I've found that the Assets aren't as good of quality. They tend to separate at the seams in just one or two wearings and run like pantyhose. They do essentially the same thing as Spanx...but mine have never lasted long.
Also, yes...crotchless spanx. When I told my DH about them being crotchless...he raised an eyebrow.
Thanks for the recommendations guys. I'll pick up a pair of Assets for a trial run, and hint to my man for the real Spanx for my birthday since it seems the Assets will fall apart by then.
Photochick, I'm wearing a 14 in jeans and they are loose. Not crazy obscenely loose but a bit loose as if I'm almost ready to go down a size. I've always had a shape, even when thin. I was not very chesty, but had hips. Now that I'm bigger, I have bigger hips and a bigger chest (the bigger chest part is the good part! yay!) I bought this one junior shirt a while back which will probably never fit me even when I get to goal weight, based on what you said. It doesn't have much room in the chest department or hip department. I'll have to count that shirt as a loss. (It was adorable. A lot of juniors stuff is very immature but I have found some really nice looking stuff as well!) The dress though, for some reason has room in the top (it even looks like it's made for busty chicks!) and gently flares out a bit to accomodate for hips. I didn't even realize it was a juniors dress at all until I posted here about its size and everyone told me it was a juniors size.
I hope it will fit. Of course, I won't know for sure how it will fit until then, you are exactly right- it's hard to say. I do hope so, though. Failing that, I'll go get a nice outfit for Christmas that will fit my more adult like proportions.
Thank you for explaining the size thing. It all confuses me to no end. Now I've got a better idea of it.
Last edited by Fat Melanie; 09-29-2008 at 07:40 PM.
Also, spanx are crotchless for the same reason that Schmoo suggested to pee first. Just slide your panties to one side and let it go. MUCH easier than taking them off in a public restroom.
Does that really work for you? I peed all over myself. I even went commando so there was less to "slide" over.
Do you all wear the full body version? Just bottoms? I have a pair of bottoms (not Spanx, something from JCPenny that I picked up). I love the way they smooth out my little hip bumps, but then they cut into my stomach and I have a huge muffin top overflowing out of them.
Love spanx - especially with dresses - have the waist to thigh version as well as the top of rib cage to thigh version (depending on the dress and my shape at the time). I wash on delicate and line dry. I originally bought spanx to wear with skirts in summer to prevent chafing but don't need them for that anymore (yay!) but they still flatten by fibroid-pregnant tummy (yuk!)
I have tried the spanx panty hose and didn't like them at all - they ran right away and were expensive.
Haven't tried the Target brand but am going there tomorrow and will buy a pair to try.
I've got several different pairs of spanx with different "strengths", some with high waists, some with regular waists, some with shorts kind of legs, some panty or thong cut. All are marvelous. I've just bought two of the new camis that come with a removable underwire. Love them all. I even throw them in the washer and dryer and the oldest pair (about a year old) are still in great shape. I wear them almost every day.
And I agree about the Assets brand from Target. I had one pair and they ran like pantyhose the second time I wore them.
(It was adorable. A lot of juniors stuff is very immature but I have found some really nice looking stuff as well!) The dress though, for some reason has room in the top (it even looks like it's made for busty chicks!) and gently flares out a bit to accomodate for hips. I didn't even realize it was a juniors dress at all until I posted here about its size and everyone told me it was a juniors size. 
