By Maria Famakinwa
Wearing foam-padded brassieres and pants has become a growing trend among Nigerian ladies, apparently to give them fuller busts and more attractive buttocks in order to enhance their beauty and overall appearance.
Findings revealed that about 80 percent of ladies and married women now wear foam-padded bras and pants, thereby showcasing artificial curves that some believe are used to deceive gullible men who are easily distracted by body shapes.
Some of the ladies sighted buying padded foam brassieres and pants at Oja-Oba Market revealed to WEEKEND HOPE that they were left with no choice but to patronise such products to improve their image and accentuate their beauty, as people often mock their natural body shapes, which negatively affects their self-esteem.
They disclosed that having the money to buy the items came as a relief, as it would save them from embarrassment and help them keep up with trending fashion.
One of them, Adejoke Adeyeni, who was at the market to buy a padded foam pant, said she appreciated the idea behind the product, which gives ladies with flat buttocks like hers, the opportunity to repackage themselves and enhance their curves—an issue she said had long been a source of concern for her.
When told that some ladies with flat buttocks do not see any benefit in adding extra padding, she said, “There is nothing wrong with taking steps to improve one’s beauty and restore one’s confidence. People view things differently, and whether or not, it is beneficial, depending largely on the goals an individual sets for herself, regardless of societal perception.
“I am comfortable wearing a padded pant to show that I have big buttocks. After all, some ladies undergo plastic surgery within and outside the country for buttock enlargement and pay exorbitant amounts despite the risks involved.”
Also speaking, a beautician, Mrs. Omolewa Sani, said she came to buy a padded foam pant because she intended to wear iro and buba, a Yoruba native attire, to a social function. According to her, since she has a flat buttock, it was necessary to wear a padded pant to enhance her curves and make her look attractive in the outfit.
When asked if it was a new fashion trend, she explained that about 80 percent of ladies and married women now wear fake boobs and buttocks to show off their curves, a development that gave rise to the popular saying, “packaging l’olaye,” meaning that society is now all about packaging. “Thank God it is not expensive. If you are not fat, you can get it for less than ₦5,000, while fat women may pay more,” she said.
Sharing a similar sentiment, a youth corps member who identified herself simply as Ebere, disclosed that although she was satisfied with the size of her buttocks, she came to buy padded foam brassieres because they enhance her small bust, making it look fuller and more appealing. “It also creates cleavage that makes me look fantastic in clothes,” she added.
When told that her breasts were of normal size, she disagreed, saying, “This is not the breast size I desire, especially now that ladies with big boobs are using their endowment to attract men. I need to wear it because my fiancé likes a big chest.” When advised that faking a large bust could be seen as deceitful, she responded that it depended on one’s perspective. “If wearing padded foam brassieres to keep my man, whose interest I am protecting, is termed deceitful, so be it. As long as it makes my breasts bulge out with a seductive pointed shape to keep my fiancé, nothing else matters.”
Ebere’s friend, who also came to buy padded bras despite being naturally endowed, said her reason for wearing padded bras was to keep her breasts firm and prevent her nipples from showing through her clothes. According to her, “It is a myth that padded foam brassieres are only for women with small busts. Women with bigger breasts also use them to achieve a smooth look and maintain modesty. They prevent nipples from showing through clothing and save women unnecessary embarrassment, especially in cold weather.”
A dealer in foam-padded brassieres and pants, Ikechukwu Alloy, described women as too vain and artificial, saying they are never satisfied with what they have. He explained that padded foam bras come in two types—single and double foam—but noted that most ladies prefer the double foam, despite his warnings about possible health hazards.
“Some ladies, after choosing double foam bras against my advice, later return complaining of discomfort and chest pain .
“I pity men these days because many ladies are deceitful. The curves they show off that make men go crazy are often artificial attachments. Many homes have broken due to a lack of sincerity because not all men will want to marry a woman after discovering that the pointed big boobs and buttocks that attracted them were foam attachments. I wonder why ladies cannot appreciate the way the Creator made them,” he added.
Explaining why he now sells padded underwear instead of the ordinary type, Alloy said ladies no longer patronise non-padded bras and pants. “I used to sell ordinary underwear, but due to poor sales, I switched to foam-padded ones. I still have a few of the ordinary types left, but nobody asks for them. As you can see, customers are only interested in padded underwear. That is what gives me good sales, just like my co-sellers.”