How men hid figure flaws in different times: 4 techniques with pictures

Lose weight or (and) get pumped up – these are the two main requests we come to the gym with today. Nowadays they are typical for both men and women. In the old days, of course, girls did not dream of muscle mass. But representatives of the stronger sex were ready to do anything to visually justify this title. Even to walk around in insanely uncomfortable clothes …

Slimness is a controversial subject. There were times when more valued burly, because so it became obvious – a man can afford gastronomic excesses. However, if it went beyond all limits, the upgrade was still required. At least it was necessary to outline the proportions and curves.

Today, for this purpose, men go on a diet and go to the gym. All the same, now our body is in plain sight, and clothes, although they allow us to create some optical illusions, cannot change the body decisively. It was different in the past. What fashionable tricks allowed you to imitate muscle mass and slim down “before your eyes”?

image consultant, stylist-coach, resident of the International Community of Stylists.

Members of the aristocracy in ancient Rome loved to eat. Of course, it was reflected in their figures. At the same time, the division of society into estates required the nobility to watch their appearance. They had an excellent option – clothes that concealed gastronomic sins.

Further fashion continued to help men. They had the opportunity with the help of clothes to imitate the presence of muscle mass and exaggerate certain parts of the body. Which techniques were particularly popular?

1. Boof sleeves

Some elements from the military closet were transferred to the secular closet. We are talking about wide sleeves-bouffes. Such were in the shawbet – the outer garment of the XVI century. To maintain the form more often used batting and spacers made of vine and whalebone. Less often – quilted fabric, located between the outer layer and the lining. This element of closet made men’s shoulders very wide.

Boof sleeves

2. The codpiece

This element men used to deliberately exaggerate volumes. It came from knightly tournament fashion. Overlay on the causal place served for safety. They also hid money in them, by the way. What was the other stuffing? Wool, horsehair, straw or sand. Often reinforced with wire.

Gulph

3. thighs and calves.

At the end of the XVIII century there was a momentous event for men’s style. The main trendsetter of the Renaissance era, George Bryan Brummell, met the Prince of Wales, the future King George VI. Thus began the era of dandyism or “The Great Male Refusal”. The decorative nature of the suit was replaced by impeccable restraint.

“Fake” thighs

Padded calves and “fake” thighs became popular. The latter could be achieved with short pants. They were called culottes.

Fake calves were sewn into satin stockings. They were a great success. After all, in those days this part of the male body was considered the most attractive for women.

4. Corsets and boned bodices

In the 1800s, corsets were part of cavalry uniforms. They allowed soldiers to look more spectacular in the saddle. They also prevented spinal fractures if they fell from a horse.

During the dandy era, corsets were also worn by men who led a secular and aristocratic lifestyle. They tightened their waist to have a circumference of 70 cm. The ideal silhouette of the hedonistic era was a waist, broad shoulders and widening jacket folds.

Corsets

The popularity of the corset was also influenced by George Bryan Brummell, who had a good physique from nature. This distinguished him from most of his contemporaries. Everyone wanted to be like him. That is why men’s fashion included corsets and bone bodices, lined socks and voluminous elements. They were inserted into the inner pockets of clothes and created the necessary silhouette. The goal was for broad shoulders to contrast with a narrow waist.