Monday, April 8, 2013

Girdles

Did your mothers and grandmothers wear one? Mine did.

I remember watching my grandmother do the girdle dance (stuffing and shoving things here and there and jumping up and down and bending, stretching, contorting every which way trying to get everything she could into that thing) every time in preparation for going out of the house. No need to go through all that if you were staying inside or working in the flower beds. But even going to the country to pick up fresh produce by the bushel warranted a dance with the girdle.

They call them Spanx now. Or Shapewear. Or Body Shapers. Or Body Slimmers. Or Slimpressions. Sheesh.

I've never worn a girdle by any name. Even though I have been curious as to how much help they would be with this body, I truly prefer breathing.

But what I believe about girdles- old and new- is that they really only smooth out women who are already slim. Those who have about an inch or two of flab. It smooths them out so that no one can see their tiny little, insignificant too-small-to-be-called rolls. I honestly have never seen them do one thing for those of us who have serious flab.

Can you imagine having to use the bathroom while out somewhere in one of those things? Trying to pull it back up in a tiny bathroom stall bumping into the sides and the door? Maybe falling back onto the toilet and not being able to pull yourself back up because you only got the stupid thing halfway up and it's confining your leg movement? No thank you. 

My advice is to start your fitness plan right now if those little bits of flab bother you because, if you don't, they're going to get bigger and bigger and that girdle isn't going to help you at all.

BTW men, big business makes them for y'all too. I think they're sold under the guise of back support bands. 


I'm linking this post to the seventh post of the April, A-Z Challenge!

Just click the badge below to visit other participants. 


Ok, let's see what y'all came up with for the letter 'G'!




28 comments:

  1. Ha-ha-ha! My mother bought me one - or maybe it was hers? - so long ago that I can't remember! It was everything that you describe. But I did feel slim LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really have been tempted to go to an antique store and get a corset. Just to see if it would help.
    When pictures are being taken well breathing is just over rated oh and eating. :) Just joking. Yes, I remember the girdle dance. I hadn't thought about that in years.
    My grandmother was 5'7 and never weighed over 110 in fact if she could hit 110 that was a great day.
    She had to wear padded clothing so I think it was to look fatter. :)
    Thanks for a laugh. Have a great Monday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Don't think I ever wore a girdle, but I think my mom did and I'm pretty sure my grandma did. No thank you! As you said, I'd rather breathe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stephanie- Yes, but how did you breathe? LOL

    Kim- I hear ya. I thought about that for pictures that will be taken at the wedding we're going to this weekend. But I don't want to pass out. Haha

    Cathy- I don't how they were able to breathe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. HAHAHA I do remember Grandma's girdle. Looked so torturous. I do have a pair of Spanx tights. I wore them for the first time a few weeks ago with a knit pencil skirt. They did work but by the end of the day I had lost most of the feeling in my lower extremities ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I so remember my mom wearing the girdle and she hated it.
    When I went on the Tyler Banks show they had me wear Spanx. Informing all us ladies that Tyler wore them everyday and for the exact reason you said, it smooths everything out. Going to the restroom sucked. Of course, we got to keep our spanx and on very rare occasions I do use it and then remember why I hate using it, the restroom,ugh. But,it does smooth you out and make those clothes lay so flat on you. I swear they know how to flatter women.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hahaha, yeah I've tried some spanks once, only because I was in a wedding with a very unflattering dress. All it did was bulge my belly fat together to make me look pregnant, but atleast it got read of my back fat!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kim- LOL You are too funny! I wondered if they cut off the circulation. :)

    Lucy- I do think about trying Spanx but then I get scared that I might get stuck in the bathroom. LOL

    Jennee- Hahahaha! Too funny. I often wondered about where the fat goes. Now, I know. Thanks. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  9. yep, i probably need one but can't tell ya the last time i wore one!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lynn- I think I could use one myself, but I just don't think I would be able to breathe in one. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good advice about starting the fitness plan! As for girdles, new or old, they're about one step up from Downton Abbey discomfort! I mean, that flab has to go somewhere, so if it's squished away from the middle, it will flow over the top. LOL Who needs it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I wore a body slimmer when I remarried. I wasn't overweight at that time and I had some of that fat back I wanted to smooth out. I hated it. It made me sweat like a pig.


    ReplyDelete
  13. I'd rather be comfortable. Besides, I don't have to look at me, so what do I care! :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. Judy- That's what I was thinking! Hey, if it just went away, I'd be putting one on every day of the week. LOL

    Coffee- Oh the sweating! I never thought of that! ARGH!!!

    Small Town- Me too. Excellent point! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. When I was in a play I wore Spanx. However, you are correct about being mostly slim to start. Spanx can only do so much. It pretty much just evens you out. If you are already past the Red Line, Spanx is not going to save you. I gained a couple pounds during Rehearsals and wasn't happy about it, so I brought in Spanx to save the day (so to speak)...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Robin- That's what I thought. Because, otherwise, I would be in those things daily. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  17. My friend and I were in a department store buying her some Spanx to smooth her out for her mother-of-the-groom dress that was a pretty close call. So I thought, what the hey, I'll get one too. Didn't try it on, of course, just went by the size chart on the box. Got it home, *tried* to try it on - got it about as far as my knees and decided it wasn't for me! I just can't even imagine going around for hours like that!

    ReplyDelete
  18. You are soooo funny! I love the advice you give at the end... start exercising! It's so true. A girdle by any name barely takes out the wrinkles... it doesn't give us a whole new shape!

    Cute! Can't wait to see what you come up with for H.

    Dana at Waiter, drink please!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dana- It's the only way I know to make it work. Thanks! Working on 'H' now...this is hard this year!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Whilst in Bali, the ladies there showed me this girdle thing that they wrap around their tummy to make their tummies flat under their slim long skirts. I considered it for a minute but never bothered.

    ReplyDelete
  21. My mom, Nana and all my Aunts had them. how else could they keep up their nylons? Oh brother!!
    I just went to a wedding and paid way to much money for spanx to smooth my lumps and bumps so i could look marvelous, I bet a girdle was a lot cheaper.

    The price we pay...

    ReplyDelete
  22. So funny your post is about girdles! Just this morning I was thinking about wearing spanx with the pair of pants I will be wearing to a party Saturday night. I may have to rethink my plan!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have a girdle I bought for .... heck I don't remember but a fat lady in a girdle just makes her a smooth fat lady. Instead of a snowman shape it's a polish sausage shape. And to go potty in it, well it has a tiny slit on the bottom you're suppose to be able to pee out of but pee doesn't always go straight down so it mades for a very wet bottom and uncomfortable to say the least.
    I'll keep my snowman shape and be able to breath, move and pee and if someone doesn't like it, look the other way.
    Blessings Pam.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Girdles!! Love this post! I'm now considering looking for one to try out!

    http://mydestinationunknown.com
    A to Z Participant (A to Z of Travel Bucket List Inspiration)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Haha.
    I have to confess... today I'm wearing my mid-thigh spanx :-))

    Doris

    ReplyDelete
  26. Mama- I bet they don't make one in my size anyway. LOL

    Jen- I considered Spanx for the wedding we're attending this weekend and then thought against it. You know, since I was feeling so good and starting to look better from all the running. And then I took that fall...LOL

    Shawn- I know what you mean. I did consider it for a minute for this wedding. But, hey, I'm not the mother of the bride or anything like that. LOL

    Julie- That's exactly right! LOL You're too funny!

    Kellie- LOL Be careful, you might not be able to breathe!

    Doris- I've heard from some that Spanx are not that bad. But, it's hot here now. And I already get too warm without it so I'm thinking...no. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love my Spanx. Yes, I can't breathe, or easily use the ladies. But once it's on, that bad boy takes off at least ten pounds. Sometimes, you just have to take the good with the bad! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ha-I tell my girls we had spanx back in the day. They just went by the name girdle : ) Course my girls don't need either.

    I went to a wedding when we were in college and a bridesmaid fainted during the ceremony. We heard later they blamed it on a too-tight girdle.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
Design by Imagination Designs
Illustration by MerryLittleDoodle
Background by CinnamonDove