subject: The History Of Shapewear For Women [print this page] How long has shapewear for women been around? We do not know exactly how long but we do know that for centuries, women have done almost everything they could think of to bring out their best features and hide their worst features so they can be attractive to men. During Elizabethan times, women attempted to make their chests as flat as possible in order to look boyish. They wore corsets made of iron to make their waist smaller. During the 17th century, corsets were made of whalebone. During the 18th century, women wore very tight corsets to make their waists very tiny and to give their figure the appearance of the letter "S" with a large bust, a tiny waist, and a bustled backside. This was referred to as a wasp waist look.
In the beginning of the 1900s, the bra came out and a material called Lastex, which consists of latex converted to fabric, was used instead of whale bones to make corsets and bras. The girdle was created at this time and helped women shrink their stomach and also held their stockings at their thighs. The girdle is an undergarment made of elastic that gives women a smooth shape. Girdles today usually consist of one material alone or a combination of Lycra, Spandex, and Powernet. The girdles made of one or more of these materials are very easy to wear and do not cause discomfort. They are also very durable and long lasting. These girdles are not excessively heavy or thick so they are very comfortable and they do a great job of shaping and smoothing women's bodies.
Girdles today come in a few different types, which are "light compression", "medium compression" and "strong compression". These all offer different levels of control and they are thicker or thinner depending on the level of control offered. The panels are also different. The "strong compression" girdle will have many panels in it and the fabric will be thicker so it will offer more contouring and shaping. You can usually put on the newer versions of the girdle easily just by pulling them up but you can find ones that snap or hook and having boning like old fashioned girdles. The reason that there are not a lot of changes in the types and styles of girdles is probably because the older versions worked and customers were happy with it.
Women everywhere are buying shapewear in record numbers especially with the development of Spandex in the late 1990s. Most shapewear is made of Powernet, Lycra, Spandex, or nylon and the brands you see most often include Flexees, Body Wrap, Yummie Tummie, and Slimpressions, as well as many more. The shapewear industry continues to expand as interest grows in their products. You can now find shapewear that makes your breasts look bigger, your thighs and legs look smaller, your butt look smaller, and that reduces bulging around your bra area. There is shapewear to make your arms look better as well. Women are going to to continue to be interested in shapewear so the industry is only going to continue to grow.
