My husband calls shape wear "real life photo shop". I've never really worn any kind of shape wear except for bras, but it really does help with smoothing under clothes - especially those jersey knit dresses! It's really the only time I wear shape wear = under a dress, but it makes me feel more confident if I'm not worrying about bulges and panty lines.

If it's cheating, I'm more than happy to be considered a cheater!!!!

I've lost nearly 100 pounds in 13 months, had 2 babies who are still little, and I've earned the right to feel amazing in whatever I wear. My tummy is loose and may always be. I don't like the way it looks in a fitted top, so I wear a shapewear thingie that's like a tight tank top. I want to feel good in what I wear. I guarantee I will be investing in more shapewear when my budget permits it! I'm already married, so I don't feel like I run the risk of "false advertising" lol. But then again, are men that wear baggy clothes when they're suuuuuuuuuuper skinny false advertising by making themselves look bigger!?

Whatever makes you feel GOOD in your own skin, I'm all for it!

Absolutely love this quote in your signature!

"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." -- Colin Powell

What really changed my ideas about shapewear and foundation garments was when I grew an interest in vintage fashion. In the big view of things, it has only been quite recently that women of any size would go out in public without shapewear of some sort under their clothing. In the 1920's modern women liberated themselves of the corset, but then different shapewear to create that straight look (minimize the bust and hips) appeared. In the 30s it was absolutely essential under those new slinky bias-cut gowns and the more womanly, form fitting shape that appeared, and the silhouettes of the 40's and 50's can hardly be imagined without the shapewear that created them. It wasn't "cheating", it was expected.

Though we may be glad that women are no longer expected to always have on these sometimes constricting garments, I believe we also should realize the modern expectation that we should be able to look completely smooth and seamless in our clothing without shapewear is an unrealistically over-demanding expectation in the other direction. As others have said, even the celebrities who have it as their job to look appealing (and that includes intensive workout routines with personal trainers, diet plans with personal chefs, and teams of wardrobe people) make extensive use of shapewear.

My point in all of this is to say that if we; as women in general disregarding size, shape, or body changes as a result of weight loss endeavors; want to improve how we look in our clothes with shapewear, we should darn well do it, and shamelessly without any feelings of guilt or "false advertisement". We deserve to look and feel as good as we want to.



(I will note that the decision to go without shapewear for any reason is one I fully respect)

I'm a big believer that if you have to wear shapewear every day then you're not wearing the right clothes for you. But for a special occasion...why not?

That being said...I exercise outdoors a fair bit and wear base layers - to keep warm - which tends to smooth things out.... It's nice.

And I would seriously consider shapewear for my arms. My arms are and always have been disproportionately fat for the rest of my body. It makes wearing suit jackets pretty miserable and shopping for them difficult. If it fixed that, so I could wear a jacket that fit the rest of my body...well, I'd definitely wear them for special professional events.

Sounds like maybe you're one of the lucky ones who does not suffer from loose or saggy skin from weight loss. It doesn't matter what clothes I wear, my stomach makes it impossible to wear anything form fitting without it looking like a mess. I suppose if I stayed away from anything clingy or form fitting I could avoid the shapewear, but that doesn't seem fair -- lose all this weight and still hide under baggy clothes. Anyway, I know you didn't mean anything offensive by your comment at all! Just wanted to point out what I did.

Look what it did for Sophia: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/the%20m...ress?before=25

i don't find it cheating at all but then again i'm married, lol. And since i'm pretty much at my goal i'm finding that i'm stuck with a spare tire belly button jiggle that just doesn't fit with the rest of my body so i am trying to find some shapewear (like a cami or tank top) that i can wear daily that i feel will really show what i've accomplished and reign in that loose skin around the mid section.

What brand and specific piece of shapewear do you ladies wear that have posted?

I have both the capri and bikeshorts from Leggs. They cost about $7 at CVS or Walgreens/Walmart but you can find them cheaper on Ebay. They don't last forever (they can get runs like tights) but I get at least 2-3 months wear out of them so it's worth it for me. I like the firmer control ones as the light control just feel like wearing tights under my clothes whereas the firm ones feel awesome to me!


http://www.leggs.com/shapewear/?list=true

I have to say, I love the few pieces of shapewear that I do have. I've got two camisole type tops that have the tummy slimming panels or whatever. I wear them under EVERYTHING, just because it feels good to be held in tightly like that. I swear, it even helps with my posture & keeps my back from hurting like usual.

i would love to try some of those!! Except i'm worried about the top part of the cami compressing my breasts. I used to be HUGE breasted but now at goal i'm modest and don't need any further reducing ;P

Lol, it isn't "cheating," just underwear. As said in the thread women (& I'd add men) have always worn various forms of underwear and it is often designed to shape & firm things.

That said I don't want to wear that at all, it looks hot & I live in a hot climate & I think I look awesome for an old bat without all those garments.

Although really it just replaces things I guess I used to wear but no longer care to. To each their own.

What about all the other products we use to style ourselves? Seems to me we could technically call a number of things "cheating"...

I think it's more important that, while we remain honest with ourselves, we still take steps to look and feel good so we're happy.

ReillyJ, they're sooooo comfortable! I got my first one for like, $10 at TJ Maxx & it's a lycra tank top, but below the bust, it's made to be quite tight. I've never been particularly blessed with boobs, so I have to wear molded/padded bras anyway, and I do so under this top. My second one that I bought, just recently, is actually an Old Navy active compression tank, & was $13. I wish I'd gotten a size smaller & probably will soon, but it's nice too for the purpose it serves (mostly just as a white undershirt but I've been sleeping in it too!).

Shapewear is part of my almost-daily routine! Between starting to have some loose skin on my belly, and being cold all the time, shaping camis are my new best friends.

ReillyJ - here are my everyday favorites -

Darn, link won't work - it's on qvc.com - Kathleen Kirkwood Sonic Slimmers Down for Good Cami - I have 4 of these - stocked up on ebay once I knew what size I like. I love the scalloped edge - I wear them untucked and pulled down low. It's more smoothing than shaping, and super comfortable.

http://www.boscovs.com/StoreFrontWeb...emNumber=95683 - these look more like a regular cotton tank. They're firmer than the cami above and are shorter, so I tuck them in. Still comfortable for all day wear.

For certain outfits, I have Spanx, too. Their tights are the best, and I really like their Power Panties shorts. I have one of their hosiery long sleeve tops (also from ebay, way too much $$$ at full price), and it's great for warmth, belly smoothing, and arm firming. I'll actually be a little sad to put the shirt away when the weather gets warmer.

And I have to agree with the PPs - thinking shapewear is "cheating" is setting up some very high expectations of the female body. The woman who invented Spanx is about a size 2 - and she didn't like how her butt looked in white pants. So I have no guilt or shame about my collection of shapewear at size 22 or 10.