The history of the corset dates back to antiquity.

Women would don the tightly-drawn, waist hugging fabric belts and men their fitted leather vests to accentuate and improve the shape of the human body.

By the mid-1800s, only a few men wore corsets, but for women, the demand increased.

The desire for a smaller waist and an exaggerated bust line was a cultural phenomenon that mesmerized women from aristocrat to peasant.

Today, the debate still rages: Do clothes look better on a skinny woman or a more shapely female figure?

Even today, most men will admit they prefer women with an hourglass shape. And many women have purchased clothing that was made to fit a less-curvy physique.

And with the explosive success of Spanx, an undergarment meant to slim and smooth the body, it’s no wonder Kim Kardashian has high financial hopes for her SKIMS shapewear line that is marketed as a new waist trainer.

Are waist trainers torture devices?

Kardashian certainly must work hard to maintain her small waist and voluptuous curves.

But, she knows a great beauty invention when she sees it. This is why she likely realized the premiere waist training product.

After all, Kardashian’s body silhouette could serve as the brand’s marketing logo.

But, a waist trainer is a far cry from a body slimmer. A waist trainer uses a combination of high-compression fabric and a closure system, similar to a corset, that pulls in the waist and supposedly offers multiple benefits to improve fitness and appearance. The benefits these companies will use to market waist trainers include:

can promote improved posture
produces dramatic and shapely curves
a better core workout for waist slimming
increased body temperature (sweating)