From dad bod to six packs in a minute? New shapewear brand aims to help men feel confident and accepted

There was time when a man using makeup was the butt of sexist jokes and drinking an extra glass of water was the pinnacle of male skincare Today we have several homegrown brands selling makeup and skincare products targeted at men In the midst of this progressive change we are now seeing another product being embraced by men of different ages shapewearEarlier this year the brand XYXX launched its firstever collection of menrsquos shapewear vests called Sculpt A product priced at just over 1000 they described as ldquoa functional layer that helps with support smoothing and shapingrdquo meant to be worn under everyday clothesThe success of XYXXrsquos new Sculpt Vest shows how men are starting to see shapewear as an important part of their wardrobeldquoThe response has been encouragingrdquo says Petal Gangurde chief of brand and culture ldquoparticularly to see men investing in a category that has not been talked about widelyrdquo It addresses a need thatrsquos not discussed much but is still very real illustrated by the fact that the entire inventory was sold out within 40 days Not just that a comedy series released on Instagram alongside the product was also received well with the first episode alone pulling over 125 lakh organic views The second episode of the series The Shirt Pull featured a very important problem that many men donrsquot even realise The video shows a man going through different events in his life all while trying to put his shirt in order No matter where he is the man stops to adjust his shirt pulling it thrice each time at the chest and stomachldquoThe idea behind the campaignrdquo Gangurde says ldquowas to break the stigma associated with men wearing shapewear in a fun and relatable way We wanted men to see familiar situations reflected back at them and realise that there is nothing unusual about wanting a certain fit or silhouette from their clothesrdquoThe menrsquos shapewear works pretty much the way it does for women gently compressing and sculpting the chest belly and back to present a more streamlined silhouette even adding the impression of toned pecs and absPetal Gangurde Dr Quazi Ghazwan Ahmad Pickokilabenhospitalcom Dr Tanvi VaidyaOne user Rajesh Thadani name changed was once uncomfortable wearing fitted Tshirts ldquoNow I feel more comfortable wearing themrdquo he says ldquoand I donrsquot feel the need to hide behind oversized clothesrdquoThe age demographic of the men using it is also diverse from young students to a 45yearold sales rep One of the men Ali name changed even recommended shapewear to friends with a similar build while others have not hesitated to buy it for their fathers or brothersEpisode 2 of XYXXrsquos comedy series showcases the issue of men pulling on their shirts due to discomfort PicInstagram145eastAs Ali puts it ldquoIf I donrsquot like how my body seems and wearing a vest gives me a better shape why not do itrdquoAny feelings of embarrassment too are long gone ldquoTherersquos really nothing embarrassing about itrdquo he says ldquoIf a product makes you feel more comfortable or confident in what yoursquore wearing therersquos no reason to feel ashamed about using itrdquoDr Hrishikesh Salgaonkar right Harshad PanchalGangurde is pleased with the reception She believes that ldquomen are becoming more open about the role that grooming clothing and appearance play in how they feel about themselves and there is less hesitation around exploring products that help them feel more comfortable and confidentrdquoWhat is behind this apparent change ldquoThe way men think about their bodies has shifted significantlyrdquo answers Dr Quazi Ghazwan Ahmad plastic surgery consultant at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital ldquoMuscularity a defined midsection broad shoulders and athletic builds these have become benchmarks all thanks to men constantly seeing carefully puttogether images on social mediardquoHe points out that research has proven time and again that comparing oneself to these unrealistic standards can chip away at selfesteem and body satisfaction Dr Hrishikesh Salgaonkar bariatric and laparoscopic surgeon at Fortis Hospital believes that insensitive comments about weight comparisons with friends dating expectations and even casual remarks from family members can add to an already existing pressureldquoIn clinical practicerdquo he says ldquowe also see how concerns about appearance can affect men in very personal ways For instance what is commonly referred to as lsquoman boobsrsquo can be a source of considerable embarrassment People often associate it with being overweight but it can also happen due to a condition called gynecomastia in which there is an enlargement of glandular breast tissuerdquoFor those suffering from a condition or those who cannot exercise due to injury or age shapewear can be an option In his obesity clinic Dr Salgaonkar routinely sees patients who struggle to lose weight despite making genuine efforts through diet exercise and lifestyle changes ldquoNot everyone is comfortable with surgery Not everyone can afford to exercise as much as they used tordquoHowever both doctors are quick to point out that grooming products cannot be seen as a substitute for taking care of onersquos health As Dr Ahmad puts it ldquoShapewear is an appearance aid It does not do anything for cardiovascular health strength or metabolic fitness and it is not a substitute for physical activity or a way to address abdominal fatrdquoIn many ways the journey of menrsquos shapewear is not that different from that of their makeup or skincare Issues pertaining to body image aside a lot of the open mindedness has been carried over from before Dr Tanvi Vaidya for example a dermatologist witnessed the rise of menrsquos skin care in real time ldquoAt first men would only come to talk about their hairrdquo she says ldquoNow things are different Thanks to influencers putting up videos of their own skincare routines making it cool and acceptablerdquoShe can see a change in how men are now talking about their skin and bodies in general ldquoIrsquom not saying all of them are talking But the shift is happening I would say more among upper to middleclass menrdquo She believes that for many taking care of their bodies has become more of a status symbol ldquoI typically see for a lot of very affluent corporate employees selfcare has become like a status symbol So men who really take care of their skin their body are being seen more positively Itrsquos looked down upon within corporate culture to say that you do not work outrdquoSocial media had made skin care popular and accepted XYXXrsquos comedy series has similarly worked to make shapewear more acceptable Dr Vaidya agrees ldquoShapewear definitely would sell because it is now cool to be fit The paunch is looked down upon and it is not cool to have a dad bod This is a time when even dads want six packsrdquoThe creators of Sculpt hope that it will build confidence and not reinforce insecurities Harshad Panchal Lead Designer in XYXXrsquos RampD team says ldquoThere is a difference between helping someone feel confident in what they wear and making them feel that their body needs to be correctedrdquoWhether shapewear products become more common or not they have at least become a viable and respectable option