SNATCHED/ CURVAS SIN FRENOS
At some point in most young women's lives, the introduction of the faja (shapewear) has snuck its way into their wardrobe… whether through the women in her family, a friend of the family, their own friends, or simply when shopping at small local stores owned by someone in a Hispanic/latinx neighborhood. we had this realization at one of our tgm team meetings, where we discussed how each of us had came across the very stretchy but almost suffocating fabric. We all know that The beauty industry is greatly influenced by society's interpretation of beauty and in the last 20 years, an hourglass figure has become “the” shape. A shape popularized by music videos and reality tv. from Kim Kardashian West to nicki minaj, having a tiny waist has only but helped the push to fit our bodies into a faja.
The popularity of the faja stems from wanting to look a certain way with an immediate fix. It is known to cause a reduction that is temporary through creating muscle atrophy where the waist is being cinched. However, while it might make you reach the “look” you’re looking for, long term wear can be dangerous. according to Dr. Roxann Engle, “If you were to wear a waist trainer for long periods of time, depending on how tight, you will absolutely create medical problems not just in reducing muscle and core strength, but in how it affects the internal organs”.
regardless of the potential health risks that this garment poses, it doesn’t stop it from bringing in the cash. just look at the $2 million burglary of 34k pairs of high end fajas that happened in 2018 in Miami, Fl. why would someone steal fajas? because their return investment (theft) would land them a higher profit margin in the black market (ps- This wasn’t the first of the faja burglaries suffered by the Premier International store).
Predominantly a fashion staple from South and Central America, the faja has made its way all over the world over the last 70 years. The Global Compression Wear and Shapewear Market size is expected to reach $6.4 billion by 2024 with advancements in fabric technology and growing popularity of shapewear trends. It’s current exposure spans from Jessica Alba saying she wore two fajas post-pregnancy and JLO’s faja reveal while on Ellen.
there is a common phrase in Latin American culture that states “Para ver se bella, hay que ver estrellas”, which essentially translates essentially to beauty is pain. now raise your hand if you’ve been told something similar during your youth or event recently? trust us you’re not alone.
We know that the usage of the faja is different for everyone and that for some it's not just a memory from their teen years, but an important part of their current beauty routine. To dive into this cultural nuance, TGM wanted to know the faja stories of our readers and how their relationship to this item got started.
we hope this is insightful and enlightening! Here are some of the womxn and their faja stories!
YAREL RAMOS
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
Mexican American and I’m 32 years old.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
I was 15 –it was for my quince and my mom bought it at mervyns. It was like a spanx faja.
Who introduced you to the faja?
My mom, my cousins, and my aunts in Mexico.
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I own about 7 fajas and I wear them every day when I am at work. I have different shapes that range from a light spanx to a heavy thick faja.
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
For sure, it was the idea of having a smaller waist that captivated me- being skinnier and feeling skinny. Later in life it has become about having my dresses look smooth by wearing a faja.
Karla tevez
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
I am a 30 year old Salvadoran.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
Probably 18 or 19 years old was when I first wore it. It was the long shorts one that sucks in the tummy, hips and thighs.
Who introduced you to the faja?
My mom. She always wore one when she wore a form fitting dress, which was basically every time she wore a dress (lol).
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I have a couple. I don’t really wear them often, as none of my clothes are form fitting and I don’t like to feel constricted. I tend to wear them under dresses in the summertime so I don’t get the chub rub!
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
The faja definitely had an influence on how I view my body shape. Honestly, I don’t know why I even wore one when I was younger. There was no tummy there to suck in compared to now (haha). Fajas made me think that people didn’t have any lumps or bumps which is normal in human bodies. It also adds to the notion that people don’t have belly lines and so, when I see my belly poke out in my clothing sometimes I feel uncomfortable and don’t want to wear that piece/feel uncomfortable all day... like people are staring at my little fupa! I am not sure my perspective has changed much, I think instead of “sucking everything in” in a faja, I am instead wearing clothing that is loose and less fitted, as to just cover up places on my body I am uncomfortable with showing.
Pamela Martinez
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
I am Dominican & a proud Afro-Latina. I am 27 years old.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
I was probably 12 years old when I wore my first faja. It was the kind you slip right on and didn’t tighten anywhere. Meant to eliminate the shape of your underwear showing.
Who introduced you to the faja?
My mother made me put it on the first time and I wore them when I wore tighter clothing as I got a little older to help hug my shape.
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I have one but I rarely wear it. I find it uncomfortable and typically try to wear clothing that makes me feel good. If I don’t think I will look good it in naturally, I won’t buy it.
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
I definitely think it impacted how I viewed my body. It highlighted the parts of my body that were imperfect & highlighted how this tool could try to achieve perfection. I think it fuels the negative body image that is prevalent in the Latinx community.
my perspective has changed but it’s still a struggle. Our bodies change as we get older, they develop & suddenly it’s not as easy to maintain that flat stomach we had in our early 20s. It makes reaching for a faja seem more appealing, especially when so many of my Dominican cousins are still regular faja users. But I’m going to stick to yoga & clothes that makes me feel good instead!
Yasmin Marrero-Garcia
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
I am an Afro-Caribeña American. My mother was born in Dominican Republic and my father’s parents were born in Puerto Rico. I am 27 years old.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
I was around 15 when I wore my first faja, it was a simple band around the belly, blue on the outside and rubber on the inside. I was told this would help me slim down my belly because I was too fat. This led to also those that are more like a corset, with link connections to close it and stiff rods around it to train my waist into a certain shape.
Who introduced you to the faja?
I can’t remember who first introduced me to the faja, which is more indicative of the fact that it was just so common in my world that it wasn’t “introduced” to me so much as it was part of it. My stepmother is Dominican and I remember seeing her be interested in it. The women in the salon would chatter about it. My mom and abuela would put it on to clean the house sometimes. It was just part of my world. It was a part of being a mujer.
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I actually just moved into a new apartment and got rid of my only faja. I had to part ways with it because I noticed I wore it when I felt ashamed of the shape of my body. I am a wider-thicker woman and to see other women with hourglass figures or snatched waists always, I mean always, in my world just made me feel like my body was wrong.
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
I felt like it was my responsibility to have a snatched waist and flat belly. I believed that I was the one that had to strive to achieve that. Given that I never got close, I thought I was flawed. When in reality, my physical structure just wasn’t built for that and I could see it in all the women on both sides of my family. Fajas never worked. The only women that were “successful” at shaping their bodies were also the women who did a little (or a lot) of plastic surgery. Fajas were introduced as a way to love yourself because if you didn’t have the preferred body, you obviously didn’t love or care about your body.
Now looking at it all, it's our collective desire to be seen, admired, loved. A woman who loved herself enough to have a fit body was seen as an unstoppable woman, that was the internalization that we acquired from those of higher status and fame for generations. I see myself now and I say, if I can love my body without the faja, then I am the unstoppable woman who I admire and love. I am seen regardless because I am here brilliant and beautiful. Some days that’s harder than others, but every day I’m striving for that liberation from both the faja-mindset and the faja.
Bianca Francois
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
I am African American and 29 years old.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
I was around 14 years old when I had my first pieces of shapewear. They were a waist shaper/corset and a high waisted panty that I wore under my 8th grade prom dress.
Who introduced you to the faja?
My Mother.
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I own multiple in different styles! It varies how often I wear them, I have times where I may wear one 2-3 times a week and other times where I won't wear one for weeks.
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
Since wearing my first faja my perspective has changed. I was 14, "chunky", one of two Black girls in my 8th grade class and surrounded by thin friends. I hated the corset and high-waisted underwear I had to wear. At the age of 14, I couldn't understand that these undergarments were made to help my clothes fall neater against my body. In my mind I had to wear them because I was 'fat' and that wasn't acceptable. Now, I love that I am naturally curvy, and my shapewear/faja helps accentuate certain areas of my body that I adore (Hey peach!!). As I matured, I realized women of all sizes wore shapewear. I don't think my faja is mandatory to look "good," but I do have an appreciation for it.
Bianca in her faja.
Marialuz Hernandez
What is your ethnic background and how old are you?
I am Hispanic/Middle Eastern and my age is 52.
How old were you when you wore your first faja? What style was it?
I was 23 years old and it was the kind with a bra hook. The color was beige and I didn’t like it but I had just given birth and was told I needed one to keep my organs and everything inside tight.
Who introduced you to the faja?
My mother, she always wore one that was as a tummy tuck.
Do you still own one and if so how often do you wear it?
I do and I haven’t worn it in years!
Would you say the faja had an influence on how you viewed your body shape? Has that perspective changed since you first wore a faja?
Yes, the faja made me feel compressed and it repressed my hunger because it felt really uncomfortable when I wore it. It improved my posture and gave me a sense of how to keep my body tight. I believe it helped my figure and I was always very conscious of my body since I was a young girl. I was athletic and became bulimic when I was 14 being overly conscious of my image. After my pregnancy, I felt even more aware of my body type and growing up Latina your family will comment on your body shape and appearance. Now that I’m going through menopause I feel my body is changing again and look to the faja to help me slim down.
thank you to our readers for your vulnerability and willingness to share with your community.
now Drop us a comment and tell us what you think! feel free to share with us your faja story!
