Do slimming pants work?
When someone like Nicole Kidman slips on a pair of slimming pants for the Oscars chances are it is because her dress is so figure hugging even she has the potential for a muffin top catastrophe after fasting for two days prior to the big event. And as stylist I confess sometimes even on models easily mistaken for cocktail sticks we have to use them to get an acceptible image for a fashion editor's critical eye.
As far as real women are concerned, my good style advice, the pain is just not worth the gain. As a curvy UK size 12-14 with hips and breasts the slimming pant idea is a good one but at 64, looking for a perfect sillouette and comfort I have completely abandoned the idea. I've tried many different brands from Sloggis shapewear, think about an old fashioned panty girdle your mother or gran used to wear to Kim Kardashian's Skim's brand recently under fire for their new Maternity Solutionwear, with follower @saram5115 tweeting "I’m sure that’s the one thing pregnant women need above all! Being pressed to a slimmer figure" in response to the annoucement. And the truth is, particularly for more mature women, lets face it, young and gorgeous and the last thing on your mind should be slimming pants, if your body's not in decent shape to start with, shapewear can't help you.
Gok Wan tells us we all "look good naked" but do we believe him when he then pops us in slimming pants and shapewear to style us up on TV?
Beware, the fat has to go somewhere.
The reality is, you might achieve a temporary solution to looking slimmer in the moment but if something doesn't ping or pop out at an inopportune moment, you will definitely die of embarrassment later in the bedroom.
It is impossible to dress "an apple" because without a waist nothing will look good. Baggy clothes, that are too big, will just make you look fatter not fabulous.
The truth is when it comes to creating the perfect mannequin we cannot have our cake and eat it.
If fashion is your passion and you are sick of trying to fit into your best frock without success, hang it on your wardrobe door and take up exercise. If you cannot do this, our top slimming pant tip is as follows.
The no.1 best way to get rid of panty lines, bad muffin tops and unsightly lumps and bumps is shock horror to remove your knickers altogether. Learning to love the skin you're in is easy when you choose a luxury comfortable cotton base layer instead.
If you don't want to let it all hang out and fifty sit ups a day is out of the question always carry a spare pair of sexy knickers to change into just in case you get lucky. Slimmimg pants are impossible to peel off at the best of times so make sure you don't have too many cocktails before you attempt to make the switch. You may find you're completely red faced from your bathroom battle before anything ever happens in the bedroom.
My advice, forget the slimming pants. Learn to love it or lose it.
Photo by: Patrick Kool Unsplash