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Shapewear, or undergarments that help slim and sculpt a figure by holding it in, has become the fastest growing category in intimate apparel for women, with lines available in most major stores, but it is also now taking off for men.
The rise of shapewear dates back to 2000 when influential U.S. TV talk show queen Oprah Winfrey declared her enthusiasm for a brand called Spanx.
But there's a downside. Some women complain that the tight fitting garments can be hard to get on and off and can cause complications when it comes to using the bathroom.
Shapewear for men
It is not just women using underwear to smooth out or reduce the bumps and lift sagging parts. Men's shapewear is changing underwear for men, with vests, T-shirts and underwear used to slim down or even to enhance parts of their physique. Some even promise to help back problems.
Will Cleare, a father of two from England, was skeptical at first but tried a vest designed to give better posture and slim down his stomach for rugby. Now he's a convert.
"There's just no reason why you should feel embarrassed to wear it. You can either be open about wearing it or you can get people thinking 'Oh they've shaped up a bit', that's fine," Cleare said.
An Australian-based company a launched men's shapewear line, which is designed to appeal to males who want to improve their golf swing, as well as their chances of appearing younger and fitter in a European suit.
"Using the latest high performance technologies and state-of-the-art designs, our garments are engineered to optimize and energize the body, from street to sport, work to weekend," says the company's mission statement.
Beyond gaydar
A British online retailer also launched a men's line this year and has reported higher than expected sales figures for men's shapewear. Initial buyers were mainly from the gay market but demand has spread to businessmen and sports figures, especially those struggling to exercise.
"Since May, it's come from nowhere really. It's about 10 percent of our men's underwear sales so it's doing really well for us," said Zoe Ellis.
But some fashion experts remain uncertain about the men's shapewear market.
"The men's underwear market is very small so it could be a bit of a gimmick, a bit of a novelty," said Anna Santi, Drapers Fashion Journal Commissioning. "But at the same time, we've seen from a beauty point of view, we've seen a growth in men's grooming products so as a consumer product it could lend itself quite well to underwear."
Are men becoming more body-conscious?
The rise of shapewear dates back to 2000 when influential U.S. TV talk show queen Oprah Winfrey declared her enthusiasm for a brand called Spanx.
But there's a downside. Some women complain that the tight fitting garments can be hard to get on and off and can cause complications when it comes to using the bathroom.
Shapewear for men
It is not just women using underwear to smooth out or reduce the bumps and lift sagging parts. Men's shapewear is changing underwear for men, with vests, T-shirts and underwear used to slim down or even to enhance parts of their physique. Some even promise to help back problems.
Will Cleare, a father of two from England, was skeptical at first but tried a vest designed to give better posture and slim down his stomach for rugby. Now he's a convert.
"There's just no reason why you should feel embarrassed to wear it. You can either be open about wearing it or you can get people thinking 'Oh they've shaped up a bit', that's fine," Cleare said.
An Australian-based company a launched men's shapewear line, which is designed to appeal to males who want to improve their golf swing, as well as their chances of appearing younger and fitter in a European suit.
"Using the latest high performance technologies and state-of-the-art designs, our garments are engineered to optimize and energize the body, from street to sport, work to weekend," says the company's mission statement.
Beyond gaydar
A British online retailer also launched a men's line this year and has reported higher than expected sales figures for men's shapewear. Initial buyers were mainly from the gay market but demand has spread to businessmen and sports figures, especially those struggling to exercise.
"Since May, it's come from nowhere really. It's about 10 percent of our men's underwear sales so it's doing really well for us," said Zoe Ellis.
But some fashion experts remain uncertain about the men's shapewear market.
"The men's underwear market is very small so it could be a bit of a gimmick, a bit of a novelty," said Anna Santi, Drapers Fashion Journal Commissioning. "But at the same time, we've seen from a beauty point of view, we've seen a growth in men's grooming products so as a consumer product it could lend itself quite well to underwear."
Are men becoming more body-conscious?
