Girdles

Let's admit it, women want to look sexy and shapely under their clothes all the time. That's why they go through great lengths to create those hourglass figures - by exercising and dieting. But sometimes they are not enough. You'd still see some bumps around your waist or tummy when you wear those tight-fitting clothes.

What to do? Well, you could wear a girdle.

Girdles are garments usually made of elastic that enhances a woman's shape. They smooth your waist, hips and thighs. Girdles were especially famous during the 30s, 40s and 50s when dresses with small waistlines ruled the fashion runway. Women who aspired to be as sexy as, say, Marilyn Monroe would wear a girdle underneath to get the same shapely figure in an instant.

Today, girdles are more than just items of glamour and femininity. It is a functional and must-have lingerie piece for women. Girdles can control trouble spots in your waist, hips and thighs. They make clothes look better on you. Some can actually help in improving your posture. And because they smooth out those problem areas, girdles can actually make you feel better about yourself and more confident about your appearance.

So what kind of girdle should you wear then? Getting one would depend on your needs and problem areas that you want to address. Panty girdles focus on your tummy, hips and butt. There are what you call long leg panty girdles that smooths from the tummy to the thighs.

Open-bottom girdles, which have an open crotch area, also help hide the belly bulge. Pregnant women can get support for their back with a maternity girdle. And there are those that offer full body shaping from your breasts to your legs. Just remember to buy a girdle that fits just right and that's not too tight - or else you'll just feel pain rather than look poised.

But for whatever reason, just remember that it's nice to have a few girdles in your lingerie drawer. They don't just make you smooth and pretty instantly; girdles can also give your confidence that much-needed boost during the days you'd need it most. At least then you could still eat what you want and hit it out in the gym maybe for only about once or twice a week.