In this YouTube monologue, Susie Taaffe explains the anti‑shapewear movement she coined after seeing a Spanx video where founder Sara Blakely advocated wearing two pairs of Spanx to appear two sizes smaller. Taaffe critiques the cultural pressure to look thinner, arguing that true beauty lies in embracing one’s natural curves. She distinguishes two facets of the movement: (1) physical anti‑shapewear, exemplified by “scanties” that smooth the silhouette without compressing the body, and (2) emotional anti‑shapewear, which involves shedding internalized beliefs that one must be smaller or change oneself to be worthy. She references classical art—Venus, Botticelli, angelic figures—to illustrate historical acceptance of voluptuous forms. Taaffe invites viewers to explore her YouTube channel “Susie Unshaped,” where she documents a 31‑day challenge of peeling away both literal and metaphorical layers of shapewear, encouraging self‑acceptance without reliance on weight loss, wealth, or cosmetic improvements.
Chapters
So what actually is an anti-shapewear movement? Well, I created the term one day after seeing a video posted by Sara Blakely from Spanx. In the video, she was proving to us viewers that you can achieve a look in a particular dress, but the part that really killed me was she recommended wearing not one, but 2 pairs of Spanx. And I was just like, enough is enough. I think it was something to do with post-COVID kilos and bodies and how you can get this look and look 2 sizes smaller. And it just was the final straw. Why do we need to look 2 sizes smaller? And like, why is all the messaging that we have coming at us always about Looking smaller, losing weight, like not being who you actually are. I think that like being happy within yourself right now is the key to life. And I have actually gone a lot deeper in this because what I realized is scanties are anti-shapewear for your body, like the physical anti-shapewear. They give you a smooth line, but they do not compress. any part of you. So I am arguing that a smooth line of your beautiful body and your beautiful curves, exactly as they're supposed to be, is what we're trying to achieve. You are beautiful as you are. You do not need to look 2 sizes smaller. So, and then I realized, well, why do we want to look 2 sizes smaller? Why are we so unhappy just being ourselves. Like, look at the sculptures of Venus. Look at the Botticelli babes. Look at, like, all the angel paintings. They are not squished into this skinny, raped body. They're gorgeous and voluptuous. And so that had me realize the messaging is the problem. We are trying to achieve something because we're being told we need to. So my anti-shapewear movement is killing that. So what's so important is the emotional shapewear removal. So anti-shapewear is both the physical— goodbye Spanx— and the emotional shapewear that we wear, which is the reason why we don't feel good enough right now just within ourselves as we are. So if you would like to follow that journey, my YouTube channel Susie Unshaped Has got a lot of content that you can deep dive into. I did an amazing 31-day challenge, which was basically just peeling off the layers for myself on video to keep me accountable to, like, realize why in this now moment you are enough, like, exactly as you are. Not with more money in the bank, not losing X amount of weight, not having nicer skin, not having like all the whatever you think you need to achieve to then I'll be enough. No, you are enough right now. And Scanties support that in your physical body, and I support it in your soul. Like, the emotional shapewear is removing all those beliefs that are squashing and constraining and limiting you from being the amazing person that you are. So I get I'm very passionate about this one. Go to my YouTube and you can deep dive as much as you like. Love you.
