When sales executive Linda Chan was getting ready for her company’s gala dinner early this month, she squeezed her size 6 body into a flesh-coloured undergarment that clung from her thighs to her breasts.
Calling it her “lifesaver”, the 36-year-old swears by the unsightly body-shaper.
Worn under a figure-hugging dress, it instantly flattened her tummy and made her bottom look pert.
The only problem: It was a nightmare to remove when nature called.
Still, the sales of shapewear – undergarments that slim and sculpt a figure by holding loose flesh in – are taking off.
These undercover agents first drew attention in 2000, when weight-battling TV host Oprah Winfrey announced her love for a shapewear brand called Spanx.
The brand is available at Tangs Orchard as well as www.spanx.com. Each piece costs about $70.
The size of the shapewear market has tripled since then, hitting US$560million (S$790 million) in annual sales for the 12 months ending last month, according to American market research firm NPD Group.
British lingerie brand La Senza also reports “overwhelming” demand for its body sculpting line here.
Called La Senza Shapewear, the collection of tummy control pants and bodysuits sold out in Singapore within a month of its August release.
Tina Lee, Tangs’ assistant merchandising manager, says the demand for shapewear has grown as “consumers are now more image-conscious and realise that besides dieting and working out, there are other, easier options”.
The department store is expanding its shapewear options to 30 per cent of the lingerie selection, up from 20 per cent.
The secret behind these miracle workers is their fabric.
Made of body-skimming materials such as spandex and microfibre cotton, these undergarments squeeze in fat rolls and bye-bye arms.
While most of these body-shapers come in yawn-worthy nude shades, there are sexier options these days.
Spanx has an upscale collection called Haute Contour, with items like a lace thong with waist reinforcements that lift the derriere.
Prices start from US$88 (S$128) for a thong to US$198 (S$245) for a lace slip.
The range will be available at Tangs Orchard from next Friday.
Italian lingerie chain La Perla also stocks sensual bodysuits trimmed with lace and lined with satin and silk.
La Senza is not far behind with pretty shapewear with sexy garters.
Urban checks out the top undercover agents that help you fake a fab figure.
BIGGER BREASTS
What: Push-up bras
Who: Best for women who want a raising agent for their cupcakes.
Technology: These bras have pockets which you can stuff with silicone fillets or cotton padding. This gives the illusion of a fuller bosom and deeper cleavage.
Most also have underwiring and side panels that push your assets together for a better effect.
Where to get: Nearly all lingerie brands, including departmant store favourites such as Triumph, Wacoal, Sorella, Pierre Cardin and Calvin Klein, offer push-up bras. La Senza, for one, boasts the popular So Free line of maximiser bras ($46 each, above) that promise to boost your bra size by two cups.
SLIMMER BODY
What: Bodysuits, a one-piece undergarment incorporating a bra and mid-thigh shorts.
They are often strapless so are great under tube or halter dresses.
Who: Best for women with several problem areas such as a flabby girth, thunder thighs and sagging breasts.
Technology: Made from materials such as spandex and microfibre cotton, they stretch over your body, compressing it to create a slimmer figure.
A tightening band or compression panel at the waist flattens your tummy.
Many have silicone padding in the boob and bum areas for an extra boost.
Where to get: Triumph’s Pure Shaper body dress ($79) has built-in bra pockets which you can stuff with padding (from $20 per piece).
FLATTER TUMMY
What: High-waisted tummy-control girdles that flatten the abdomen. The compression panels hold in flabby bits to create a flatter girth.
Who: Best for women who want a flat tummy without muffin tops.
Technology: Made of tight, stretchy materials such as rubberised cotton, polyamide and elastane.
Where to get: Wacoal sells a range of girdles called Crosswalker ($89 to $149) with compression panels at the waist and bum areas that not only flatten the stomach but also sculpt the thighs and boost the butt.
Some models in this range also come with a high-waisted band held together by underwiring and metal clasps for an even slimmer silhouette.
Wacoal also offers high-waisted panties for $45 each under the Shape Pants range made of stretchable fabric that tuck in slight bulges.
SHAPLIER BUM
What: Bum-enhancing panties
Who: Best for women who want a lift for droopy derrieres.
Technology: These shape and enhance your bums with silicone or sponge padding.
Where to get: American lingerie brands Maidenform, Body Wrap and Spanx all sell padded panties. Spanx’s Slim Incognito Seamless Control panties ($65) also slims your tummy, thighs and hips.
Body Wrap’s Regular High-Waist Panty is $60 and Maidenform’s Waist Nipper Briefs costs $65.
All these brands are sold at Tangs Orchard.
