![]() ![]() My size was a constant source of insecurity growing up. Meanwhile I was buying protein shakes to try and gain weight in order to emulate the curvaceous women I saw in rap and R’n’B music videos. “Skinny with big tits” was what they aspired to. As a teen, I was deemed “lucky” by white peers for being very thin whilst simultaneously reaching an E cup by the time I was in my final year at school. “My mum is curvy, my cousins… When I was younger, I was actually thinking of having calf implants.” “Being Caribbean, everybody in my family has curves,” she explained. When I interviewed Jourdan Dunn for the cover of Vogue in 2019, she touched on this. This has often left Black, slim women outside of beauty standards both within the mainstream by virtue of being Black, and within their own communities because of their body type. Whilst its welcoming in wider society was relatively new, for most Black women it’s all we’ve ever known. The BBL body type has been, and will likely remain, the dominant standard within the Black community. For years, when discussing thinness as a body standard, there’s been a level of intellectual dishonesty or, at the very least, erasure of how these standards operate within some non-white cultures. The return of thinness doesn’t leave slim Black women any better off either, though. Still, understandably, some women are frustrated to see backs turn on the aesthetic, feeling it was more inclusive than the previously held standard of thinness. A medical report in 2017 stated that it has a mortality rate of 1 in 3,000 patients, making it one of the most deadly cosmetic surgery procedures in the world. The dangers of the BBL are well documented. The end of that reign has been met with a sigh of relief for some women who aren’t naturally built like Nicki Minaj or unwilling to undergo the notoriously dangerous surgical procedures in order to be. “The Reign of the Slim-Thick Influencer is OVER”, the title declared. She speculated that they had their BBLs revised and reduced, in what is referred to as a “country club BBL”. ![]() Lorry Hill, a vlogger who frankly discusses plastic surgery trends on her channel, uploaded a now viral video dissecting Kim and Khloe’s shrinking frames. And now the Kardashians, canaries in the coal mine for modern day beauty standards, have seemingly had their procedures undone, proving the era’s end in the minds of many. Many have hypothesized the return as part of a backlash to the body positivity movement, as well as the prominence of the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) in popular culture and beauty, popularised most famously by Kim Kardashian and her siblings. Whether it be on catwalks or in campaigns, fashion has been all clavicles, concave stomachs and visible hip bones as of late. Most of us don't wear the same clothes all the time, and that should go for shapewear as well, says O'Connor.The return of low rise jeans and miniskirts last year was a harbinger of another imminent comeback. Buying too small can squish your skin and cause unwanted bulges, advises Zimmerman. Or if you're looking for shapewear as a modesty piece like a skirt slip, find lightweight fabrics with minimal compression and features that work for your personal style. Looking for some control but mostly to just smooth your silhouette and enhance your outfit? Opt for pieces that focus less on compression and more on smoothing, so that you maintain comfort and keep your shape. ✔️ Type: If you want extreme tummy control and contour, look for shapewear with mid- to high-level compression, she says. Her advice: "Keep a lookout for pieces that are designed to stay in place." Ideally, shapewear shouldn't roll down or limit your circulation - you should be able to breathe, sit and eat comfortably! ✔️ Comfort: Not all shapewear is created equal: Some shapewear has higher compression levels, so be sure to select the material and thickness based on your wants, says stylist and podcast host O'Connor. Here's what we look for in good shapewear for women: These days, shapewear comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and cuts, so whether you're shopping for your wedding or an everyday staple, there's something out there for you that can even replace your favorite bra and/or underwear. ![]()
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