Throughout history, women have been pressured to have certain body shapes, often leading them to use extreme methods to achieve them. So you would think that with a greater emphasis on body positivity in recent years, the days of wearing corsets and other restrictive undergarments would be behind us. In fact, the global shapewear industry is booming, and sales of these products are expected to reach $3.7 billion by 2028.
While the corsets can go back to 16th century, it was in the 18th century that the hourglass shape became fashionable. The corsets also had come to represent elite status and physical fragility, symbol of femininity.
Different body ideals have come into fashion since, largely shaped by popular celebrities or even famous images and artworks. For instance, Aphroditethe Greek goddess of beauty, was frequently depicted in curvaceous body paintings and sculptures.
While hourglasses were popular throughout the 1950s due to sex symbols such as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, the mid to late 1960s saw a shift towards slimmer physiques, in part due to the iconic British model Twiggy. The skinny and waif look remained in fashion well into the 1990s, again thanks to the continued popularity of models such as Kate Moss.
The 2010s saw an evolution towards a “curvy” silhouette, where a small waist and fuller hips became ideal again. Just like in previous decades, this change was driven by celebrities, including Rihanna, Beyoncé and, in particular,Kim Kardashian.
Social Media Trends
While social media has helped give space to celebrate a more diverse range body forms, there is always a continuous pressure to conform to an ideal which may not be entirely natural. This is why shapewear remains popular, even though the way these garments are perceived and worn have changed significantly since the 18th century.
Before American society Spanx underwear brand launched shaping leggings and briefs in 2000, shapewear was generally reserved for special occasions. But thanks to celebrity endorsements and Instagram influencersshapewear (including Spanx) has become everyday wear, used to help improve appearance and achieve the ideal figure. kardashians and Victoria Beckham both launched their own lines of affordable shapewear.
We have now reached the point where young women are wearing shapewear like outerwear instead of hiding it like an undergarment. Search the best shapewear clothes goes beyond even research into the best way to losing weight.
Waist trainers in particular are a prime example of the power of social media and celebrity endorsements to drive sales and change perceptions. For example, a selfie 2015 posted by Kardashian in a corset created a surge in sales. Other celebrities such as Nicki Minaj and Kylie Jenner have also posted about wear sneakers at the waist.
In the past, women only knew about the latest fashion trends through designers or magazines, which featured illustrations of fashionable silhouettes. But with social media, users are constantly exposed to images, whether they are ordinary people or extremely photographed models and celebrities. It is therefore difficult to escape idealized body shapes and the items that can be purchased to achieve them.
Social media has a huge influence on the consumption of fashion products. With an estimate 3.2 billion users across the globe, this creates huge potential for brands to expose consumers to fashion products on a daily basis. Trends that were driven by fashion magazines are now firmly rooted in the hands of influencers. And with even everyday people flaunting idealized figures and sharing their experiences with using shapewear products, products can seem more relevant than for previous generations.
Despite some influencers talk up shapewear As a way to celebrate the female form, its relationship to age-old notions of perfection and its endorsement by tiny-waisted celebrities raises questions about whether body acceptance is what these products are really trying to sell. But those clothes are unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon – with celebrities as diverse as Billie Eilish and Lizzo continue to popularize them.
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There are increase in questions about the potential benefits and risks of using shapewear. Although waist trainers may temporarily reduce waist sizesize quickly returns to normal size after discontinuing use.
