Today fashion requires that both women and men have slim silhouettes. This trend has brought a new item on the men underwear market.

Girdles, once worn by women only, nowadays have become extremely popular among males as well. The overweight is the problem of the 21^st century. While modern society keeps on putting weight, Japanese underwear designers try to find a solution.

Last month, leading underwear firm Triumph International Japan put a trial line of men’s girdles on the market. They introduced two different types of the flattering undergarment – one from the navel to the knees, and the other a “hip hugger” alternative to be worn with low-waist pants. Both styles were a success and went like hot cakes.

The proven popularity of the item makes Japanese underwear manufacturers work on developing new girdle versions, which will include an alternative for summer wear and a variation for shaping the upper body.

Girdles were extremely popular in the 1950s-1960s when the fashion for a wasp waist came with the advent of the Dior New Look.

Today they are not so widely worn by women, but they are gaining their popularity among men. Modern girdles can be made of elasticized fabrics such as lycra and spandex. They are usually seamless and may include compression panels, bands and other features that provide lifting and smoothing.

With modern ingenious designs of underwear, people have a chance to overcome most of the figure problems they face. Today’s garments are able to slim, flatten, enhance all areas of the body.

It’s curious that girdles are bought not only by middle-aged inertial males, but also by young guys of 20s-30s. What’s it all about – a new trend or a spreading weight problem?

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