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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Wonder Wear
By Lady Ochel C. Espinosa
UNDENIABLY, a lot of people-men and women alike-stare at themselves in the mirror and are not satisfied with what they see. The frustrations sometimes result in shilling out money for fat-free products, a program in a fitness center, and for the desperate lot, plastic surgery.
Who has not heard of Silhouette 40? Hardi...har...har.
But molding your form does not have to be expensive and time-consuming, clothing designers say. They have found a solution to flattening down and pushing up in seconds while still keeping it Victoria's Secret or Marks and Spencer.
Hidden Constrictions
With the absence of the innovation of the sports bra, ladies in the 1900s needed constricting support beneath their clothes when they engage in vigorous activities. Corsets became the fashion statement. With its thick strings, it pulled tightly around the waist, creating the illusion of a small tummy, even with rather hefty women.
The trend eventually faded out, as the difficulty of breathing became a concern. Years later, the contraption was brought back to the racks, this time made from more comfortable material such as Lycra. It came to be known as the girdle. And so with the advent of the development surfaced the question: If underwear could change the appearance of the stomach, why not everything else?
Shapewear is a new line of underwear fashion that is made to give the body the look that their bearers prefer. "There is a shapewear for any body type and they can mold your body to a perfect silhouette," explains voluptuous Marla*, 23 year old entrepreneur and advocate of shapewear.
While push-up bras and girdles are the most common of shapewear, there are also underclothes that compress the fat in thighs, and lift the buttocks, all possible with just a few hard tugs and groans.
Shapewear is created with a firm control fabric that shapes and smoothens but does not cut off circulation in the body. This new category of underwear was fashioned to be worn underneath regular clothes. Hidden from sight, these undergarments grant the wearer a sure-fire way to a better body proportion.
Cheaper, Faster, Safer
The technological advances in modern science have found the solution to weight problems through plastic surgery. Liposuction remains the most common procedure. Breast augmentation and lifts are also popular. Unfortunately, all surgeries have their risks, and the cost of liposuction can go well over the budget of a disheartened teenager who ate one too many slices of pizza.
"Shapewear is affordable and is more accessible than medical procedures," Marla assures.
While liposuction strips away lipids, the process leaves the patient with bruise marks for almost a week. However, she says that shapewear will instantly conform the body to a slimmer or fuller profile and, once taken off, will return the body to its original figure. "There are no marks and everything is concealed," Marla confirms. "People will tell you that you look thinner without them knowing why." Cosmetic surgery is also clearly dissuaded as complications in the procedure can lead to blemishes and disfiguration. Although it does not have the precision of medical operations, shapewear takes away the risks of unsatisfied results and health injuries.
Erinne*, a med student who just recently began using shapewear, chose a full back body girdle after realizing that her ball gown began to cling closer to her curves. "I had a party to attend in two days and buying a new dress wasn't possible, so my mom took me to buy a body girdle. It firmed the flesh so that it was easier to slip into my gown," she confides.
Shapewear can be bought at almost any retail store, from resident bargain stalls to high-end department stores. Although most come with complicated straps and clips, donning the underwear takes only a few minutes and is much more inexpensive compared to cosmetic surgery. Yet, unmistakably, no product is very profitable if it does not provide the feel of comfort, both physically and emotionally.
Secret Pleasures
"When people know that they look good, they also feel good. Sometimes they feel even better if people don't know why they look great," law student Jackie* says.
It is no mystery that most young women want a slimmer, trimmer physique. While shapewear can lift and push to make those possible, the beauty of looking fantastic in body-hugging outfits stretches to within. Marisa opines that the feel of seeing yourself slimmer creates a chain reaction that will lead you to subconsciously change for the better.
The success of Shapewear lies in the fit of the product. Its tightness allows enough space for proper circulation of air in the body while remaining firm in its stretching limitations. As the user of shapewear's stomach expands while eating, she will immediately feel the discomfort from eating that extra slice of pie. The tightening of the fabric helps in regulating the measure of food she takes in. If worn often enough, the underwear will eventually control large amounts of food intake. This style of dieting proves to be easier as it leaves one with the feeling of already having eaten a full-course meal.
"If I use it more often, sigurado ako I'll get thinner," Erinne asserts. "The shapewear was really tight so after eating the appetizer pa lang, busog na ako."
"It provides motivation," Jackie adds. The simple image of a person looking trimmer than she knows she is will encourage her to restrain herself from eating more than what is healthy for her figure.
No Exceptions Whatsoever
While the age groups of their shapewear customers usually range from mid-20s to 30s, young ladies who have an overweight crisis usually resort to wearing stomach girdles to hide the excess fat. The girdles compress their waist and hips, firming the skin and creating a thinner appearance without obvious lines. However, most of the adults who use shapewear are new mothers and aging women who are struggling to keep their figures with the proper contour. The corselet is usually the popular choice. The corselet cinches protruding waistlines while producing the feel of just wearing a slip.
Breastfeeding mothers take comfort in the support of the bodice, which firms sagging and gives proper cleavage to loose skin. "I had a really good figure before I got pregnant," Annabelle*, a 34 year-old mother, explains. "But I got bloated during my pregnancy and in the end, I bought myself shapewear." The apparel proved to be helpful in reducing the appearance of stretch marks and in firming her skin.
There is no exclusion as shapewear accommodates all sizes and aspects of the female body. Thigh sizes can be reduced by at least two inches; waists can be firmed down one size, at least temporarily.
Future Innovations
Unfortunately, Shapewear has not yet evolved to the advantage of males. Although certain body-conforming products for men have been created, they are not as many as those for women. More shapewear merchandise for women should be produced from fabric that promotes easier oxygen circulation into the skin pores, thereby making one feel more comfortable when sweating.
While dieting and exercise are effective in maintaining a tiptop form, those who are too languid for a 30-minute jog are also given a resolution. Giving in to your voracious appetite and cheating on how you look may not be the best solution, but it remains an option.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals.
(August 30, 2006 issue)
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