How far would you go to look thinner?

You can now get body shaping underwear for men. But would you buy it?
It used to be the case that women went to great lengths to look thinner and men...well, men let it all hang out.

And women still do, of course. We're not just talking about doing sensible things such as eating well and exercising. Instead, many women squeeze and struggle into all sorts of unpleasant undergarments in a bid to fake a firmer, more slender figure.

Men once looked at all this unnatural effort with a kind of bemused contempt. No longer. The arrival of men's support underwear means that we can't take the moral high ground anymore, at least when it comes to hiding our flabby bits. So with that in mind, how far would men go to look thinner?

Control pants for men?

So how far would you go? For some men, it's only as far as the local Asda. Asda has been producing a range of shaping underpants for men for a while, but has now released an all-over shaping bodysuit, quickly dubbed the 'Mansie'.

For £15, the Mansie uses a compression fabric to push moobs and love handles into shape, and smooth out creeping beer bellies. It also slims down bottoms and thighs, apparently.

"It isn't just women who love our controlwear products," said Asda's Fiona Lambert. "Men are always asking us for new technology and innovation to target their wobbly bits."

Asda has answered that call in the past with 'moob tube' vests and Bodysculpt trunks, both of which sold out almost immediately when they were trialled last year. The Mansie is the first all-in-one body shaper for men.

Asda developed the garment after commissioning research which found that 69% of men thought they had overdone it on the barbecue ribs and ice cream over the summer. And it seems that, instead of going to the gym or cutting calories to get back into shape, many men want the quick fix that super tight undies can provide.

Whatever Asda can do...

And Asda isn't the only major retailer cashing in on the new male desire for effortless (fake) weight loss.

In 2009, Marks & Spencer debuted its Bodymax range for men. Though they look like ordinary T-shirts and vests, items in the range are effectively male corsets, which use shaped seams and a hidden support panel to tuck in saggy male stomachs.

M&S said trials conducted on the range reported a reduction in waist measurements of up to 1.5 inches. A spokesman for the company predicted that, within a few years: "Shapewear will be as much of an essential in men's wardrobes as ties and socks."

What's certainly true is that there's now plenty of shapewear available for men.

What would men sacrifice for a better body?

None of this should really surprise us. According to research by the University of the West of England, more than 80% of men talk to friends about their bodies and masculinity issues.

And the experts found something even more surprising. Of the hundreds of men questioned, 35% said they would happily sacrifice a year of their life to achieve their dream body.

So while some men would brave the underpant section of Asda to look thinner, others would go considerably further than that.

What you can do instead

If you don't want to sacrifice a year of your life and you wouldn't be seen dead in support pants, there are a few other ways to make yourself look slimmer than you are.

For a start, wear good, well-fitted clothes. They shouldn't be skin tight, of course, but they shouldn't be XXL size. Baggy clothes will billow out and emphasise bulk rather than disguising it.

Go for darker block colours that draw eyes away from unflattering detail. Remember that dark colours absorb light, so less of the detail bounces back into your beholder's eyes. Light colours have the opposite effect.

On top of that, stand tall and avoid slouching. A straight back smooths out lumpy fronts and stretches away protruding bellies.

If you can be bothered, another tip is to use a subtle fake tan. Tanned skin covers up any flabby, mottled bits.

By actually getting slim, rather than faking it, you get all the health benefits of actually being slim, alongside the aesthetic benefits of just appearing slim. Oh, and nobody is going to be disappointed when you actually take your clothes off.

Of course, you could forget control pants and fake tans altogether, and wear whatever colours you like. You just have to work for it.