Shapewear: Pretty on the outside, awkward underneath

You know how it goes. You're at a wedding. You're drinking lots of wine. Inevitably, you need to go to the bathroom.

But therein lies the conundrum.

It took a good five minutes to squeeze into the shapewear that hides beneath your bridesmaid gown to make you look beautifully lump and bump-free. You ask yourself: Is it worth the trouble to wiggle out of the skin-tight contraption, or should you just pray for super-human bladder strength? You drink another glass of wine to mull over these inconvenient options.

Ah, the irony. In order to look good on the outside, we deal with discomfort underneath. Men would never subject themselves to such ridiculousness.

A recent Wall Street Journal story delved into the troubles of shapewear, which apparently manufacturers are trying make more aesthetically pleasing and easier in general to navigate. The opening scene sounds like something straight out of Bridget Jones's Diary. This is an occasion for genuinely tiny knickers...

Deal Diva Colleen

(Photo: Universal Studios' Bridget Jones and her not-so-tiny knickers.)

Comments

[dramaqueen]

Isn't this why people got rid of their girdles in the first place? Now we're back to them...

Though I admit a certain longing for plain old control top pantyhose from time to time. Smooths the minor bumps, makes your legs look great. Just not with sandals.

[Deal Diva Colleen]

Amanda...I bought it for the first time this year to wear under a pesky bridesmaid dress. I wore the kind that hugs the thighs like biker shorts, which made bathroom trips a real pain. Don't make the same mistake! Buy shapewear that is more like a skirt for easier access!

[Amanda]

I will be in two weddings next year and will have to explore the world of shapewear for I have not worn it yet.

[Stephanie Hayes]

Spanx typically have, uh, "access points" for going to the ladies room. Not sayin' it's any less awkward. Just sayin' they try.

[Jan]

SPANX is the only shapewear I've tried, & I found my rear view very unflattering -- my butt cheeks looked squeezed tight together like an old-fashioned girdle -- uh uh -- not cool.

SO.... I lost 5 lbs & tightened up those glute muscles. Much better now. I recommend `lunges` while holding 5lb weights-- & lots of reps till you can't go anymore. Push yourself through a few more the next day, & the next day. The backs of the thighs & a55 muscles will tighten up pretty fast, & you will be so pleased with the results.

And you won't need the uncomfortable shapewear.

[illiterategirl]

We've all got "Bridget Jones underwear" of some sort. Thankfully, most men are so self-absorbed that you can just shake your keys at them and they won't notice as you dispose of your unmentionables.

[Dalia Colon]

For a Halloween party I attended last month, I thought I'd chosen the right bra for my costume. I looked great, but as soon as I hit the dance floor all bets were off. Every 20 minutes I found myself in the bathroom, making adjustments.