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Shapewear Gets Bold: Padding Adds Inches Now
5 Sep
Summary
- New shapewear adds inches with hip padding, reversing traditional compression.
- Celebrities and catwalks influence the trend for enhancing body shapes.
- Critics call enhancing shapewear 'grotesque,' citing body image pressures.
Shapewear is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from its traditional role of compression to actively enhancing a wearer's silhouette. Retailers are launching garments, such as M&S's new bodysuit, that incorporate hip padding to create an hourglass figure. This trend mirrors the padded shorts popularized by Kim Kardashian's Skims brand and is influenced by celebrity styles and runway fashion.
This emergence of enhancing shapewear occurs amidst ongoing scrutiny of body image and an increasing awareness of cosmetic procedures and body modification trends. Designers have been experimenting with padding and exaggerated shapes, coinciding with a return to certain aesthetic ideals. Experts note that achieving specific, often contrasting, body shapes can require artificial sculpting, whether through clothing or surgical intervention.
The trend extends to red carpet fashion, where celebrities have highlighted amplified hips and curves. Historically, various cultures have manipulated body proportions through padding and corsetry. However, contemporary psychotherapists express concern, describing the trend as 'grotesque' and highlighting the societal pressure on women to constantly alter their bodies to meet shifting beauty standards, which can be linked to a perceived lack of material equality.
