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confession.
Warning: this is long and rambly and not really important 
I never got what the big deal was with Spanx - I thought it was kind of a gimmick, and that there's no way they could work that well. I mean, conservation of mass and all that, I figured it would just squish up the fat in weird ways.
Then I gained some weight after the wedding, and while most of my clothes still fit, I had to be vigilant about sucking in my gut. If I don't keep sucking it in, I get a nice little belly pooch. And it occurred to me, after seeing a post about Spanx, that maybe they would help me in that regard. I had an event coming up where I needed to wear a dress, and I figured it would be a good time to try them out.
While on the Spanx website, I ordered a tank top, too. When it came, I was so disappointed - it didn't really do ANYTHING. So I thought my initial assessment was confirmed. I wore the brief-thingy with the dress and it was better, but I was still underwhelmed by the suckage-factor, plus it sort of cut in at the top (just below my boobs) which I was worried showed and would be worse than a little gut. I was starting to think that all the Spanx hype was completely unwarranted.
Then, I found a high-power shaper that also goes down your thighs on E-bay for cheap, and decided to try it since the other two pieces were medium and super suckage, and this was supposed to be super-duper. I'll probably still need something come NYE, and it's cheaper than buying new clothes. Well, it came, and I decided to test-drive it today and OMG. I'm converted.
Some of their products are sort of crappy (though I suppose I can layer them) but this thing kicks a$$! I'm a little worried that it goes too far down my legs, though, so I can't wear it with most of my dresses, but whatev. I'm working out again so hopefully it won't be an issue for long.
So Spanx, and Spanx lovers, I apologize for doubting you.
Re: confession.
The briefs (http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3769280&cp=2992553.10889641&parentPage=family) weren't comfortable when I sat down because it sort of rolled down at the top and created this weird dent/bulge just under my bra. There's not even fat there, so it was weird and I thought it made it obvious I was wearing shapewear. However, I was wearing black, and it was striped and there was a belt on the dress so I think it wasn't noticeable. That being said, it wasn't that good at slimming, so it really wasn't worth it and if I'd been carrying a larger purse I would have taken it off in the bathroom.
For some reason, the one I'm wearing now (http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4058277&cp=2992553.10889641&parentPage=family) doesn't do that; I think it comes up a little higher. Sidenote: it's actually NOT super-duper power, it's the same as the brief, so I don't know why it's so much better at taming my tummy.
I probably wouldn't normally wear it to work, since it's not worth it and I can always throw on looser clothes or a cardigan, but I wanted to test it out before wearing it for NYE, since the one I wore last weekend wound up not being that great and I was very self-conscious all night.
Jess - thanks for the tip, I'll have to try hiking up the legs!!!
Wore all day for the wedding and the RD. Also wore numerous times in Vegas for b-party. I think it might depend on
a) which style you get
b) which size you get (ie, too small or just right)
c) how much compression you need (higher power vs. SUPER higher power)
d) what event you're wearing for (all day at work=bad! standing and dancing at your wedding=good!)
I have the super higher power and regular higher power and the super was definitely more UNcomfortable. But, I'm also a large girl, with lots of pooches everywhere...
As far as the short dress, I agree w/ jessie that you can just pull the legs up. It does, however, give me a thigh line (cuz I have the biggest thighs known to woman). But I'd rather have the line, than the spanx showing.
What I don't understand is why skinny girls wear spanx...?
I had never worn shapewear of anysort until I was shopping for dresses for bridal shower and bparty. I found a dress that I fell in love with but it was a lil tight in the mid-section. My cousin said but you don't even have good underwear on, so I tried it on with the shapewear and was amazed at the effects and slimming power.
I was also surprised that my cousin who is a size 6 needed the shapewear, the little secrets of women looking good!
Do they have one that gets rid of hip fat/love rolls?
The main reason why I can't stand wearing sweaters is because every.freaking.one of them seems to super glue itself to that area of me and I can't stand accentuating my hip fat. I've tried the easier solution of jeans that come up higher but that didn't work either.
Brew - I guess I'm skinny, but my reason is what I wrote above. Like anyone else, its completely disappointing to try on something that looks good on you everywhere but that one place. I don't expect Spanx to make me look like I lost 20 lbs or something, I just want it to flatten out what too many years of junk food has done to that area.
Married / The Cookaholic Wife
Brew - I could easily go up a size in pants/dresses, but Spanx are a much cheaper option at this point than replacing my wardrobe, especially since I hope it's just temporary. I have to admit that I was SHOCKED that a girl I work with wears Spanx in dresses - she is a size 0. And I'm not going to lie, when I was ordering my Spanx, it made me feel a little better remembering that even some skinny girls wear Spanx.
LTB - they do smooth out the hip/love handle area, even the tank top that I thought was terrible on my stomach. I wish it were a little longer, though, so it would stay tucked into my pants when I sit down. Here is the tank top:
http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2990088&cp=2992553.3026774&parentPage=family
I bought it in white, since I often wear white tanks under my v-neck sweaters anyway.
I'm also eyeing this thing, in nude:
http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3987956&cp=2992553.3015048&parentPage=family
There are a lot of Spanx products new in their packaging on Ebay for considerably cheaper, so if you're thinking about it, I'd check that out.
The one I got for the wedding but now have fallen in love with and will wear it when I have to wear a dress or a form fitting shirt is:
I love it, I am a big girl and got it in a plus size that might have been alittle to big because I didn't want it to suck my fat in I just wanted it to smooth me out and I love it now!!
Did yours fold down? I think I got such a big size that it was not tight enough to fold over, because I have bought some different brand "controllers" and they rolled down in that top area but they were alot more snug than the latest one I bought.
EDIT: Yea, it probably does depend on height, i'm only 5'0 so the top came all the way up to the bottom of my bra.
I am not sure if it folded down, I don't think it did. I think it just hit in kind of a weird spot on me, that's all. So when I sat it sort of caved in, if that makes any sense?