By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The high cost of goods and services has made women transition from one beauty lifestyle to another.The transition in beauty lifestyles ranges from facial surgeries to artificial make-ups, then to no makeup at all.
There is also a shift in areas like liposuction, hips and butt enlargement, which cost huge amounts of money to carry out.
Coupled with the inherent risks of these surgeries, women adopt dieting and fitness exercises as alternatives.
However, the high cost of membership and classes in the gyms are not helping matters either. And, now women still search for cheap alternatives to appear elegant and curvy in their outfits.
Economy & Lifestyle has discovered that many dressmakers are now attaching hip and butt pads to gowns, and corsets to enhance the body and shapes of women when they put them on.
For many, a glance at such a woman sends the mind reeling in different thoughts like ‘Where on earth has she got that bodily endowment’.
Little does it cross the minds that those endowments are pads.
Mrs Motunrayo Sholanke, a stockbroker, told Economy & Lifestyle that the cost of a month’s body moulding in a gym ranges from N50,000 to N55,000, which used to be between N10,000 to N20,000.
“As a career woman, I love looking good in my outfits. I used to visit the gym thrice a week then.
“The economic situation then was better compared to now. Life was less stress-free. You have time to take good care of yourself.
“I have to adopt adding pads to the butts and hips of my gowns to give me an hourglass (figure 8) shape.
“Such enhancement only requires little money. At least I will still have time to hustle.”
Confirming Sholanke’s comment, Mr. Frederick Balogun, a gym instructor, said the cost of attending gym sessions is now on the high side due to cost of maintenance, bills for electricity, diesel, rent and high cost of gymnastics instruments.
“Gym classes for a year is N300,000 above, six months N250,000 above, three months N100,000 above, monthly is N50,000 above, 7 days to 10 days N30,000 above and family members of four are N1.2 million above per year.”
“The prices have tripled compared to two years ago.
“We now have few women visiting the gyms. Some women now subscribe to YouTube, TikTok or Instagram to get training.
“Many others who couldn’t afford the price go for artificial body enhancers.”
On her part, Mrs. Ajike Afolabi, a fabric seller, said:” Most of my friends and I now use hips and butt pads in gowns.
“Most of these celebrities you see have abandoned cosmetic surgeries and are clinging to hips and butt pads in gowns to have a curvy shape.
“These surgeries and injections have a very high risk when it is not done properly. I don’t advise ladies to go for it.
“Some of my friends go to the gyms almost every morning. Now they are tired and complaining of the rise in the prices of gym classes. With hips and but pad in my gowns, I am good to go.”
Miss. Folashade Akinwinmi, a fashion designer revealed that most of her female customers who were never interested in hips and butt padding in their dresses now request it.
“Hips and Butt pads in fashion designing have been there for a long time but people are not going for them because they have other alternatives.
“Now that the cost of things has increased, women are beginning to adopt its use in garments.
“Pads are foam-like materials that come in different thicknesses, shapes and sizes, attached to the bust, hip and butts of a female gown to give it a figure 8 shape. With N20,000 to N30,000, you can have it in a gown depending on your shape (either slim, moderate or fat).
“Such a gown gives you this elegance and confidence when worn.
“If your material has many beads or stones or it is slippery, adding pads will be difficult and hence attract more sowing fees.”