Shape up or ship out
Brunch|June 17, 2023
Squeeze it all in. Let it all hang out. Can shapewear and body positivity truly exist in the same universe?
Urvee Modwe
Shape up or ship out

Hold your breath. And suck it all in. Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand, Skims, is from every angle, a massive success. It's sexier than Spanx. There are tummy-controlling bodysuits, high-waisted shaper shorts, size-inclusive swimwear and, of course, that bulge-smoothing maxi dress that's in every fashion influencer's closet. When it launched in 2019, Skims sold out its entire stock in 10 minutes. Kardashian made $2 million in profits that year. Last year, the brand made her $600 million richer, after Skims hit a $3.2 billion valuation.

Like Skims, Kate Hudson's Fabletics and Victoria Beckham's VB Body are other successful celebrity driven shapewear lines. Online and off it, dupes abound in every price range.

We're living in an age when, for the first time, we're viewing all bodies as beautiful. So how come shapewear is having a moment? It's bad enough to have unattainable standards for young people. But Audrey Hepburn has become the gamine old-lady ideal. What happened to ageing gracefully without feeling the need to suck in one's midsection? Can there truly be a body positivity movement when we're still held to punishing beauty standards?

The big squeeze

この記事は Brunch の June 17, 2023 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Brunch の June 17, 2023 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

BRUNCHのその他の記事すべて表示
Animal crossings
Brunch

Animal crossings

If you ever feel out of place, think about these 10 species that are thriving far from home

time-read
3 分  |
June 08, 2024
Silk road tripping
Brunch

Silk road tripping

Camels, caravans, Chevrolets. Driving down the same road in Uzbekistan 30 years later brings back memories and gives one hope for the future

time-read
2 分  |
June 08, 2024
Guess who's coming to dinner
Brunch

Guess who's coming to dinner

Some guests take their welcome much too seriously, don't think twice about being disrespectful, and are wholly unbearable. Here's how to identify them

time-read
2 分  |
June 08, 2024
I of the needle
Brunch

I of the needle

Century-old fabrics, designs sourced from museums, inspiration from old photos, creative hacks to turn back time. Check out how Indian costume designers are making every period detail shine

time-read
4 分  |
June 08, 2024
Another caper around Capri
Brunch

Another caper around Capri

The legendary resort town is relatively unspoiled and glamorous. The food is better than it used to be, if you know how to skip the tourist traps

time-read
4 分  |
June 08, 2024
Unscrambling the data
Brunch

Unscrambling the data

Free-range, natural, organic, cage-free. How good can eggs get, anyway? And why are restaurants obsessed about it?

time-read
3 分  |
June 08, 2024
Let's talk about me again
Brunch

Let's talk about me again

Insta Reels are out to paint everyone as narcissists. Here's how to tell regular confidence from dangerous disorder

time-read
2 分  |
June 08, 2024
The magic of meet-cutes
Brunch

The magic of meet-cutes

Boy meets girl. It's awkward but adorable. First contact can make or break arom-com. Is there a formula for getting it right?

time-read
2 分  |
June 08, 2024
Encore competence
Brunch

Encore competence

Some actors did so well in arole, it's déja vu with every new character they play. Can these 10 talents break free?

time-read
3 分  |
June 15, 2024
While you were sleeping
Brunch

While you were sleeping

Anupam Sud's works focus on women, their place in the world, and their complex relationships. Nothing is what it seems

time-read
2 分  |
June 15, 2024