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Sure does take a lot of gear and rigamarole for us girls to become our “authentic” selves…🤣😂🤣
Another hashmark for corsets, here. I've always worn them. If you see me or a photo of me, I'm in a steel boned corset. I tried a Spanx item once - their super, heavy duty whatever. My body was very nearly the same shape without it, so back it went.
For me the act of putting it on and lacing it up is a little feminine rush, but I admit there are instances where they can be uncomfortable. As @annaredhead noted, it's just something you acclimate to.
Shapewear is a must for me whenever I transform into Wendy. I find shapewear alluring and sexy, weird I know.
I used to wear a size smaller for shapewear, but after an hour or less I would feel it, especially in the gut area when food/water wouldn't go down as easily. So now I wear exactly the right size or slightly larger, so it is just snug and comfy yet not snug and tight. That way I can wear it all day long with no problems.
My fave is wear your own bra bodysuit that includes shaper for the thighs, with an open gussett for bathroom breaks. My go to brands are either maidenfrom or naomi and nicole.
The feeling of everything cinching in and that snugness is heavenly.
The one I ordered was aligned with my normal dress size and while snug, it seemed also comfortable. That extra hug is truly a nice feeling.
While I'd prefer that I didn't have to use them, shapers are a big help to me in getting the feminine figure I want. I've used different types depending on what I am wearing with a full slip like shaper used for dresses and skirts to high rise panties for pants.
Oh to have the perfect figure. . . At least we have some great tools to help us get closer.
I have a couple of shapewear / hip enhancer briefs that I got from Amazon. Only cheap Chinese things but they work really well & are amazingly comfortable. Combined with my corset the look is pretty amazing & worth the discomfort (of the corset) from my point of view.
I'm finding that Jockey makes a line of VERY lightweight, yet helpful shapewear. I also have a slightly-padded no-name from Walmart that helps give my skirts and leggings something to "hang" on, and fills out my jeans nicely...and is also lightweight/not restrictive...MFR is called ""Xianews" and it's currently available and marked down to $12 at Walmart... I've ventured into heavier-duty stuff, but have no interest in pursuing that since I'm currently OK with where I'm at now
How things (fashions?) change!
In my young days, women relied on shapewear (unknown term back then) not to emphasise their bottoms but to flatten and control it. "Does my bottom look big in this?" is still a fashionable question but the hoped-for answer these days might be "yes"!
I remember my then young wife buying firm control girdles (always open girdles back then) and looking specifically for reinforcement or down-stretch elastic at the rear. At that time, to have a wobbly bottom or one that was too rounded when compared with bust and waist measurements, was something to be dealt with, even if it meant a less-than-comfortable girdle. My wife would tell me that I should be thankful that men didn't have to wear girdles but, now that I have done so, I know that, as she said, it's something you just get used to. She regarded her firm girdles as essential, every-day wear even though they (always with stockings held taut by tight suspenders) must have felt quite restrictive. I never once heard her complain out loud about wearing her "shapewear".
You're right the intent and design of shapewear is different now from earlier days. The comfort has certainly come a long way too.
