men are the new women

Man Corsets Flying Off the Shelves at Saks

In progressive times like these, men are not content to sit back and let only women indulge in the fat-sucking-in powers of apparel like Spanx. They want to suck in their fat, too. So the men’s shapewear category has expanded pretty quickly over the past year. It includes items like briefs, tank tops, and T-shirts designed to compact the gut and flatten the stomach. Some like to think of these items as man corsets or man girdles, a.k.a. mirdles. They’re selling briskly at Saks Fifth Avenue, where the most popular new style is an $89 to $119 undershirt by Australian company Equmen, which is supposed to improve posture and reduce back pain in addition to making dudes look slimmer. Sure, maybe the health benefits are more than claims, but it sounds to us like a marketing gimmick so guys who buy their products can say, “I need these man Spanx because I have back pain, okay? Sheesh.”

The Times reports:

Saks has sold more than 30 percent of its stock in four weeks, “which is incredible,” said Eric Jennings, the men’s fashion director.



“No one really knows what to make of it, of course,” he said.


Maybe it has something to do with how, just like women, men want to look skinny and have as little fat as possible. And no matter how little fat they have, they always feel like they have too much. Men are just as self-conscious about their figures as women. Just pinch a dude’s fat if you don’t believe us. He’ll squirm.

Men, Breathe in and Hold It [NYT]

Man Corsets Flying Off the Shelves at Saks