Q:  I have a fashion question if you have time to answer it. What do you know about women’s body shapers? What would be the most effective in your opinion? I am familiar with Spanx. Wondered if you had a suggestion as well. – B.D., Florida

A:  I swear by Spanx…I don’t wear them often, but they are great.  In fact I used to avoid them, but back in the day women wore girdles from their teenage years onward.  Shapewear can make clothes fit better, and sometimes they make you more conscious of your posture, which means you’ll stand and walk upright/better.  And I’m not going to lie, they have helped me comfortably get into a dress when I was a pound or two off from getting into something.  They smooth your silhouette, squeezing you in and giving your form a “tighter” shape, if that makes sense.   Some fabrics show lumps and bumps or pudginess/bloat at the tummy, thighs and rear and Spanx eliminate that without the dreaded “VPL”.  I recommend the kind that resemble biking shorts, or the kind that look like a minidress with a bra at the top;  they are very effective.  Other options include Assets (also by Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx) and Victoria’s Secret; you can even find shapewear at your local department store, Target or Wal-Mart.  If you DO try them, be sure they fit comfortably; DON’T buy them too small thinking that will help.  The shaper will pinch, cut off your circulation or worse – start to roll up on you.  You should be able to breathe in them.  Also, I DO recommend that men wear shapewear (also known as  “compression undergarments”), if they need it!

Sign up to receive a chance at a $500 “Shaping Spree”  from Spanx by clicking HERE.  And guess who else is a fan of Spanx?

Fun Fact:  Spanx CEO Sara Blakely started Spanx  in Atlanta with $5000 seed money. According to Forbes:  “Blakely owns 100% of the private company, has zero debt, has never taken outside investment and hasn’t spent a nickel on advertising. At 41 she’s the youngest woman to join this year’s World’s Billionaires list without help from a husband or an inheritance.”

Image via Spanx