Okay, let’s review, shall we? We’ve got skirts for men, pantyhose for men, 6-pack undershirts for men, bras for men, and now…girdles for men? Yes, it’s true, marketed as a “compression” product to provide support to the lower back and to “encourage muscle activity while supporting a straight spine all day,” the man girdle, or “mirdle” is really meant to compress men’s love handles and spare tires. Look, when most of us think of equality between the sexes, this isn’t really what we have in mind. Equal pay for equal work? Absolutely. Equal share of the housework? Yes, please! Equal levels of self-consciousness, vanity and disdain for our bodies? I wouldn’t exactly call this progress. I never thought I’d say this, but can’t we just go back to the days when all men cared about wearing under their clothes were baggy boxers and a wife-beater? [NYMag]

Oprah has admitted that she’s started to go panty-less. If that made you squirm, shake it off into a pair of her unseen favorite things: the new age girdles known as Spanx. The various styles of body wear, from footless tights to high-waisted undies, are designed to smooth cellulite, cinch waists, shape curves, and tighten your loose ends. The wonder for your down-unders was created by Atlanta entrepreneur Sarah Blakely and her brand has become an asset to women across America who want to look like they go to the gym. Even skinny minis like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Jessica Alba swear by Spanx. However, be warned, while they may smooth you, you have to be smooth yourself. The real trick here is getting the granny panties off before you get manhandled.  [Spanx]