SHARE Although you might think corsets and girdles have long been relegated to the confines of fashion history, to be filed under “clothing you can’t breathe in and never to be worn”, think again. The figure-changing styles of yesteryear have evolved into the multi-billion-dollar industry of shapewear, which is worn not only by celebrities to create a smoother silhouette on the red carpet, but by anyone who wants to lift and shape without resorting to drastic measures. Modern shapewear isn’t just about wearing, as Bridget Jones once put it, “scary stomach-holding-in pants”, but has evolved into outerwear, too, with dresses, shirts, swimsuits, pyjamas and even jeans now designed to lift, flatten, tighten and reshape tummies, bottoms, hips and more.