I wouldn't really be offended if she sent it to everyone... it's just something she thought she'd try. Some people like group efforts like this. If I wasn't interested, I wouldn't participate. However, it IS the kind of challenge that usually gets me going.

Last question first. No I don't interpret it as "you all are too fat, so why don't you just exercise instead of wearing a girdle", I interpret it as a competitive person, possibly frugal trying to win the competition without the use of the all-in-one girdle.

I'm pretty thick skinned so I wouldn't be offended by something like this. I don't think anyone should. The weight part especially. IF someone were to be offended, to *me*, the only part more appropriately "offensive" would be the over-valuing of winning. This is more of a "win at all costs" both financially and otherwise, in a way. Is this something for fun? When things get too competitive, it's not fun anymore.

Personally, I would give kudos to the person taking the initiative to try to come up with an alternative and it's a good idea actually, although it's not practical for everyone so again, I wouldn't be offended.

But then again, these days you can offend someone by saying good morning to them! So I'm sure some will take offense. I don't think you should from what I've read. Kick back, relax and chuckle.

The other option is wear choir robes.

I would think that new uniforms are in order. Ones that would flatter the shape of everyone and in a breathable, non-cling fabric would be better than being confined in an uncomfortable undergarment. And I can only imagine how warm and "dewy" you all would be in that contraption inside polyester pants and top, especially if there are stage lights and such.

I am also in a choir and our "gig suit" is black lycra pants and tunic top (with a colourful scarf, according to seasons or occasion). We also are of different shapes, heights,ages, and sizes. The tops do not emphasize the bulges but skim across them so that everyone is comfortable with how they look.

I am also the only one with grey hair. I think I would be offended if I was told to dye my hair to look like everyone else.

I wouldn't take offense either. Though I suspect the gal who sent the email was a cheerleader in a previous life. :-)

Nobody is going to lose enough of a bulge to make polyester an okay fashion statement (unless the bulge was very small to begin with), in 25 days.

That said, the all-in-one would certainly smooth lines and give a better appearance.

Jodi-

I'm with Barbara a different outfit is needed and there are many attractive costume ideas on the market I wouldn't "take offense" at the suggestions offered as such but the cheapest and least confronttional would be an attractive outfit. I've seen too many high school and college concert outfits that showed very bulge and crease and they were skinny girls to bot!! it is the directors fault for not having a more pleasing costume. Now if the director wants to pay for the new undies with money from the treasury (already collected) then go for it.
Hey I used to wear the old -really old -Playtex panty girdles (they were like a rubber suit of armor) and yes held you in but sweat??? and even roll down off the tummy. You had to put a can of corn staarch in them to get them on again.

Neither suggestion would offend me.
This is a competitive event and both suggestions will give your group a competitive edge.

Personally I would rather exercise than wear an all in one. There are several safe ways to do stomach crunches. Using an exercise ball is one. You can flatten your stomach without laying on the floor.

I think both women are trying to help the group and both suggestions have merit.

Lori

I mean not everybody should expect to look good in a slinky, clingy outfit. I think that should have been taken in consideration in the first place. MHO of course. The lady that mailed the e-mail, in my opinion didn't mean any harm, she probably just hates a girdle, (I know I do) if it meant I didn't have to wear a girdle I would "try" to do the dang crunches and I have rhuematoid arthritis. LOL (I can just see myself falling, face forward, in front of all those women, with my big ol' arse sticking up!) MYRTLE GET THAT GIRDLE, WE NEED IT NOW!!

I wouldn't have been offended by the email - but I might've been a little miffed by the director saying we should all buy girdles!

Just curious, was the Director who suggested the girdle included on the email?

Also, is the Director one of the overweight people? It might've been a little more offensive if she's not overweight, and made that suggestion. Just my opinion.

I wouldn't be offended, but wouldn't reply to the email either.

I agree with those that said different outfits are needed. If the majority of the ladies were 'fluffy' why would such unforgiving outfits have been chosen in the first place?

No I wouldn't be offended. 25 weeks might help more than 25 days though.
A smoother is quite different than a girdle. Finding a big enough smoother could be a problem. A good one is expensive too. That's part of the price a person pays for being in a club like that though.
Let us know how you all do..

I wouldn't be in the least offended. In fact, when I read about the all-in-one my first thought was the same as the "cruncher"--how are the singers going to breathe?

But I'm definitely not a crunch person myself.

I, too, agree with Barbara: Your group needs a new uniform.

I agree with Barbara and the others--new costumes is the best answer. I bought one of those all-in-one things to wear to a wedding and I've never been so uncomfortable in my whole life. I bought the size recommended by the manufacturer, too.

I live in FL and it was a summer wedding and that thing was not only miserably tight, it kept the heat in. It was like being shrink-wrapped. I could barely move--sure wouldn't be able to sing in it.

True confession. I went in the ladies room and took that thing off and threw it in the trash. Luckily, my dress had a jacket over it. LOL! Oh--and it had a snap crouch so if you have to go--you'd better go early!!!! Then try to get it snapped back up. No good I tell you.

Well, I just looked back at the email I was sent, and she didn't send it to everyone, just five of us. So I guess the director doesn't know she sent it. I must be in the group she considers as not needing a girdle, or maybe just the ones who might be willing to do the crunches. Now that I know she didn't send it to the entire chorus, I'm a little perplexed. I am already just about the thinnest one in the group, so even if I didn't wear a girdle, I'd be way less bumpy than most of them. I agree with y'all though, I'm sure she meant no harm and was just trying to motivate.

Thank you all for responding. To answer some of your questions:

Yes, this is just for fun, although we all take it pretty seriously. We know we won't win the regional competition, but we're trying to get more points than we did last year.

We're wearing the same costumes as last year (although last year's outfit included a long duster/jacket over the top, which hid a lot of bulges; we're not wearing the duster this year). This chorus likes to keep costume costs low, so they try to reuse costumes or get them at a low cost from other choruses. The pants/tunic style does look OK on most of the chorus members; I don't think a costume exists that would flatter everyone. Choir robes aren't an option, as this isn't a choir, it's a snazzy barbershop harmony chorus. These gals like to sparkle!

For our regular performances, we usually wear black pants and white tops (of our own choosing, style, and fabric).

The costumes are hot, and there are stage lights, but apparently polyester is the way to go. It washes easily, doesn't wrinkle in transit or while waiting to go onstage, and is inexpensive.

Yes, the diretor is overweight. I think she already owns an all-in-one; she's been in Sweet Adelines for 40 years.

patti--funny you mentioned about the snap crotch---our director just told us a story about her having to get another singer to snap hers for her. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: some of Sweet Adelines' costumes

I think new costumes are in order. I don't understand why over weight women wear knits or clingy clothes, they do show every bulge. I am over weight, but I do my best to dress so it doesn't show. I am often told I have a nice figure, those loose shirts hide lot of sins. LOL

uxorial, I agree that a new costume should be on order. When I sang with Sweet Adelines, we ordered our Travel Dresses from Chadwicks. Our Stage Dresses suited everyone and we all looked beautiful Big and Small. The Front Row Gals that Danced more wore slightly shorter and sexier looking outfits. Let the front row gals wear their spanks.

We voted on everything including Make-Up and Earrings, nail polish etc. We wore support Suntan Panty hose so our legs looked similiar. Tan Capizo Dance shoes to make our legs look longer.

I was offended at the back story! I've seen many Sweet Addy groups and yes some of the ladies are on the biggish size but to ask them to all wear an All in one to a performance to look more uniform is just pathetic.

First: An All in one is not the answer to making ya'll look more uniform or even better. Each lady will still have different curves and bulges THAT is the way we are made.

Second: The costumes are polyester and nothing can make a polyester outfit look any better. IMO polyester isn't a material from which clothing should be made. It is ugly, itchy, uncomfortable, hot and smelly. Even a physically shapely lady looks awful in polyester. Time to vote as a group a new outfit of quality material and spend the extra dollar to look good.

Third: An all in one is still a girdle. It is hard to breath for singing when you are wearing a girdle of any kind. You may become accustomed to it after weeks of wearing one in rehearsals but still you can not get your full measure of air.

The e-mail it seemed was looking to help a few of the ladies work off the extra bulge and turn it into muscle mass. Working out is something many of us want to do to keep the bulge down but it is awful lonely and hard to get started. Doing exercises with a support group is so much easier. Crunches are not the only thing to do to firm up the bulges. If you are offended because you are one of the larger of the ladies please consider the e-mail was someone reaching out to help herself and others she cares about.