I know your first inclination is to roll your eyes and think “ugh, like I need ONE more reminder that I should be at the gym right now…”   WRONG! I’m actually talking about that secret weapon of mass reduction that every Darling should have in her 2010 underwear arsenal to help her “dump the frump”… SHAPEWEAR.

Back in 1998, the brilliant Sara Blakely had her a-ha! moment and cut the feet out of her pantyhose in order to look smashingly smooth beneath her cream pants. Spanx were born, kicking off a revolution in womens’ ‘necessities’. If you haven’t gotten onto the shapewear bandwagon yet, then Darling, you simply don’t know what you are missing!

Not your grandma’s girdle, the new body shapers literally take off inches and sculpt your shape with no asphyxiation involved. Soft and flexible as a pair of bike shorts, these guys combat the evils of VPL, saddlebags, muffin top, sausaging, spillage and back-fat like nobody’s business. Take THAT, cellulite! Have NO FEAR of clingy jersey knits or shimmery satin!

When buying shapewear, stick with your usual size…too small will be uncomfortable, too large won’t give you the control you are after. Nude is a necessity; white will show through everything and totally spoil the illusion. Remember that shapewear isn’t just about compression…the shaping piece of the puzzle is particularly important in the bust and bum regions in order to avoid uni-boob  and bubble-butt. There should be no binding going on anywhere since you want to create the smoothest line possible. Just as with lingerie, every shaper isn’t for every body — so try on lots of options and experiment some to figure out which pieces are right for your body’s individual needs.

The shapewear revolution has been going on long enough that there are plenty of options out there now at all price points…Sara Blakely even has her ASSETS main line at Target now, so you can get a great lower-body shaper for only $28! (And if you aren’t a believer yet, just check out the before & after photos on the website!)

Here are some great options at a variety of price points to get you started:

Yummie Tummie tank, $62, Maidenform Fat-Free Dressing tee shirt, $30, Wacoal shorts, $55, Maidenform Control It! waist nipper brief, $30, MMK Brands thong, $46, Spanx Hide & Sleek full length slip, $72

Be forewarned that the results you will see with shapewear ARE addictive…so make sure to earmark a portion of your wardrobe budget specifically to beef up this all-important category — the investment will make ALL the rest of your clothes look instantly better! Prepare to be AMAZED!