Breaking Down the Stigma of Men Wearing Girdles
Most men take underwear for granted. It’s usually boxers or briefs if anything at all. If you talk to them about wearing a male girdle to improve their physique, they would probably laugh in your face. Most men associate the item with female clothing and this is a shame because girdles can be worn by both genders. Girdles have a long history of being medical back support underwear. High performance athletes are also aware of the benefits of sports girdles for lower back and leg support. Still, for some men to wear it everyday they tend to shy away from it. This is very unfortunate because girdles as a foundation undergarment can really elevate the way men dress and their ability to fit into clothes properly. For the guys who are more open minded, wearing shapewear underwear can take off inches from the waist line in an instant and without going to the gym.
The psychology behind men not embracing body shaping underwear might stem from the fact that they associate it with women’s underwear. While it is true that the shapewear industry mostly caters to women, the truth is they want to expand their consumer base to include men as well. Their bottom line is to make money. To cater to the male population, male girdles are very masculine looking and have an athletic look to them.
Frankly, society is also changing in terms of what is appropriate between the genders and this line is blurring. You see men wearing guyliner, and also painting their finger nails. These overt displays of fashion are way more risqué than what men wear as underwear. Therefore, the stigma of wearing male girdles is overblown. If a guy wants to improve his physique by wearing support undergarments then that should be his choice. Unless he advertises it, no one would be the wiser.