Do you wear shapewear?

So right, Greatnan. I was grateful to Princess Di for making low heels fashionable. Since she died, they just seem to have got higher and higher. I blame 7" heels for my GD's cracked elbows but she's not going to admit that! I'm not even going to think about what shapewear would do to my innards.

And high heels, bagitha. Bad for your back and pelvis, made to please men. (Unless they are smaller than their partner, like Tom Cruise, in which case they like flatties).

I find Sloggi pull-on bras very comfortable. Worn them for years. I had to have a firmer bra for dancing, even though I'm not a large cup size. It's quite odd that people bra-designers seem to think small breasts are made differently from large ones. It's probably done on a computer nowadays and we all know they can't think! I have also tried various sports bras. The trend nowadays seem to be to squash rather than support. I'm not keen on that kind. There was a thread a bit back about inventions of the Devil. Shouldn't shapewear go in that category ?

I was buying my wedding outfit for DD's wedding many moons ago, I chose the suit and did a twirl and the assistant said " I am sure it will look fine when you get a good foundation garment on" I felt about a size 24 instead of the 14 that I was.

I am always lurking somewhere .

I think its the "and comfortable" bit that may be the problem. I even find wearing a bra uncomfortable and am doing that wiggling out of it without disrobing trick by evening tide.

Oh, come on! We aren't talking about Victorian or Spirella corsets here! If you find an all-in-one which is attractive and comfortable - then wear it! Some of my favourite dresses just look better without bumps so I wear suitable underwear. I CAN breathe and move and eat without sloping off to the ladies to undo my corset laces. I'm a long way off being a saggy old lady who doesn't care any more, but neither am I desperate to look artificially svelte! Go for it Supermum.

Greatnan

This thread makes me

My mother came out to visit me when I worked in Monaco, her first trip abroad, at the age of 80. My two teenage daughters accompanied her. They were dressed in their usual outfit of jeans and leather jackets. They sailed through immigration control, but my mother 'pinged' the alarm. The metal strips in her corsets had activated it. She had had quite a few brandies on the plane and giggled like a schoolgirl when she was frisked. Needless to say, the girls thought it was hilarious.

Pompa... lurking on the underwear thread...???

I remember my mother telling me that, soon after she'd given birth to me, her mother whisked her off to the Spirella lady to be well corseted. Never saw her wearing one though; she was admirably slim. Nanna's however, were salmon pink with laces and suspenders, and whalebone....

I occasionally wear a "body" -a black one. Sitting on the bed with me one morning, as I put this on, DGD3, aged 2 at the time said "ooh, Nannie - fwimming?" (sic) January, snow on the ground, and her eyes alight with anticipation.

I wore those horrible long leg pantie girdles until a friend whispered to me that every time I whirled round in a jive my full skirt swung out and showed the legs. Not very sexy!

If my manly physique was the result of shape wear, I'd sue them !

Can't be good for you can it. Restricts your breathing and the flow of lymphtic fluid etc. Bad as high heeled shoes.
My Nana used to wear a corset. I think it went - long vest first, then corset (you had to have a vest underneath cos they were not washable and had to last a few years!!!!!!) then nice roomy knickers and a full length petticoat.
The upshot must have been really weak "core muscles" back and front, cos you'd get used to relying on the stiffening and pulling-in effect wouldn't you.

Do men do this kind of thing to their bodies and suffer all that discomfort? No they don't!
There are lots of fashions that skim over bulges aren't there?

No don't wear it , not even tights, if I have a few bulges so be it.. I would rather wear a looser top than try stuffing myself into tight fitting things.. I get hot enough wearing ordinary underwear and could defo not tolerate tight elasticated things on me all day... I'll just be myself thanks..

You lucky woman NannaAnna! I bought myself a 'shaping' vest top and the control pants with legs from M and S.......the picture was as harrigran described! However, I persevered, and as the day went on, found the vest rode up and pushed my fatness down so that I looked rather pregnant! Not a good look for a 61-year-old!

Happy to say my muscles still do the job they were designed to do ;)

Oh harrigran how I laughed at your description and yes, yogagran the bulges have to go somewhere...............!!! I can hardly even bear the thought of going back into tights - that is the nearest I will get to shapewear!!

In the 60s I was a skinny minnie but mother and elder sister insisted I wear a roll-on to make sure everything stayed in place. The very second I could I left those infernal garments off. A few months ago I tried those control pants with legs, I looked like a muffin in the middle and I had a tyre round each thigh. One look in the mirror and I took them off and wore some looser trousers, job done

The bulges have got to go somewhere, surely they'll bulge over the top if they can't go anywhere else. Be comfortable and content with how you are

Didnt we throw off all these shackles once. I'm sure you would look fine and feel better without all this elastic stuff pushing you in places your body doesnt want to go.

Marks and Sparks have a good range which isn't outrageously expensive and works for me.