Well, we can almost start counting down the hours to what is pretty much certain to be a white Christmas this year, so the chances are, you have now found the perfect little black dress to wear to the office party or New Year's drinks with the neighbours. But, however fabulous the dress may look on a hanger, unfortunately it may not look so good once you've squeezed yourself into it ! Let's face it, who hasn't got the odd bulge or flabby bit they'd rather hide under a baggy jumper and a pair of leggings ?!
Even the spammers seem to have worked this out. My email inbox is no longer flooded with emails from people telling me I've won the national lottery in Nigeria or the astonishing new trend that keeps trying to get me to buy "a big penis like a woman" (I kid you not !!) and now, they're all promising to sell the secrets to shedding 8kg before Christmas instead !
Well, there is another solution, even if it is a cheat's option, and it doesn't involve dodgy pills or cosmetic surgery ! Tightsplease have an amazingly vast collection of what they call "shapewear". You can choose between some fabulously promising-named products, including Power Panties, caffeine-infused slimming tights, Trinny & Susannah Magic Knickers, Leg Toner Tights, Tummy Tuck Toner Tights, Hourglass Toner Tights, Thigh Slimmers ... I challenge you to show me one woman anywhere on the planet who wouldn't want to try out a product called a Midriff, Tummy, Thigh and Rear Shaper !
While idly browsing through the products on offer in the Tightsplease online store, there was one brand that really leapt out at me - Pretty Polly. I always thought of them as a company that just made the kind of "natural tan" tights that Nora Batty (not to mention my nan !) used to wear year-in-year-out ! Well, they've gone all trendy and, dare I say it, sexy ! They have even jumped on the Shapewear bandwagon. As they say, "The Pretty Polly Secret Slimmer range is perfect for those looking to achieve a slimmer figure in an instant !".
If you're not 100% convinced (or if you're incapable of wearing a pair of tights more than once without laddering them !), you'll be pleased to know that they have a budget price tag too. The 60 denier Pretty Polly Opaque Low Leg Tummy Control Tights cost £5.99 and the 15 denier Pretty Polly High Leg Tummy Toner Tights are just £3.99. Having never worn control tights before, I was expecting them to feel really tight and constricting but they don't. They feel really comfortable and you can totally forget you're wearing them - until you walk past a mirror and suddenly think you look a bit slimmer ! It's a bit of a shame they only come in black but for the comfort and streamlining action, they are brilliant value for money.
Another company that really caught my eye in the shapewear section is Spanx. The product that immediately made me go ooooh was their maternity tights, funnily enough ! I remember when I was pregnant and bought maternity tights, they were just like normal tights that either stopped under your bump or went right up to almost to your boobs above your bump - neither felt comfortable and either cut in or spent the whole night falling down ! Well, their maternity tights look totally different and really adapted to a big late-pregnancy bulge, as you can see in this photo.
Definitely a great buy for all those festive mums-to-be ... or anyone who's really overdone the mince pies and Christmas pudding !
Spanx also have a range of non-maternity shapewear that will help you effortlessly achieve an airbrushed look for your office party ! They have the fabulously-named Power Panties that are "designed to give an overall smooth look , as well as slim your bottom half", the slightly scary-looking Higher Power which covers you from chest to knees and works a bit like a corset (but, they say, with a "very practical" open gusset !) and the Slim Cognito Shaping Mid-Thigh Bodysuit.
But their most practical (and non-scary !) product is their 30 denier footless tights. As they explain, "Get extra tummy control from this fantastic product from Spanx. Made to give you a gorgeous figure, whilst disguising as footless tights, these are made for everyday wear. The tight is sheer from the thigh meaning only you will know the secret support you are getting!" They may cost £21.99 but they do give you a lovely slimmer figure and have the added advantage of acting a bit like thermal undies in this weather ! They are very discreet and not at all what I was expecting tummy-control tights to look like.
If you're looking to impress at the office party, you should definitely invest in some of this body-sculpting hosiery, then you can stop worrying about holding your tummy in and concentrate on who to snog under the mistletoe instead !! Have fun !
Other reviews you may be interested in :
Well, the model with the maternity tights has better legs than I did when pregnant. Varicose veins and triple 'chins' on my knees were all the rage (and sadly, 3 years on, still are)
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I'm glad you explained that at the end - I snorted with laughter when I saw someone called Stuart telling me about their pregnancy legs !! ;-)
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