was about 17, my then boyfriend gave me a bright orange roll on. At the time I weighed less than 7 stones. Well, I struggled to get it on, and had to put one leg in front of the other so I could pull it up. It was so tight I could hardly breathe, and I didn't know how the heck I could get it off. I struggled trying to get my fingers into the top to get to grips with it, I was starting to panic. In the end I had to cut it off, took literally over an hour. I have never been so exhausted and frightened.
I found out months later that my boyfriend had gone into the shop because he fancied the sales girl, and she had talked him into buying this horrible thing. I wish I had kept it and strangled him with It!

No way could I wear anything so restrictive. I am past the age of needing impress anyone.Ok I could do with shifting a bit of weight,but it is not so easy nowadays.I walk my dog do the garden and don't ask anyone for help apart from one of my sons when I have electrical problems, he is an electrician and does not live far from me.

I bought a ''wear your own bra'' type last year, which Magrithea speaks of, for our eldest son wedding. It was also one that didn't have pants in it so down there was open, sitting neatly too, surprisingly, which was alot better than those where you have to fight it off when you want the toilet.

On the whole that was comfortable enough (though I don't have plans to wear it too often) and yes it was a bit about vanity as I am not as small as I used to be. The price it was it should be too.

Now we won't go there with the shoes. I don't do heels because of health physical issues, however I decided a small 1 I could manage. OMG is all I can say. Fortunately the weather was absolutely perfect so I spent as much time as possible with them kicked off.

I never wore knickers OVER tights
Am I the only one?

And I have a naturally flat bottom - sorry Anya!

Thankyou ladies for cheering me up with your comments! Glad to see you don't take life too seriously (or threads about Spanx, Anya!). My solution to being a slightly lumpier 10/12 than I used to be is to wear looser clothing. This is definitely for my comfort - who cares what anybody else thinks?! According to somebody or other I've been invisible since I was turned 50 (12 years ago) so I've nobody to please but myself!

Memories.....I bought a pair of Spanx and the first time I pulled them on it was such a struggle, I managed to poke a hole in the waistband with my thumbnail!
Never again. I think they are in a drawer somewhere.

Anyone remember the 18 hour girdles (made of Rubber!) in the late 50s? Could have made a good chastity belt substitute. Relief when the 60s came and tights were worn with mini skirts (always with knickers over the top that matched the dress). I now have a control slip where you wear your own bra and find this comfy for special occassions. My pet hate is the muffin top caused by tight elastic top on tights. I have been known to cut the elastic off and wear a pair of seamless pants over the top to stop them falling down

I think the only answer is to wear slightly loose clothing which hopefully doesn't accentuate the negative. I've worn tight underwear in the past and found it uncomfortable so what's the point?
It's the 21st century and we should have left behind the silly notion of having to suffer to be beautiful. That goes for outerwear, underwear and of course - shoes.

I bought, wore once and NEVER again! I try not to wear anything that makes me look like a "muffin top" (bulging over the top of a waistband for instance)but prefer to (a) breathe and (b) be comfortable.

Should have read "most wear Spanx to get the perfect outline on their wedding day"!

Apparently, most wear Spanx to get the perfect outline. I briefly considered it when I re-married 18-months-ago, then dismissed it. It's more important to me to enjoys my days, especially my wedding day. A day can't be enjoyed if we are uncomfortable. What should women be 'compressing' themselves for anyway? Probably, just the (I hope) small percentage of other woman who will analyse their bodies and think/say nasty things. The Dalai Lama tells us "what other people think is none of our business"! Good advice.

I can't get on with controlling undies! I do, however, buy M & S sporty, high leg, seamless girls' pants which 'disappear' any visible lines and give, moreover, a decent amount of coverage. I find the thongs that my daughter's generation wear a tad outrageous - and they can't be warm.

Really Sunlover?! ?

I had an 'all in one' for a very special event. All was ok. Very comfortable.

Some years later I wore it on a heatwave day at a family gathering 1 hour drive from home. Half hour in the restaurant and I wanted to claw my skin. In the toilets in desperation to find I was out in big lumps, likely some type of heat rash/ prickly heat.

It had to come off. Being an 'all in one' I then had no bra support. I was wearing a linen sleeveless shift dress and my 38h chest was not at its best. No matter, I was past caring.

Before I finally retired I was a diet counsellor. I was going to the HO's launching of a new exercise. Feeling a bit flabby I bought a M&S control long leg panty. What we didnt realise was that we would be doing some the exercises. The top starting rolling down and the legs started rolling up. Never again! Despite the cost they went straight in the bin.

Under skirts in the summer I sometimes wear comfort shorts that look like cut down tights - to stop my legs rubbing at the top. They are a great invention but I dread the thought of my skirt blowing up as they are definitely not very glamorous.

I often wear light control long leg knickers under fitted dresses. I think the answer is to make sure they are big enough. I like the fact that I don't have any knicker lines and the dress looks smooth. Never felt the need to take them off in the loo.