Employer Partnering With Spanx

100_PROOF_

It's really impossible for me to draw any conclusion without knowing what you do for a living but I also understand why you wouldn't want to disclose that type of info online.
I know some show girls and they are required to wear undergarments and are permitted to wear Spanx or shapewear if they wish as it's considered an undergarment.

CatchMom11

I personally LOVE my spanx! I don't wear them everyday, but I think they're wonderful no matter the size! I don't feel as though they're marketed to make you look "slimmer" but rather to give you cleaner lines. This is the exact reason that they exist in an array of sizes - because no matter the size, we all have moment or ensembles that we may want to feel that extra security of just a cleaner line look.

CatchMom11

smolmaus wrote: »

Charlene____ wrote: »

The company has said that Spanx was a way to promote confidence in our uniform.

Hmmmm, no. Spanx are marketed as making you look thinner, that's where you're supposed to get your "confidence" boost from (blegh). Why do you need to look thinner for your job? For customers? Are you being used as decoration as well as functional employees?

For me it falls under the same scope as making women wear heels to work. They lengthen the legs, supposedly make you look slimmer and are generally seen as "sexier" than flats. They're also uncomfortable and can be expensive. And women have no obligation to look sexy as part of their job unless that is actually explicitly their job. There have been court cases where making women wear heels is ruled discriminatory.

I have to disagree. I don't think Spanx are marketed to make you look thinner - Sarah Blake doesn't need that. They're marketed to give you cleaner lines in clothing that isn't always forgiving (dress slacks, linens, etc.) Spanx have nothing to do with looking sexy. It simply about cleaner lines. There's also no requirement per the OP.

CatchMom11

Ed_Zilla wrote: »

I once had a triple inguinal hernia (lower abdomen). Surgery was scheduled but was a few weeks out so the doc suggested I consider Spanx (or similar) for support until then. I do recall there were various levels of "support." I do also recall that Spanx should be spelled as $panx. BTW - it worked well for this application.

Doesn't Spanx have some minimal support level that will allow you to follow the rules but not "push things where they don't belong?"

I wear the Assets brand by Spanx that's sold in Target. Works just as well and I'm spending less than $20 for a pair.

djjeffa

I consider Spanx false advertisement but hey what do I know I'm a dude 🤣

salleewins

Charlene____ wrote: »

My company has no business relationship with Spanx; I do not work for Spanx or any clothing retailer but I do work in a customer facing position. The company has said that Spanx was a way to promote confidence in our uniform.

I once wore some sort of torture hosiery once before and it was an awful experience. I wear normal control-top pantyhose which is acceptable (all women must wear hosiery that matches their skin tone). I just personally felt that the promotion of Spanx which markets its brand on flattening the tummy and lifting the butt to be a little in the gray area.

I agree on the Spanx and since it involves females and not males as well. It is not right sounding.

smolmaus

CatchMom13 wrote: »

I don't feel as though they're marketed to make you look "slimmer" but rather to give you cleaner lines.

Yes that's the "official line". We all know what that means in reality.

jjpptt2

For me, as a middle aged white guy, I don't have a problem with it as long as...

(1) it's not a requirement

-- or --

(2) if it is a requirement (not spanx specifically, but a certain type of appearance), that that requirement is made known very clearly at the time of interview/hire --AND-- that there are equal opportunities for people who choose to not follow that requirement.

urloved33

im so weirded out that your employer has an UNDERWEAR OR UNDERGARMENT policy...what does that even mean?

solieco1

Is this the only discount offered? Spanx may have done some effective marketing and be approaching businesses. As long as you and your heavier colleagues are treated equally in saying no thanks without pressure I'd ignore it.

hesn92

Charlene____ wrote: »

My company has no business relationship with Spanx; I do not work for Spanx or any clothing retailer but I do work in a customer facing position. The company has said that Spanx was a way to promote confidence in our uniform.

I once wore some sort of torture hosiery once before and it was an awful experience. I wear normal control-top pantyhose which is acceptable (all women must wear hosiery that matches their skin tone). I just personally felt that the promotion of Spanx which markets its brand on flattening the tummy and lifting the butt to be a little in the gray area.

This doesn't sit well with me still. That's like saying women shouldn't feel confident in how they look without keeping their stomach pooch tucked away. I don't necessarily think the company crossed that "line" or was too terribly offensive but it seems like a slippery slope to me and I can see how some women might be offended.

mph323

I have a question - this will be subjective on your part, but I'm interested. In your opinion, putting aside the spanx recommendation. Do you find it the case that there is less focus on your male coworker's appearance than your women coworkers (for instance, women are required to wear pantyhose, wear makeup, have as smooth a line as possible under the uniform while men are required to tuck in their shirts and wear dress shoes)? Is there a preceptable difference between how an overweight male coworker might be treated vs. an overweight woman? And are women themselves treated differently at different weights (you mentioned your company is inclusive, so this also came up in my mind).

I think that unless your company gets a kickback from employees purchasing spanx (and I didn't get that from your responses) it's odd and kind of creepy for them to encourage a specific type of undergarment for just the women.

Fflpnari

I feel like they would make flight attendants do this. It depends on what they require I guess. Is It to help preventt varicose veins or help posture? Or is it purely to look better?

The_Aly_Wei

I think it is fine if it is part of a specific uniform because that is what a uniform is- an expected manner of appearing in a work place. Lucky for me, my employer has no such requirement because i could never force myself to wear spanx...it is hit or miss if i even wear a bra to work.

janejellyroll

CatchMom13 wrote: »

smolmaus wrote: »

Charlene____ wrote: »

The company has said that Spanx was a way to promote confidence in our uniform.

Hmmmm, no. Spanx are marketed as making you look thinner, that's where you're supposed to get your "confidence" boost from (blegh). Why do you need to look thinner for your job? For customers? Are you being used as decoration as well as functional employees?

For me it falls under the same scope as making women wear heels to work. They lengthen the legs, supposedly make you look slimmer and are generally seen as "sexier" than flats. They're also uncomfortable and can be expensive. And women have no obligation to look sexy as part of their job unless that is actually explicitly their job. There have been court cases where making women wear heels is ruled discriminatory.

I have to disagree. I don't think Spanx are marketed to make you look thinner - Sarah Blake doesn't need that. They're marketed to give you cleaner lines in clothing that isn't always forgiving (dress slacks, linens, etc.) Spanx have nothing to do with looking sexy. It simply about cleaner lines. There's also no requirement per the OP.

Yeah, I have a pair that I wear on special occasions. It has nothing to do with looking slimmer, I just want my closer fitting dresses to have a smooth line. I think they have a variety of strengths though.

I have a sister who weighs about 100 pounds soaking wet and I think she wore Spanx under her wedding dress this summer. She just wanted to ensure she looked put together for the pictures.

kshama2001

When I was in the military, the dress code included requirements for undergarments.

These days, I work from home in my pajamas until lunchtime, at which point I change into exercise clothes. Bra-less, spanx-less.

youngmomtaz

If my job required these then they had better never, ever complain about the sheer number of times I remove myself to the restroom in a shift. Solely for the purpose of rearranging said spanx. Horrible things. I have been fitted twice for undergarments by the request of a bride who wanted her bridesmaids to have “clean lines” sales pitch if I ever heard one.... the things bind, roll, bunch, etc. They are horrible! I took my measurements both on and off. With both(different sizes for the different body shapes I was), they adjusted my shape by less than 1/2” here and there. Garbage. And that is where I put them. I went from registered massage therapist in my athletic pants(not yoga tights) and tops, to currently a school bus driver/hobby farmer in jeans and hiking boots. I dress up for date night but my husband hates spanx as much as I do. Preying on women’s insecurities. My only form of praise for them was that they kept me warmer. I am always cold.

canadjineh

I like Spanx or similar product from other slightly cheaper companies, simply because when I'm wearing dressy clothes I like to have a smoother line. I am not overweight at the moment although a few lbs above my happy weight, but I am in my mid 50's and after a lifetime of working out still my jiggly bits are hanging lower/more jiggly than I like. The only thing I might ask about this is if the males in your workplace have had special underwear with internal support pouch to keep their jiggly bits in place 'suggested'.... for instance SAXX or Sheath? 'What's sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander.'

paperpudding

I'm not sure it is body shaming - but i think it is crossing the line of what is acceptable.
and would border on discrimination unless in a very specific workplace where people's appearance needs to be very specific - ie not just generally neat and well groomed, with or without an actual (outer) uniform.

Cannot imagine my employer specifying underwear requirements - I have worked in places with uniforms and places with just dress codes.
Admittedly jobs where my function is more important than my appearance - although basic neatness and appropriateness of clothing is required in almost every job with any public face at all.
This would not include Spanx.

100_PROOF_

I've worked quite a few jobs where my appearance was the job. Wearing Spanx wouldn't have been an odd request for these jobs at all. I interviewed just last month for a job where my sole purpose of being there would've been to look cute and smile. Offering Spanx would've been normal there.
There's really no way to say whether this was odd or not without more information and context.