Before Spanx there were...

...a lot of traumatised women, running around the world, searching for an easy way to a streamlined silhouette.(Please take note dear reader, when I say “women” I mean normal, everyday women.Victoria Secret supermodels and Sports Illustrated front covers do not apply.) Everyone knows what the ‘hard’ way entails. Reducing sugar, caffeine, fat intake (which makes life quite miserable really, what’s so wrong about a cup of hot full-fat mocha every once in a while?), increasing exercise, drinking more water, sleeping well regularly...blah blah, you know the drill.

In steps Sara Blakely, who invented Spanx at a tender age of 27. She spent most of her career selling photocopiers before she hit the jackpot with Spanx. Celebrities who are big fans of Spanx include Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks, Beyonce Knowles, even Jessica Alba has been caught wearing Spanx! At this point, some of you are sitting there going WHAT IS SPANX? And why is this demented bride-to-be going on about it?

Spanx is a brand of body-shaping undergarments that give a more streamlined and smooth silhouette to the wearer. I won’t say they are exclusively for women, because I have come across the Spanx range for men (which I showed to my fiancé, who promptly made fun of the model who was wearing Spanx). It is NOT the first of its kind; I’m sure you’ve come across it in the High Street for e.g. Marks and Spencers and Debenhams ; however, I would say it is known to be the BEST of its kind. Now how I came to know about Spanx is unimportant (to be honest, I do not know how the word “Spanx” ever came into my consciousness and that freaks me out a little) but I decided this was a good time as any to give it a road test!

Sooooo....I logged on to the Internet and started looking for websites that sold Spanx. Purchasing Spanx directly is a bad idea unless you live in the US as the delivery charges cost a bomb. I believe places like Harrods and Debenhams stock Spanx but for Londoners, it is cheaper to buy it off the internet from the Magic Knicker Shop. I felt it was too icky to actually purchase something like undergarments from ebay (what if someone has worn it before, totally gross, ugh) so I steered clear of that.

In the interest of experimentation, I purchased the Spanx Higher Power Magic Knickers in Bare (£30) and the Spanx Slim Cognito Seamless Mid Thigh Bodysuit in Nude (£67). Both were fairly similar in but, colour and proposed function however, I have only road tested the Magic Knickers for two whole days so far whereas I've tried on the Bodysuit for 15 minutes.
First of all, both Spanx held up quite well ( no hoisting required after you've put them on) and hardly any slippage. With the bodysuit, you have the additional advantage of strapping on the bodysuit to your bra, which is great. Secondly, both were very comfortable i.e. the bands do not cut off your circulation and cause you pain. Finally, both were very "incognito"! You wouldn't be able to tell if someone was wearing Spanx or not! The Bodysuit was definitely thicker than the Magic Knickers though. One distinct and immediate noticeable advantage with the Bodysuit is, it has a more significant push-up for your butt than the Magic Knickers, which had a slight flattening effect.

My verdict on Spanx Higher Power Magic Knickers so far:

Does it make me look slimmer?

Not really... Perhaps after a heavy dim sum, Spanx does hold your stomach in a lot more effectively than...uhh...no-Spanx. But as my very logical sister said – why in the world would you be wearing Spanx to dim sum?

Does it look weird on its own?

A resounding YES. The lovely stylist at Caroline Castigliano did a mini-double take (I am guessing they are trained to control their facial expressions as they see women in their undergarments all the time when helping their customers into their wedding dresses) when she saw me in Spanx (this was the second time I was trying dresses, previously I was not wearing Spanx). I tried not to laugh. She is lovely...especially since she told me I didn’t need Spanx!

Was it comfortable?

Yes, very comfy once you’ve got it on. There is some huffing and puffing to get it past my hips (I have considerable hips) though. Peeing was also quite troublesome, despite the fact that they have a handy slit in the crotch area. I had to actually take it off and put it on again! For me, it’s just totally weird wearing Spanx without some actual underwear inside.

Does it give me a more streamlined silhouette?

Yes, certainly. That’s the best part about Spanx! Apparently it does not flatten your behind like some other shapewear. There is a slight push-up effect as well (but not as much as the bodysuit).

Do I feel more confident in it?

Yes! But somehow more self-conscious about my jelly* being held in as well. It’s pretty strange!

Will I be wearing it on my wedding day?

Depends! I am more likely to wear it here in London. In Malaysia, if it gets too hot and humid, I can imagine Spanx is not going to be my best friend. Sweat and Spanx can’t be a good combo. Also I may be feeling bloated on that day and decide to don my Spanx. Either way, it's a good insurance policy to have just in case!

Should you consider Spanx?

Truthfully, I think it’s a question of confidence. If you feel more confident in Spanx by all means...! I think Spanx would work great underneath tight-fitting dresses. Not so sure about trousers and skirts though. It's more about the silhouette...

*jelly refers to the Bootylicious-ness of fat around the thigh, hip and butt area. Actually I don’t know if that’s true, but listen to Destiny’s Child – Bootylicious to get a rough idea.