Tina Fey made her last appearance on Letterman the other night and boy, was it funny.

Fey honored Letterman by wearing a fancy dress on his show. She doesn’t dress up for late night hosts often. So, to make the night extra special, Fey decided to actually give Letterman her dress, and unveil a pretty awesome “Bye Dave” suit, with Spanx and all.

Give the video a watch below.

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While some suggest they’re a symbol of female oppression, our current fondness for Spanx illustrates women continue to seek to contour and enhance their figures with shapewear.

Until the discovery last week of a 600-year-old bra unearthed in an Austrian castle, costume historians had thought the modern day bra had evolved from centuries of restrictive corsets. The four linen bras found were decorated with lace suggesting that like now, women in the middle ages appreciated bras, both for support and their ability to attract attention by enhancing the shape of their breasts. Women’s undergarments have long been underneath the ever-changing fashion silhouette. In this week’s Now & Then, we look at the evolving contours of the female body and the shapewear responsible for creating it.

A 600-year-old bra unearthed in an Austrian castle last week.

Bras as we know them today begin in the 1920’s. The “boyish” silhouette of the flapper era were achieved by  stiff bandeaus that held the bust in and down by means of a clip attached to a light corset. Larger breasted women tried products like the popular Symington Side Lacer, which when laced at both sides pulled and helped to flatten women’s chests.

Actress Gloria Grahame in a typical sweater girl pose of the 1950’s.

By the 1950’s, women looking to emulate the uplifted look of film stars like Lana Turner and Jane Russell bought longline stitched cone bras that gave the pointed, conical shape favored by the sweater girls of the 50s. The introduction of nylon around this time revolutionized the bra by making them lighter, prettier and easier to wash.

Manufacturers in the 70s starting offering underwear in a range of colors and prints.

As clothing styles loosened up in the casual ages of 60s and 70s fashion, seamless underwear was essential to wear under knits for the popular no-bra natural look. Manufacturers began introducing prints and patterns to underwear fabric and bras could also be purchased in flesh tones. By the end of the decade, sequins and Day-Glo colors could be found, and simple stretchy “Boob Tubes” that supported disco era fashions became popular.

Underwear in the 80s embraced the erotic in lacy teddies and satin french knickers.

Breast support took a back seat in the 80’s, with underwear enjoying one of it’s most sexually-charged periods. The influence of high glamour soaps like Dallas and Dynasty, combined with a new body consciousness as a result of the keep-fit craze and the increasing popularity of separates ushered in a decade of erotic and highly feminine silk, satin and lace trimmed lingerie styles. All-in-one bodysuits and teddies were worn with matching high cut French knickers. When women began revealing the edge of a lace trimmed camisole beneath the popular power suits, the underwear as outerwear trend was born.

The wonder bra and its notorious advertising campaign in the 1990’s.

The 90s was the decade of the wonder bra. Technological advances in lingerie construction, and the influence of amazonian supermodels created a trend for cleavage enhanced fashions. Women lined up for the bestselling wonder bra, a plunge bra with detachable inserts that truly delivered on its name.

In 2000, Spanx was officially launched by Sara Blakely, an entrepreneur in search of a smaller butt, flatter abs and shapelier thighs. Tapping into a huge market of women looking for the same thing – $250 million a year is spent on Spanx products alone – and everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow, Tina Fey and Oprah embrace Blakely’s 21st century girdle alternative. Modern women clearly have no intention of abandoning their shapewear.

Beyonce showing off one of her Spanx seamless bodysuits.

Want to catch up on some more fashion history?

Now & Then: the History of the Sneaker.

Now & Then: The History of the Statement Outfit.

Now & Then: The History of Flared Pants

Now & Then: The History of the Ballet Flat

Now & Then: The History of the Breton Shirt

Now & Then: The History of the Platform Shoe

Now & Then: The History of the Pencil Skirt

Now & Then: The History of Skinny Jeans

Read more Now & Then articles here.

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Dude, got your squeeze for Saturday night? No, not your date, mister; your girdle and slimming undershirt! I know what you are thinking. Spanx; I needed that! I needed tummy control and penis definition.

And even those of you who don’t truly need it, those with tight abs and buns, might still get swept up in the trend the way skinny gals do, heeding any and every opportunity to look even skinnier. We live in America. Isn’t  skinny what really counts underneath it all?

Yep, in the battle of the bulge the undergarment of the century is now a male weapon of choice, stockpiled on the shelves of men’s departments at stores like Neiman’s, Bloomies or  Nordstrom, where you can peel one on, suck it in and smooth it all out before you try on that $2,000 Boss suit.

Look for them on the red carpet (I’m wearing Armani and a Spanx Compression Tank),  at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and black tie fundraisers. Just keep in mind what savvy women Spanxters know too well: After that third dessert, the torso trimmer will act like a tourniquet and turn on you. If you feel you need oxygen, put down the funnel cake. I repeat, put down the funnel cake!

The New York Times calls them men’s shapewear, which is a bit prissy for my taste, and reports that retail sales are booming. Apparently fashion directors at both stores and web sites like Freshpair boast Spanx can’t make em fast enough to fill the orders. No wonder I’ve been ogling young San Francisco men lately, thinking, “I admire their shape.” And here I thought I was a shameful cougar.

Is it worth the investment, you ask. The shapers – being touted as the revolution in men’s underwear – are rather pricey, but this is what you get for your money:

The Zone Performance Crew Neck, $78, compresses the abs and torso, firms and tones the chest, improves posture and provides lumbar support and eliminates bulk under clothes.

The new, Cotton Comfort Boxer Brief, $48, lifts and adds dimension and depth for an enhanced profile, compresses legs, and has moisture cooling under groin.

And the Zone Performance V-Neck, $78, does all those other good things while aiding work outs with maximum mobility. In other words, you can cheat at the gym. Maybe not so much when you let it all hang out in the bedroom.

The success of the new undies is good news for retailers, but maybe not so for personal trainers and chiropractors who help men get ripped and relieve their back pain. Personally speaking, it seems the men’s version offers something the fem designs don’t. Mine do nothing for my posture or performance on the elliptical or during Zumba and I pull my back out every time I sit on my French vanity stool and struggle to climb out.

But at least my latest pair feature a pee hole which I greatly appreciate when I’m out partying and trapped. I can pull up my dress and relieve myself…just like a man. Just like a man in Spanx.

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