Control Freak - Shapewear for Men
Body or shape wear for men is the latest in our quest for the perfect physique. Enhancing or should that be minimising ourselves is the new way to go. We’ve had the pants that make us look bigger downstairs and our arses more pert. The Wonderjock from Aussiebum and the Low-sling from C-in2 both enhanced the size and shape of our packages but now launching exclusively at Selfridges this week from Australian brand Equmen is a new range of underwear which shapes and contours the body, control pants for men if you will.
Mithun Ramanandi, Selfridges’ Men’s Formal Wear and Accessories Buyer, describes where this new trend has come from “It’s been evolving for a few years. Men generally care more about the way they look, gym memberships have increased and we’ve seen a rise in sales of Men’s Health magazine. They also want to look like they care, there’s now an ideal male shape. Woman have had brands like Spanx for years so it was only a matter of time before it entered the men’s market.”
Selfridges have been selling Equmen’s Core Precision Undershirts for the past six months. Equmen’s range of tanks, tees and long sleeve shirts feature a proprietary Helix-Mapping System which combines the cross-hatch taping technique physical therapists use to improve postural alignment with the core muscle muscle support. Prices are £49 for a singlet, £59 for a v-neck and £69 for a long sleeve vest.
Ramanandi says “Sales have been fantastic, really good. Not only does it slim it also helps with posture, support and core alignment.”
These type of products have been available for years in the sporting and medical markets but now people are seeing the aesthetic benefits.
Sculptees is a recently launched line of men's performance underwear. Based in Houston, Texas, they sell tanks and T-shirts with body sculpting compression properties. The tanks and t-shirts can be worn under clothes or on their own with jeans. These products are modern, high-tech and nothing like the old days of "mirdles" and "mantyhose".
Designer/creator Stephanie Thibeaux says, “Men want to look good but they definitely don’t want to feel like they’re wearing a girdle. I knew if I could create a line of underwear in familiar styles, like ribbed tanks and boxer briefs, that offered smoothing properties and a ‘just back from the gym’ look, guys would really respond. Men are more interested in sculpting the body than slimming it. Guys get hung up on calling it shapewear, so we call it sculptwear. That’s where the name Sculptees came from. We want to give guys a smooth, sleek look not an hour glass figure”.
Another lady who has seen the potential of this underwear for men is Heather Thomson, creator and designer of women's shapewear brand Yummie Tummie. She has recently launched Ript Fusion, her first style of shapewear designed for men. "Ript Fusion was designed to shape men's bodies while visibly improving their physique," explains Thomson, "Using a patent pending design and dual fabric technology, the mid panel sucks in the belly and creates core consciousness while the chest and sweep of the shirt are a lightweight, soft Cotton perfect for wearing under all types of clothes. Furthermore, the T looks just like a white T-shirt so no one will ever know how he got so 'ripped'. What guy doesn't want to look better and feel more secure in his clothes?"
This new type of underwear offers enhancement but not miracles, don’t expect to lose the beer belly overnight but what it does do is offer a firmer and more toned look.
One we've tried is the Equmen vest. Once it is on it is very comfortable, you feel very supported and no I didn’t look like my nephew in his Superman or Buzz Lightyear outfit, it just allowed me to breathe in my Dior Homme suit.
One word of warning. This isn't the sexiest look if you're meeting somebody for the first time and can be a bit difficult to remove in a hurry.
Images - [Top] - Equmen - [Above] - 'Pex' by Sculptees
