Fake ‘macho’ in town
Women have been known for a long time as ‘magicians’ capable of perfectly transforming facial looks and contours with make-up and other forms of artificial enhancement.
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There are bum and hip pads, as well as padded brassieres, corsets and waist cringers which can help a woman obtain a ‘Coca-Cola shape’ in less than a minute.
It is generally assumed that women bother themselves to look good in order to please men, but the reverse now appears to be in vogue.
Some men are now going in for padded underwear as a way of winning over members of the fairer sex with fake ‘macho’ looks.
Artificial stomach muscles
The underwear, marketed mainly on social media platforms, is designed to give men fake abdominal muscles to make them appear more muscular.
There are waist trainers and corsets for men which are quite similar to what some women wear. There are also tummy trimmers and men’s underwear which is padded around the arm, chest and mid-section to give the wearer a real ‘macho’ look.
One of the online marketers who spoke to this reporter said currently he only supplied men’s padded underwear to people who pre-ordered, as the product was new on the market.
“The prices vary, depending on the type and manufacturer. So depending on what the customer wants and the looks he seeks to achieve, we recommend the appropriate corset or body pad,” he explained.
He said although demand was not high at the moment, feedback from the few customers so far was positive.
“I’m optimistic that sales will pick up soon,” he stated.
Are women attracted to ‘macho’ men?
Just as some men are attracted to curvy and well-endowed women, it is also believed that some women too prefer men with well-defined stomach muscles or ‘six pack’.
A young lady who spoke to The Mirror said although she got attracted to men with such features, she wouldn’t date someone solely on the fineness of his muscles.
“I will rather date a skinny but caring guy than someone who wears fake stomach muscles. I wouldn’t even trust such a person anymore when I find out,” she said.
Revenge
Nana Kwame, a young man, also told The Mirror that women had lied to men about their real looks and shape for years and so he saw nothing wrong with men also wearing fake muscles.
“Personally, I won’t patronise such a product because I will be embarrassed if my friends find out, but I won’t fault any guy who decides to wear one,” he said.
He added that men were not as fussy about their appearance as women and so for a man to go to that extent was an indication of low self-esteem.
Training for muscles
For sports men and models, their work requires that they always stay fit and in good shape. So they spend time in the gym working out to achieve their desired results.
Reasons for body-building vary, but the commonest one for many young men is to look muscular and attractive to women.
Mr Emmanuel Darkwa Ampadu, popularly known as Warmz, a fitness instructor, told The Mirror that it was ridiculous for a man to deceive people with underwear that portrayed fake muscles.
According to him, it took hard work and perseverance to achieve proper, well-toned muscles, adding that it took a well-balanced diet, regular workout and cardio exercises to achieve the real ‘macho’ look.
Walking over rough diamonds
According to Dr John Boakye, a relationship expert, it was normal for women to be attracted to men with fine, well-formed muscles, as they felt secure with such men.
He said some women assumed that ‘macho’ men were strong, healthy, aggressive and attractive and so they looked out for such features in people they wanted to date.
“You cannot build a good relationship based on just appearances or looks. There are good, caring and loving people who are not muscular. If your man is attractive, that’s okay, but a relationship built on physical appearance is likely to fail.
“Embarking on such a journey is like ‘walking over rough diamonds.’ It may look good and attractive on the outside but could be dangerous, as you cannot determine someone’s character based on looks,” he explained.
